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Stamford, CT, March 2, 2007. In response to the devastating floods in Mozambique, AmeriCares and International Relief and Development (IRD), two international relief and humanitarian aid organizatiions, are reaching out to help those affected by the disaster.
In order to get immediate relief to those most in need, Stamford-based AmeriCares teamed up with IRD, the nonprofit organization on the ground in Mozambique. Since IRD has the people and experience already in place to serve the flood victims, AmeriCares is granting IRD $200,000 for a three-month program to respond to both the immediate problems of deteriorating hygiene and sanitary conditions and the longer term needs of rehabilitating the devastated community so they can return to adequate living conditions. The AmeriCares grant will support efforts to help nearly 25,000 displaced people.
By securing this AmeriCares funding, IRD was already able to provide soap and water purifiers as well as latrines. “Due to your timely response, we were able to deliver help to a much needed population,” said IRD Health Officer Dr. Lali Chania.
Weeks of heavy rains which resulted in floods from the Zambezi River washed away houses and crops at the time of this farming region’s harvesting season, forcing 170,000 people from their homes and destroying their livelihoods. Tens of thousands of displaced people are overwhelming the temporary shelters that have been set up, stretching the capacity. Sanitary conditions continue to deteriorate and poor road conditions in this severely impoverished country complicate the relief efforts. “With an intense tropical cyclone sweeping across already flooded areas of the country, we felt it was critical that AmeriCares respond quickly with locally purchased supplies,” said AmeriCares Emergency Response Manager Jonathan Hodgdon.
Mozambique is in the midst of its rainy season, with March often the wettest month. IRD will continue to improve the living conditions by providing clean water and storage equipment and eventually rehabilitating the water systems.