In March, Cyclone Idai left families across Southern Africa in need of urgent humanitarian assistance. Homes were reduced to rubble, food stocks wiped out, and crops destroyed.

You heard about the enormous needs and responded with incredible generosity. Your gifts, matched by the Canadian Government through the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and the Humanitarian Coalition, totaled nearly US $1,000,000 for Idai survivors. This support is helping local partners to respond to the immediate needs of families, and will be key in helping families recover in the months to come.

Here is a quick snapshot of what has already been done:

• 2,514 Malawian families have received a distribution of food, which includes maize flour, beans, and cooking oil. Families will receive food each month until August.
• These same families have received maize and bean seeds to plant.
• 1,080 blankets given to families whose homes have been damaged or destroyed
• 1,080 farming families received seeds to plant vegetables, including cassava and sweet potato
• Families in Malawi and Mozambique are also receiving hygiene and sanitation kits, including soap, water treatment supplies, and sanitary pads

“While it is crucial that we meet the immediate needs of those affected by Cyclone Idai, we are also busy preparing for the second wave of this food crisis,” shares Ken Kim, World Renew’s Director of International Disaster Response. “In the coming months, once many of the emergency humanitarian food distributions come to a halt, families may again return to crisis because they do not have crops to fall back on. This crisis is ongoing and families need continued support so that they still have food to eat months down the road.”

By providing families with ready-to-plant seeds today, they will be able to harvest their own crops once the distributions of food end.

In addition to the growing food needs, there are concerns about the spread of diseases like cholera, which is caused by drinking from contaminated water sources. Hundreds of people have been diagnosed with cholera in the region and widespread outbreaks are threatening the lives of thousands. By ensuring that families have access to clean drinking water and are using practices like handwashing, we can eliminate the spread of these diseases.

“We are grateful for what’s already been accomplished, but know that there is still a long way to go,” continues Ken Kim.

Thank you for your support – it is making this work possible.

Please join us in praying for those across Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe who are still facing uncertainties each day, and pray for the work of local partners and organizations who are reaching some of the most vulnerable.