A humanitarian organisation in Malawi has come under the spotlight for deducting money from its workers, as much as 30 per cent to sponsor cultism like management and is embroiled in fraud and tax evasion.
Christopher Banda told Unicef about Dapp’s links with the Teachers Group
DAPP Chilangoma
A BBC documentary program, Assignment, says all workers at Direct Aid from People to People (DAPP) are deducted money from their salaries from 10 per cent to 30 per cent to sponsor their cult like leaders who are in hiding in Mexico.
Workers who duly identified themselves during the interview confirmed this to the BBC.
The reporters also got hold of the payroll which showed huge deductions from the workers pay to sponsor a group called Teachers Group.
DAPP is the brain child of some Dutch teachers who volunteered to teach in Africa and in the process started the organisation which attracted huge sums of money for humanitarian purposes .
Dapp runs education, health and agriculture projects in Malawi, and has received tens of millions of pounds in the last decade from Unicef, the EU and the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID)..
However the leaders of DAPP are on the run, believed to be in Mexico after Interpol issued a warrant of arrest on fraud and tax evasion charges.
Unicef, which has worked very closely with DAPP in Malawi says it has suspended its relationship with the humanitarian organisation.
DfID says it is reviewing its relationship with DAPP in Malawi.
“We will not hesitate to act in any situation if wrongdoing is proven. DfID welcomes any evidence and documentation that the BBC can send us in order to investigate these serious allegations,” DfID told the BBC.
BBC says it is taking its evidence to DfID and other donors who have the power to investigate further and make sure aid money is all used for the benefit of the people who need it most in Malawi.
DAPP officials refuted the allegations.