It has been more than two months since Cyclone Idai hit southern Africa. It left more than 800 people dead and almost 3 million needing emergency aid. Tearfund and our partners have been responding in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, distributing much-needed supplies.
In Mozambique, Tearfund’s partner Kubatsirana has been giving out essential items for 500 families in Manica province. These included food, water purification tablets, soap, mosquito nets and blankets, as well as seeds and tools for farming.
Melissa Daley is Tearfund’s Humanitarian Coordinator in Mozambique. She shares some of her experiences as she joined up with the partner team.
‘As we made the 200km drive to the communities, you could see out of the window the hectares of crops that had been completely destroyed because of flooding from the cyclone.
‘We were greeted by staff from Kubatsirana who were starting the distribution. A few yards away, under a large tree, women, children and men began to gather – seeking shade from the hot sun as they waited.
‘The chief of the village explained how they were able to provide much-needed assistance because of the funding from Tearfund’s appeal.