Cyclone Eloise Emergency Response

After five years of partnering with communities affected by conflict and climate crises, IsraAIDMozambique is preparing to conclude our organizational presence andtransition initiatives to local leadership. Though this process has been in the works over the last few months, Cyclone Chidocaused significant damage to our community centers in Metuge and Cujupani in December. As we move toward a safe and sustainable exit, we are prioritizing rehabilitating these centers, ensuring that the communities we serve will continue to have access to essential services within the safe places we built together. 

Our handover to local leadership is a meaningful opportunity to reflect on our shared impact in the last five years. IsraAIDarrived in Mozambique in 2019 to respond to devastation caused byCyclone Idai. Soon after, we launched a long-term humanitarian mission to support communities affected by ongoing civil conflict and displacement in Cabo Delgado. We expanded our efforts further by responding to the impact of Cyclone Eloise, which primarily affected the Sofala region, in 2021.   

In every place we have worked in Mozambique, IsraAID has sought to address immediate needs and support long-term development in a challenging context, where communities’ vulnerabilities to climate crises are compounded by armed conflict and mass displacement.Some highlights of the last five years include:  

• In the wake of Cyclone Idai, IsraAID provided communities with the equipment to produce thousands of liters of safe drinking water using the NUF filtration system. This system produces up to 500 liters of clean drinking water per hour in places without permanent access to electricity. We also distributed Sawyer water filters in partnership with community activists from a local NGO. 

• We established Project Connect in partnership with several local institutions to provide psychosocial support to internally displaced communities in Chiúre and Metuge. We also trained local community outreach workers to conduct home visits, ensuring access to support for individuals with limited mobility and those facing other barriers to accessing traditional support services.   

• Following Cyclone Eloise, we prioritized water, sanitation, and hygiene bybuilding weather-resilient toilets, handwashing stations, and boreholes for local schools that doubled as emergency shelters. We alsodistributed essential hygiene kits to thousands of people in shelters to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases. 

• We establishedChild-Friendly Spaces (CFSs) for displaced children in Cabo Delgado and Nicavaco Resettlement Camp, and trained community leaders as CFS facilitators. The training incorporated key topics in sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence (GBV) prevention, psychological first aid, and referral pathways. These workshops providedfacilitatorswith the skills necessary to enhance GBV prevention efforts, particularly among female adolescents. 

• As the protracted emergency context gave rise to acute food insecurity, IsraAIDpartnered with Save the Children International to combat malnutrition among children in Cabo Delgado. We engaged parents ina series of cooking demonstrations and workshops to spread knowledge on balanced diets, emphasizing recipes using local ingredients and their health benefits.  

With all the above and more, IsraAID is leaving stronger, more resilient communities in Mozambique. With the knowledge, resources, and safe spaces we have developed together, these communities are better prepared to meet their own needs in crises. As we conclude our humanitarian mission in Mozambique, we cannot thank you enough for all your support over the last five years.