Cyclones Chalane and Eloise Appeal

Two Cyclones have ripped their way through Mozambique just 3 weeks apart.  Cyclone Eloise was even stronger than Cyclone Chalane bringing more heavy rains and wind to Beira damaging electricity and communication networks and further damaging people's homes and livelihoods.  The city is under water and we can only imagine the devastation caused in the surrounding villages. 

 The eye of Cyclone hit  Beira and the surrounding villages, where Oasis Mozambique has a significant role in supporting local communities. 

Severe rains continue to fall resulting in flooding.  These floods have caused additional shelter, food and water shortages and further health crisis throughout the city and beyond, with thypoid and cholera likely to follow.  

When Cyclone Idai hit Beira in March 2019 hundreds of people lost their lives, and thousands were displaced from their homes by floods and lack of food and water.  Almost 2 years later many families are still trying to recover from the effects that destroyed their homes and livelihoods.

The situation in Zimbabwe is much like Mozambique. Cyclone Chalane has left structural damage and many who were still in tented camps, displaced by Idai along with others in the affected areas, experienced trauma triggered by facing the storm and being evacuated from homes not knowing what they would find on their return. Many are facing enhanced economic struggle from crop and structural damage. 

On top of this strong curfews have been enforced and from Tuesday 5th January Zimbabwe will be on a 30 day total lockdown due to a sudden and dramatic spike in COVID cases - with numbers doubling over the last month and a bit. The new South African fast spreading mutation has crossed the borders into Zimbabwe. There has been a significant rise in the number of deaths and public and private hospitals reported as having no beds by families desperately seeking medical intervention for critically ill loved ones.

For Oasis Zimbabwe this means we will see hunger increase exponentially with positive cases, not only among those affected by Chalane, but throughout our community hubs. Within the first weeks of our first lockdown, we had a child die of hunger in our hubs and have focused with the little we have had to feed the most vulnerable as we could throughout the year. This lockdown will only see the desperation grow as it impacts the poorest the most.

Oasis played a key role in the emergency response of Cyclone Idai and Covid-19 and we were commended for the speed with which we carried out our relief work amongst those most affected. 

Will you help us do the same again?

Over the next few days and weeks we’ll be responding to the needs including:

• Providing emergency assistance, food, water and shelter, to as many people and communities as we are able
• Working with local communities to start to rebuild their lives, providing both practical and emotional support

Having the funds to respond to the immediate needs without delay will be of paramount importance.  Thank you for your support.