Written by PWS&D partner Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD), Malawi

Meet Peter Simon, a 56-year-old father of four from Kumbewe Village, in the Balaka district of Malawi. Like many families in Malawi’s southern region, Peter’s life took a difficult turn when El Niño-induced drought and floods struck the country.

“I watched almost all my fields get washed away. The little that was left did not survive,” Peter shared. “Farming, which used to sustain my family, was no longer reliable.”

As food became scarce and maize prices soared beyond his reach, Peter’s once stable life began to spiral. He relied on his traditional mat weaving business to make ends meet, but even that became a challenge. The raw materials he used, usually sourced from nearby riverbanks, were washed away by floods.

“Life was unbearable. I was living in fear, not knowing where the next meal for my children would come from,” he recalls.

But then came a ray of hope, through the El Niño Emergency Response Program. With support from Presbyterian World Service & Development and Canadian Foodgrains Bank, Peter’s family and 1,700 other vulnerable households received MK90,000 [about $71] monthly, through cash transfers which were distributed between November 2024 to March 2025.

“The cash transfer changed everything,” Peter said with a smile. “I was able to buy food for my family, pay my children’s school fees and slowly rebuild my life. Just look at me now—so healthy!”

As a wheelchair user, Peter also took a moment to appreciate CARD’s commitment to inclusivity. “I am especially grateful that CARD did not leave behind people with disabilities,” he said. “Life is already hard for us and finding food is even harder. This help came at the right time.”

Peter’s story is one of many, but it stands as a powerful reminder that timely humanitarian support can restore dignity, hope and health to those hit hardest by climate shocks. Thanks to the cash transfer program, Peter is living with a renewed sense of purpose for his family’s future.