After Cyclone Idai struck Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi in March, nonprofits, government agencies, and individuals stepped up to help.
But one woman was determined to help in any way she could. And a Zimbabwean billionaire took notice.
Plaxedes Dilon, a 71-year-old grandmother, reportedly walked six miles carrying clothing and household items in an effort to provide relief to survivors, according to CNN. After the disaster, she donated clothes she sells for a living, according to local news outlets.
“I immediately packed the clothes and jackets that I earlier purchased for resell and carried my bag … the following morning,” Dilon told ZimLive.
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Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa said that he would build Dilon a house “anywhere she wants.” He also said that he’d give her a monthly allowance of $1,000 for the rest of her life.
Masiyiwa is a Zimbabwean businessman and philanthropist who founded a telecommunications company.
“What she did is one of the most remarkable acts of compassion I have ever seen!” Masiyiwa wrote in a Facebook post.
Nearly 500 people have died as a result of the cyclone, according to The Washington Post.