WHEATON, Ill., March 7, 2000 - Receding
waters have minimized the need for further search and rescue operations
in the Chokwe area of southern Mozambique. All of World Relief's staff
have been located and are alive. Focus now turns to immediate relief needs
including providing clean water, food and recognizing the signs of killer
diseases.
World Relief's Dr. Pieter Ernst visited
his home in Chokwe this weekend and described the town as filled with the
stench of death from the decaying bodies of cows and humans.
Galen Carey, World Relief's Mozambique director, expects to see a gradual return of people to their home areas this week. While waters have gone down in the town of Chokwe, "people are discouraged from going back until there is a clean water supply," he adds. World Relief staff and local pastors from Chokwe are conducting assessments to determine what materials are needed and what the costs will be to rebuild homes.
In the relief centers, World Relief staff are distributing food and conducting health lessons. Their primary health message focuses on recognizing the symptoms of malaria so that treatment can be immediately sought. Workers in the 64 relief camps have already reported that they are seeing triple the number of malaria cases. A secondary message is to provide liquids, instead of withholding them, to those suffering from diarrhea.
Assessments are being conducted this week to determine the best time to provide people with seeds and tools so that lost crops can be replanted, and for markets to be re-supplied with food.
World Relief's goal is to raise $1.8 million to provide emergency aid and to help rebuild the lives of Mozambicans.
For further information or to arrange interviews, contact Linda Keys at (630) 665-0236, ext. 202, or Victoria Vass at (630) 665-0236, ext. 215.
World Relief is the international assistance arm of the National Association of Evangelicals.