Mozambique: ICRC responds to pressing humanitarian needs
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has assisted internally displaced, hosting and returnees’ families in various districts of northern Mozambique. In the wake of rising vulnerability among internally displaced people (IDPs) of Mueda and Muidumbe districts, the majority of whom are women and children, the ICRC donated seeds and agricultural tools, hygiene kits and medical supplies.
Based on the outcomes of various assessments, the ICRC, working together with Mozambican Red Cross (CVM), distributed agricultural kits with seeds and tools to over 5,300 families in the communities of Matambalale, Miteda and Lutete, in Muidumbe district.
With the advent of the rainy season, the support will benefit farming families dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods - and will also improve their food security and nutritional levels. Fernando Chabuca*, 56, received 10 kg of beans, 10 kg of maize, 3 kg of sesame and one packet of cabbage seeds for first time. He says;
I received the seeds and hoes and, I’m sure that I will harvest more now. My one hectare of land barely produced anything due to lack of seeds and poor rain. Now I can support my nine sons and my wife."
A man and his wife, who received seeds and tools for the first time from ICRC
Multipurpose assistance to improve living conditions
For 516 recently displaced families without access to farmland, the ICRC availed multipurpose assistance so that they can cover all their essential economic needs for one month.
To also help improve living conditions and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in Lyande, Mueda district, which is hosting internally displaced people, the ICRC distributed hygiene kits to 1,600 newly arrived families. They each received 5 bars of soap, 3 kg of laundry soap, 5 bottles of Certeza for household water treatment, one jerrycan, and one plastic basin.
Families receive hygiene kits
To support the improvement of the general health situation, the ICRC increased the quantity of medical supplies provided bi-monthly to the Mueda rural hospital, which serves the entire northern area of the affected province. Similarly, the ICRC increased the quantity of medical supplies provided to the Miteda health centre in Muidumbe district and the Imbuho health centre in Mueda district, in order to strengthen their capacity to meet the growing demand for health services from displaced people.
Working together with Mozambican Red Cross, the ICRC also maintained the crucial work of assisting families that may have been separated during displacements linked to the conflict.
Assessment of humanitarian needs will continue with the goal of identifying and ensuring coverage of needs in vulnerable districts, in consultation with other humanitarian actors working in Cabo Delgado.
Further information:
Sophie Ncube, CICV, Maputo, sncube@icrc.org, Tel: +258 873 433 900.
