Radio-lights needed for Idai & Kenneth survivors

Not even a year has passed since Mozambique sustained an estimated $3 billion worth of damage after back-to-back cyclones.  Idai struck in March in central Mozambique and Cyclone Kenneth a month later in the north. Hundreds of people were killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, and more than two million were left in need of urgent assistance. 

We have learned from our on-the-ground sources that only a fraction of infrastructure has been rebuilt.  Houses, hospitals, schools and community buildings remain unusable.  Many thousands of families are living in emergency shelters.  Residents are patching up and rebuilding as best they can with what little they have.  Livelihoods are still decimated as farmlands were destroyed and few tourists have returned to bring in fresh cash. Pledges of outside donor funding for longer-term reconstruction has yet to materialise.

Against this backdrop the rains have already been heavy and menacing this season. The rainy season is fully underway and will continue until April.  The fear is that people already suffering from incalculable loss, will continue to do so. 

Heavy rains have already struck Beira in the central area and just this past weekend a powerful storm made landfall  destroying hundreds of makeshift homes and nearly 50 fishing boats in the northern Cabo Del Gado province. The damage is still being calculated as communication is poor. 

The need for our radio-lights remains urgent. Earlier in the year we were only able to send a fraction of the number asked for.  Rural women, especially, don’t have cell phones, cannot afford the data if they did and rely on radio information in a language they understand. 

Several community radio stations were rebuilt after the storm and are broadcasting. The issue remains that people still need a way to hear it.  Community stations are also the most effective way for the government and aid agencies to communicated with weather-affected communities. 

We would be extremely grateful if you would consider continuing to support this highly worthwhile and impactful initiative with our Fenix radio-lights. Few of the affected families had electricity to begin with, but having the light feature helps to see perils at night.