From December 2014, heavy rains caused unprecedented damage across the country. Most severely affected were the southern districts. By the end of January, the floods had affected over 650,000 (UN). Among those severely affected were MASYAP’s members in Mpemba, Blantyre. Houses collapsed, crops were ruined and many women had to abandon their businesses due to the loss of their stock and capital.
To assist some of the worst hit, in March 2015 MASYAP- with the support of a private donor- provided seven women with MWK 10,285 each to go towards rebuilding their houses and businesses. 81 year old Margret Mtuwana was one of the recipients. As a widow with 7 children and 5 orphans to support, she was planning to use the money to rebuild her house and put any remaining funds towards replenishing her stocks of flour and sugar in order to restart her cake business.