By Dennis Edwards
At the end of the year 1999 and the beginning of 2000, Mozambique experienced severe flooding due to an unusually large amount of rain. You can read the following Wikipedia article for the history and details of the event. Moved by the reports of volunteers working in Mozambique, I made various campaigns for financial help for a mission I was helping in Maputo, the capitol of Mozambique. I later would travel with two young adults to Maputo to distribute humanitarian aid and buy supplies for two missions reaching out to abandoned children in the capitol. You can read my summary of the visit after the Wikipedia article.
[Excerpt from Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_Mozambique_flood]
American helicopter flying over flooded Limpopo River in Mozambique[above]
Date February-March 2000
Location Southern
Mozambique Deaths 700-800
[1] Property damage $500 million (2000 US$)
[nb 1] The 2000 Mozambique flood was a
natural disaster that occurred in February and March 2000. The catastrophic flooding was caused by heavy rainfall that lasted for five weeks and made many homeless. Approximately 700 people were killed. 1,400 km² of arable land was affected and 20,000 herds of cattle were lost. It was the worst flood in
Mozambique in 50 years.
[2] It started in South Africa when heavy rain falls traveled over to Mozambique. It caused dozens of deaths. 44,000 were left homeless and many of them had lost relatives of some kind. Later,
Cyclone Eline came and destroyed many more homes and lives. The women and children were hurrying to shelter and high land. 800 had died and thousands of livestock were killed. The government distributed 15 million dollars to its citizens to account for damage property and loss of income. Even now in 2016, people are still living in recovery shelters with fluctuating water supplies.
Meteorological history[
edit]
In October and November 1999, heavy rainfall affected Mozambique, followed by a period of heavy rainfall in January 2000.
[3] By the end of January 2000, the rains caused the
Incomati, the
Umbeluzi, and the
Limpoporivers to exceed their banks, inundating portions of the capital
Maputo.
[4] At
Chókwè, the Limpopo River reached a level 6 m (20 ft) above normal on January 24, twice its normal level.
[5] Some areas received a year's worth of rainfall in two weeks.
[6] The resultant floods were considered the worst to affect the nations since 1951.
[1] Flooding was beginning to recede in late February by the time
Cyclone Elinemade landfall.
[7] Eline was a long-lasting tropical cyclone that struck near
Beira at peak intensity on February 22.
[1] By the end of February 2000, the situation was considered the country's worst natural disaster in a century.
[8] Impact[
edit]
By late January, the flooding had already caused increases in
malaria and
diarrhea. Flooding also disrupted water supply and covered roads,
[5] with the primary north-south highway cut in three locations.
[9] Widespread areas were inundated, which displaced about 220,000 people,
[6] and killed about 150 people before Eline struck.
[10] The combined effects of the preceding floods and Eline left about 463,000 people displaced or homeless,
[11] including 46,000 children five years old or younger.
[12] Overall, the preceding floods and Eline caused about 700 deaths,
[1] half of whom in Chokwe.
[13] with damage estimated at $500 million (2000 USD).
[1] The cyclone and the floods disrupted much of the economic progress Mozambique had made in the 1990s since the end of its
civil war.
[14] Aftermath[
edit]
Before the arrival of Eline, the government of Mozambique appealed to the international community for assistance in response to the flooding, and countries were beginning to provide relief.
[1] Mozambique's president at the time,
Joaquim Chissano, requested for additional aid after Eline struck,
[15]asking for $65 million for both reconstruction and emergency aid,
[16] and later increasing the request to $160 million.
[17] By March 17, various countries had pledged $119 million to Mozambique.
[11] By March 4, 39.6 tons of various relief goods reached the country,
[18] which nearly overwhelmed the small airport at Maputo.
[19] The government of the Netherlands donated ƒ5 million
guilders ($2.2 million USD) to the country, after it previously had donated about ƒ2 million guilders ($871,000 USD).
[16] The Italian government earmarked ₤10 billion lira (2000
ITL), half of which for immediate emergency assistance,
[20] and Denmark earmarked €2.68 million
euros.
[21] Sweden sent kr10 million (2000
SEK) and Ireland €507,000 euros to the World Food Program.
[22][23] Portugal delivered 40 tons worth of aid, including food, medicine, tents, and dinghies,
[24] and the Spanish Red Cross sent two flights of aid.
[25] Canada provided about $11.6 million
CAD) to Mozambique,
[26]while the United States provided $7 million worth of food via its
Agency for International Development,
[27] part of its $50 million contribution.
[28] The
European Community Humanitarian Aid Office provided €25 million in early March.
[29] Botswana donated P23 million pula (
BWP, $5 million USD),
[30]and Mauritius provided about $100,000 (USD).
[31] The nation of Ghana flew $100,000 worth of food and clothing to Mozambique.
[32] Australia also provided $1 million to the country,
[33] and Saudi Arabia flew two planes' worth of aid.
[34] Concern Worldwide allocated $650,000 (USD) at the end of February.
[35] Médecins Sans Frontières sent a crew of five people to
Buzi to help residents.
[36] The
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation sent $350,000 to CARE in early March.
[37] Through the
Jubilee 2000, most wealthy nations postponed debt payments for one year.
[38] The United Kingdom canceled its $150 million debt in late February,
[39] and Italy canceled its $500 million debt in March.
[40] The Mozambique government used boats to evacuate residents in flood zones,
[41] setting up 121 camps for evacuees.
[11] However, the country had a limited capacity for widespread rescues due to insufficient helicopters.
[42]South Africa sent a fleet of twelve planes and helicopters to operate search and rescue missions, as well as airdropping food.
[43] They were assisted by two helicopters from Malawi, six from the United Kingdom, and ten from Germany.
[44][45][46] By March 7, the fleet of 29 helicopters had rescued 14,204 people.
[47][48] Residual floodwaters contributed to outbreaks of malaria and cholera,
[49] with malaria infections at four times the usual rate killing at least 11 people.
[50][51] Areas in southern Mozambique also lost access to clean water, furthering dehydration and illnesses.
[52] In addition, the
United Nations Mine Action Service expressed concern that the floods shifted the locations of landmines leftover from the nation's civil war.
[53] Later, the remnants of Cyclone Gloria halted relief work due to heavy rainfall.
[54]Residents began returning home in early March after floodwaters receded.
[55] [For footnotes see original article. End of Wikipedia article]
Dennis:
Hearing about the flooding from some volunteers we knew working in Mozambique, I decided to make a campaign in Portugal to help those suffering from the aftermath of the disaster. At that time AND was in its infancy and we were two couples working together, but independently to help make a better world. Our motivation was our Christian faith. By March I had raised the equivalent of 5,000 Euros as the currency was still Escudos at that time and prepared for my trip to Maputo.
Having heard the complaints of many that the "help" never gets there and therefore it was no use to help, I decided to fly to Mozambique personally and distribute the "help" myself. I was accompanied by two young adult volunteers. The program was also aimed at broadening their outlook on life by offering them a humanitarian experience.
Previously we had sent humanitarian aid by ship to South Africa to later have to transport it to Mozambique, with all the transportation and import charges. We found it very costly and time consuming, so after various cargoes we abandoned that method. I flew directly to Maputo and stayed with an American/Dutch couple who had a support work in the Maputo area. The wife was teaching reading, English and singing to the orphans at Mother Teresa's orphanage on the out skirts of Maputo. Her husband was helping at the Center for Street Children in the center of Maputo.
We had brought with us by plane from Portugal extra luggage which included as much clothing for children and young people and sports shoes we could carry. I remember have boxes of clothing also, but don't remember how we sent it, or whether it came with us. But I think we were able to arrange a discount from the airlines for the overweight we were carrying.
Of course, from reading the account from Wikipedia, you can see our efforts were a drop in the bucket considering the need. But as one person wisely stated, that if each one did what he could to help remove the suffering of the needy the world would be a better place. That was our goal: to do what we could, however humble.
We decided to distribute the clothing and goods to the two local institutions being helped by our sister associates. The Center for Street Children on Avenue 24th of July in downtown Maputo was run by one of the local Protestant churches. The object was to help solve the street children problem. Many youths seeking adventure and a better life had been drawn into the city where they ended up making their living by begging and stealing. The younger boys, being as sympathetic as they are, could make a good living enabling them to by Coke-a-Cola and eat well. The weather is quiet mild so they would sleep in the rough. However, the older boys would steal from them making their lives difficult.
I remember being approached by these boys and taking them down to buy them a bunch of bananas and coconuts, both very cheap there on the street corner. I'd rather give them food than giving them money. On the streets they were free and didn't have to obey rules and regulations. They therefore looked unfavorably at the confines of staying on the Church facility. The Dutch missionary would try to befriend them, giving them food and even taking them to a restaurant. He would attempt to convince them that for the long term they were better off to go live at the Center. There they could have food and shelter, but also get an education and or apprenticeship.
We distributed the clothing to the boys at the Center. However, the next day we found that the older boys had stolen the items from the younger boys to try to sell on the streets. We saw we needed to address the moral aspect of living together. We gave a class with skits to try to drive the point home to the older boys that love for others was the better road to choose. We bought a month's worth of dried good for the Center. Later we found that the sugar we had bought to compliment the oats was never given to the boys, but they had oats with milk without the sugar. The Center didn't want to spoil them as the Center normally was unable to afford sugar in the children's diet.
It was a constant fight to keep the boys inspired so that they would remain at the Center. The Dutch missionary would do extra curricular activities with the boys at a local amusement park. He also found local restaurants who agreed to offer free meals once a week for a group of the boys staying at the Center. It was important to keep the boys motivated to stay at the Center and off the streets. These extra events served as a reward for good behavior and an encouragement to continue in their education and or apprenticeship.
On the outskirts of Maputo just next to the gigantic city garbage dump you can find the Mission of Mother Teresa. The American missionary took us along to meet the 150 orphans a few days after our arrival. The site near to the dump was chosen, perhaps because it was cheap, but also because to Mother Teresa every life is important. In Mozambique a quick form of abortion was to leave the new born on the dump. Mother Teresa's sisters were right there available to save the new life.
We were able to also supply a month's supply of dry goods for the orphans and left what money we had left in the hands of the American/Dutch couple to use in their humanitarian work as they saw fit. During the time I was there I never saw the two foreign Spanish Missionaries of Mother Teresa as they were always out on fundraising missions when I visited. The Orphanage was clean and well organized. It was hampered by the lack of staff and volunteers as it was quiet removed from the city and any residential area except the extremely poor.
But that's their mission to help the poor and downtrodden and I admired their dedication. They wouldn't let us take photos as others had abused the privilege to their own associations advantage while forgetting the orphans. I remember being taken into the new born's section. We found some fifty small babies and helped to carry them outside unto the cleaned porcelain patio. The children were lain down on the floor to get some sunshine. There were only two local Mozambican Mission workers for the 150 children in total. They did have two cooks, also. That was the staff besides the two Spanish missionaries who were the administrators.
We laid the children down and one of the most frustrating things happened: the flies. They were everywhere as the Orphanage was on the border of the city dump. We tried in vain to shoo them away, but they landed on the mouths, eyes and ears of the babies. I thought, if only I had a way to build an enclosure with screening for these tots. I heard their cries and promised that when I would get back to Portugal I would try to raise funds for that project.
The truth was I really didn't know how to do it. When I got back home, I felt I couldn't ask my sponsors at the time for more help. AND was not as cohesive as an association as it is today. We were two struggling families trying to do humanitarian work while needing to raise our own living and take care of our own families. On returning to Portugal other responsibilities overcame me. The voice of conscience, the voice of those crying children became muffled by the problems at hand, until I did nothing. I don't know what happened to that Orphanage. I didn't fulfill my promise to go back with help. I kept sending financial help to the American/Dutch couple. But in time their mission closed and they abandoned the field.
While in Maputo I also visited a poor family in which the husband had malaria. They were very poor and slept on the bare dirt floor. The conditions were very depressing. At the local hospital we also went for a visit. I may have had some basic medications that I brought from Portugal within our luggage, but nothing of quantity, which we delivered to the hospital. I myself didn't go into the hospital, but stayed outside with the children playing on the hospital grounds. Some were there because they had cancer or other health problems. They seemed to have external cancerous growths on their bodies. Other children were there waiting for their parents who were having an appointment,or operation, etc. I shared the oranges I had bought with me with them and prayed for their healing asking God to take care of them. There seemed to be so much to do.
Another project which we helped to support, although we did not participate in during that time, was land mine education. Because of the history of warring factions in Mozambique, many land mines have been left where they were planted during the fighting. Men, woman and children were often killed or handicapped from walking over a land mind. Therefore, land mine education was an ongoing project for the missionary couple when they first arrived in Mozambique.
At that time, I believed God was calling me to Mozambique. So much needed to be done, so much could be done. God was looking for the someone, like those Sister's of Charity, who would come and lay down their lives in service to the poor of Mozambique. I heard the call, but I didn't pursue it with all my heart. I let others convince me that I needed to put other things first. I hope this report will stir in you a desire to help someone, somehow today.
