A HUMANITARIAN aid worker from East Lancashire has been supporting African communities devastated by Cyclone Idai.

More than 700 people in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi have been killed while thousands have been displaced following the two-week storm which engulfed south east Africa earlier this month.

Blackburn’s Kash Hussain has been working as a senior humanitarian manager in the Malawi office for the Department for International Development during the storm. However he has been stationed in the capital, Lilongwe, since September 2017.

The 31-year-old, of Bastwell, described the last 14 days as ‘hectic but rewarding’.

He said: “It is amazing that in a few days UK aid has reached the people most in need.

“Charity was always a part of my family values when growing up, the people of Blackburn were always charming and nice, everyone willing to help each other out in the typical northern way.”

For the last six years the former student at St Mary’s College, Blackburn, has been helping communities overseas. Between 2013 and 2017, Mr Hussain worked in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon, providing support to people during the Syria Crisis.

Over the last 18 months the former Cancer Research shop worker, based in Blackburn town centre, has worked with communities in Malawi to help protect them from the impacts of climate change, such as flooding.

Describing his day-to-day job, Mr Hussain said: “You have to make sure you are ready and available to work long hours and over the weekend.

“I have to attend a lot of meetings to get a better picture and sense of the situation on the ground. During the cyclone, we’ve provided shelter kits, tents, lanterns and water purifying apparatus – the things that people really need.

“In my experience of being on the ground both in Malawi, and in the Middle East, aid from the UK really is supporting millions of people and making lives better.”