Mozambique

In 2019, Southern Africa was hit by two of the most extreme cyclones to ever make landfall in the region, leaving a trail of destruction across Comoros, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. In March, Cyclone Idai, a category 2 cyclone, brought winds of 105 miles per hour; and, in April, the region was struck by Cyclone Kenneth, a category 4 cyclone, with winds of 140 miles per hour. The cyclone and flooding happened right before the annual harvest season, with a devastating impact on agriculture, livestock and fisheries.

Mozambique was, arguably, hit hardest by the cyclones and flooding. This resulted in the widespread destruction of critical infrastructure in terms of public health, nutrition, protection, sanitation and education in emergencies. Families lost their homes and mass displacement occurred. Thousands of schools were damaged or destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands of students at risk of never returning. This disruption caused academic achievement and enrolment rates to plummet.

ECW’s First Emergency Response (FER) supported reparations for damaged schools; the provision of educational supplies to communities; the distribution of life-saving messaging on disaster risk reduction (DRR); and the training of education personnel on psychosocial support for students. It also supported communities to ensure continued enrolment, and the Government to implement disaster mitigation strategies.

Additionally, a new FER, launched in 2021, addresses the rising number of displaced children and adolescents in the Cabo Delgado Province. Increasing violence, including attacks against schools, has left children out of the classroom and in harm’s way. The programme facilitates safe learning spaces and remote options; provides academic resources; trains educators to meet the psychosocial needs of their students; and builds awareness to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse.