Nsanje District Youth Officer, Gertrude Francisco, told Zodiak Online on Tuesday that her office has received K6.3 million from UNICEF for environmental conservation among other activities.

She observed that women and youth suffer most when disasters hit, citing the recent Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

The Nsanje Youth Officer says 50 adolescent girls from the area of Traditional Authority Malemia and Mbenje in the district are currently undergoing a four-day training which will see them championing climate action citing planting trees.

Francisco said this is in line with the 2063 agenda on youths being creative, proactive and innovative.

“The idea is that the youth should be steadfast in conserving natural resources having felt the pinch of environmental degradation. We want them to be advocates of climate action,” explained Francisco.

She further said the money they received will cover about seven activities saying apart from climate action, they are also covering sexual reproductive health and mental health issues.

One of the participants, Mercy Window, aged 18, from Mtemangawa village under the area of Senior Chief Malemia told Zodiak Online that they were displaced and lost property as a result of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

She described the initiative as “critical in mitigating such effects.”

Records at the district council indicate that the recent cyclone induced floods displaced about 41, 000 households who are currently seeking shelter in 88 camps which authorities mounted in the district.

The floods claimed 15 lives with 15 others still missing. The floods, according to the council, also damaged about 10,000 hectares of crop fields.