MALAWI: Lenten Sacrifices Build a House for a Person with Physical Disability in Lilongwe

Demetria Banda

Damiano Katengeza from Traditional Authority Chadza, in Lilongwe was all smiles last week when the Catholic Church through Pontifical Missionaries Society handed over keys to his new house that was built in a space of less than a month.

Katengeza who is physically disabled and in his late 50s has been putting up in a dilapidated structure that some well-wishers built for him some 20 years ago.

The three-bedroom house which PMS has built for Katengeza, a Jehovah’s Witness devout, comes after well-wishers contributed towards the course.

The contributions to the building of the house were made by few devout Catholics as part of their penance during the Lenten Season. They came together for the course through Social Media Fundraiser that was advanced by Pontifical Missionaries Society PMS

PMS National Director, Father Vincent Mwakhwawa says the Church was compelled to come in and help Katengeza having noted the dire situation of the house which he was putting in.

“During the Lenten period, a few individuals came together and contributed towards construction of this house. Individuals devoted their time and resources to see it to the completion of this house. In the future, we hope more people will come forward and help people like Katengeza,” said Fr Mwakhwawa.

Speaking after receiving the keys for the house, Katengeza thanked PMS for the initiative which will transform his life. He hailed the Catholic Church for giving him a startup capital for business that will in future help him find basic necessities.

“This is one the happiest days of my life. I was living in a very dilapidated structure which I called a house. I thank Catholic Church for building this house for me. I hope this gesture does not stop here with me,” said Katengeza who heads a grouping of about 20 other disabled persons from Traditional Authority Chadza in Lilongwe.

The house which has costed just over 1 Million Kwacha (1,300 US Dollars) was handed over after a Holy Mass which was celebrated by Father Stephen Chikhasu the parish priest for Nathenje Parish in Lilongwe.