Save the Children Responds to Flooding in Mozambique
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Residents walk on the flooded banks of the Zambezi River in Caia, central Mozambique, January 13, 2008. Floods have swamped parts of Mozambique and forced some factories and schools to shut down. The National Institute of Disaster Management has used helicopters and boats to rescue 50,000 affected residents, assisted by 400 military staff and aid agencies. REUTERS/Grant Lee Neuenburg (MOZAMBIQUE) |
The seasonal floods along the Zambezi River in Mozambique this year were the worst in over a decade. Ongoing and torrential rains over several weeks pushed the country's major rivers out of their banks, threatening the lives and livelihoods of thousands of families. Nearly 100,000 people were displaced by floodwaters, according to estimates.
Save the Children responded to meet the immediate shelter and protection needs of flood affected children. The agency erected eight temporary school tents in Mopeia, where displaced families stayed in camps, and distributed education kits for teachers and students in preparation for the start of classes.
Save the Children also distributed household kits — comprised of blankets, cooking and eating utensils, water purifiers, soap, buckets and plastic sheeting — to more than 3,500 families. The agency provided additional plastic sheeting to 350 families in Mopeia.
Save the Children has long-term programs in three of the four provinces affected by the Zambezi flooding. The agency has been working in Mozambique since 1988.
Save the Children's ability to respond quickly to emergencies like this and other future emergencies where significant numbers of children are at risk greatly depends on our available resources. By contributing to the Children's Emergency Fund, you enable us to prepare for and respond immediately to children and families who urgently need our help when disasters strike.
