From IFRC WEEKLY NEWS 18/00
The International Federation and Mozambique
Red Cross have begun a major operation to rebuild the lives of hundreds
of thousands of people devastated by last February's floods. Mozambique,
one of the world's poorest countries, does not have the resources to cope
with the effects of the floods and needs substantial and long-term international
support. To fund its operation, the International Federation has launched
a revised appeal for 30 million Swiss francs to assist 365,000 people for
the next 12 months.
Priorities for the rehabilitation strategy were identified at a partnership meeting, attended by 15 National Societies and the International Federation on April 28. Over the next year, the Red Cross will focus on the following: rehabilitating 15 community health centres and reducing the spread of epidemics; non-food distributions, disaster response training, mines awareness, improvement of logistical systems and establishing country-wide communication systems. Some 10,000 families will receive essential non-food items such as kitchen utensils, blankets, hygiene sets, buckets and mosquito nets. Education on mine awareness is vital as the flooding dislodged mines, making previously de-mined areas dangerous again to people displaced or returning home. The strategy will also focus on strengthening the monitoring and management capacities of Mozambique Red Cross branches. "I am delighted to see that the National Societies working in Mozambique have committed themselves to the strategy laid out in the appeal as this way, our combined efforts will be the most effective," says Mark Wilson, Head of the Federation's Delegation in Mozambique. One of the National Societies to make an early donation was Vietnam Red Cross which marked its first contribution ever to an international appeal
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