Lift up cyclone-devastated families in Mozambique

In March 2024, the tropical cyclone Filipo made landfall in Mozambique, causing damage to many people, healthcare facilities (health centers), and schools in several provinces, including Inhambane Province. In 2023, Inhambane Province was also severely affected by Cyclone Freddy, and subsequently an outbreak of cholera occurred, with many people contracting the disease and some deaths occurring.
From March to August 2024, Peace Winds Japan worked with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to distribute hygiene kits to 300 affected households and repair and restore the water supply facilities and latrines at health centers in Inhambane Province.

We also supported the health centers in providing 189 mobile clinic visits to rural areas, providing vaccinations for children, antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-positive patients, general medical care, and awareness-raising activities related to cholera prevention and countermeasures. As cholera had occurred the previous year, we provided training to the technical officers from each health center on cholera case management and prevention, so that they would be able to respond quickly in the event of a future outbreak.

Through the radio, we repeatedly informed the community about cholera prevention measures, hygiene knowledge, and the need to use healthcare services, and we also held workshops for pastors and traditional healers who had a lot of influence over the people because of the many false information and superstitions about cholera, and we communicated correct knowledge to them. In fact, we confirmed the effect of this by seeing families who had listened to the radio coming to the mobile clinic.

In Mozambique, due to the La Niña phenomenon in 2024, the rainy season from October 2024 to March 2025 is expected to bring normal or above-normal rainfall to the south and central regions, including the Inhambane province. People there are preparing to prevent of cholera and AWD in the possible natural disasters such as flooding or cyclones.

An affected old woman who received a hygiene kit was grateful for it, as she need money on repairs to her house and couldn't afford hygiene items. She also appealed to use chlorine in water properly.

Peace Winds Japan (Peace Winds) provided emergency humanitarian assistance in the Inhambane Province in Mozanbique, which was hit by Cyclone Freddy in 2023. In March 2024, another cyclone hit the same area again affecting 48,116 people. 

PWJ immediately conducted the needs assessment in Inhambane right after the disaster to grasp the local needs on March 15.

The 2024 cyclone damaged vulnerable houses made of woods and grasses. The strong winds and rain caused severe damage and destroyed their houses in especially Vilankulo. The affected people could not even bring their personal belongings from their houses.

Narciso, Peace Winds Project Officer, conducted a needs assessment in Inhambane, described how he felt when he heard the cyclone hit Inhambane again.

“I had conducted a needs assessment and then provided emergency humanitarian assistance in 2023 when the Cyclone Freddy had hit Inhambane.

When I heard that another cyclone could pass through the province again, I became very concerned and nervousness because the people affected last year were barely able to get their lives back on track. 

People, especially those in rural areas, are not well-off. Wealthy people can build dwellings that are resilient to natural disasters, but those who live in rural areas are not possible to build such houses.”

Narciso also stated what he did the first thing after the cyclone hit for the first step to support.

“Immediately, I contacted a community promoter in the province with whom I had worked on a hygiene awareness campaign last year in our previous project.

When I heard about the damage in the same area, I couldn't stand still. I wanted to go there immediately and started thinking about what I could do for the local community.

I actively started to share information about the disaster situation on social networking sites and tried to reach as many people as possible. I thought that if many people knew about the disaster situation, they would be able catch public attention to this disaster and attract supports.

Narciso told us what Peace Winds will do to continue its support.

“Unfortunately, we cannot prevent natural disasters. However, we can reduce the damage. Mozambique has been affected by cyclones every year since 2019. Therefore, in order to mitigate the damage as much as possible, we must learn the concept of ‘disaster prevention’.

For example, we need to build houses that are resistant to heavy rains and strong winds, constantly improve the sanitation environment so that it does not deteriorate in the event of a disaster, and promote to start disaster prevention education in elementary school.

Mozambique also introduces the Early Warning System which is for spreading potential disasters information. That has been in widespread use in Mozambique for some time. However, some people don’t consider this warning system seriously and take any measures even though they know in advance that a cyclone is coming. We should learn how to respond after a warning is issued by using this system effectively.

Peace Winds would like to continue to provide not only emergency relief for repeated natural disasters, but also support that will lead to disaster mitigation. Therefore, we would be grateful for your wisdom and support. We thank you very much for your continuous cooperation in strengthening the resilience of the Mozambique.