Lending a Hand in Mozambique

Children in Mozambique displaced by flooding. PHOTO courtesy IRD.

Weeks of heavy rains in central Mozambique have led to extensive flooding from the Zambezi River leaving nearly 170,000 people homeless.  The floods washed away houses and crops at the time of this farming region’s harvest season, destroying the livelihoods of tens of thousands.   The displaced people are overwhelming the temporary shelters, stretching the capacity and challenging already deteriorating sanitary conditions.

AmeriCares responded immediately by partnering with International Relief & Development (IRD), the nonprofit organization on the ground in Mozambique.  By granting the IRD $200,000, AmeriCares enabled the organization to purchase much needed hygiene and water sanitation supplies as well as a boat to deliver the relief aid.  The boat is an essential tool in the efforts as poor road conditions in this severely impoverished country have severely complicated the relief efforts. 

“With an intense tropical cyclone sweeping across already flooded areas of the country, we felt that it was critical that AmeriCares respond quickly with locally purchased supplies,” said AmeriCares Emergency Response Manager Jonathan Hodgdon.

A boat purchased with funds from AmeriCares on its way to deliver aid to those affected by flooding. PHOTO courtesy IRD.

Mozambique is in the midst of its rainy season, with March often the wettest month.  By teaming with IRD, which has the staff and experience already in place to serve the flood victims, AmeriCares can deliver aid quickly and effectively to those most in need. In addition to the boat and sanitation supplies, the funds will support a three-month program which will address both the immediate problems of deteriorating sanitary conditions and the longer term needs of rehabilitating this devastated community

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Thanks to funding from AmeriCares, IRD was already able to provide soap and water purifiers as well as latrines to those affected over the weekend. “Due to your timely response, we were able to deliver help to a much needed population,” said IRD Health Officer Lali Chania.

IRD will continue to improve the living conditions by providing clean water and storage equipment and eventually rehabilitate the water systems.   The AmeriCares grant will help nearly 25,000 displaced people.