Completion of the assistance program

31st August 2021

• Residents fetch water at a water supply station ©PWJ

The Cyclone Idai that struck in March 2019 caused serious damage to three million people in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. JPF has been distributing food, constructing school classrooms and latrines, and supporting water supply in Sofala Province and other areas in Mozambique since the disaster struck. On the other hand, the "Emergency Response to Cyclone Eloise in Mozambique" program for the for those affected by Cyclone Eloise, which hit the country in January 2021, has been launched, and member NGOs are providing support.

Water Supply Assistance in Mozambique

28th July 2021 19:00

Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, is providing assistance in Mozambique, as part of a JPF program to provide water supply support to those affected by Cyclone Idai, which occurred in 2019 and caused significant damage.

As the construction of water supply facilities such as wells progressed, training was provided to the water management committee, which is elected from the local residents and is in charge of maintenance. They learned the purpose of the committee, the roles of each member, and how to manage funds through classroom lectures, and also received hands-on training on how to manage water supply facilities.

JPF Member NGOs Support Those Affected by Cyclone Idai

27th June 2021 15:00

Mozambique was severely damaged by Cyclone Idai in 2019.
As a JPF program, Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, is implementing a water supply support project for the Idai victims.

Water supply facilities such as wells are being installed and repaired, and upon completion, training will be provided to the members of the Water Management Committee, who are elected from the local residents. The Water Management Committee will also contribute to preventing the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea by instructing local residents on how to properly use the water supply facilities, preventing the breakdown of water supply facilities, and promoting hygienic behavior such as proper hand washing.

PWJ supports water supply in Mozambique, drilling wells in progress

25th May 2021 16:00

Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, is in Mozambique to provide water supply support to Cyclone Idai victims as part of a JPF program.

In the areas affected by Cyclone Idai, as well as in the resettlement areas where the victims have moved, access to clean water is limited due to the lack of water supply facilities.
PWJ is constructing and repairing the best type of water supply facilities according to the land conditions and the number of users. They are currently drilling deep and shallow wells in several locations. Drilling could be difficult in areas where there are underground rock formations and high groundwater levels.

GNJP Provides Assistance in Mozambique

26th April 2021 18:00

• ©GNJP
• ©GNJP

Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP), a JPF member NGO, provided support in the severely damaged Sofala Province. The project involved the construction of classrooms and toilets at a public elementary school that was damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.

Five classrooms were completed and equipment such as desks, chairs, blackboards and blackboard erasers were provided.

The newly constructed restroom also has a metal fence at the entrance to protect the safety and privacy of the users.

In late March, a ceremony was held to hand over the newly constructed facilities to the local government.

GNJP’s Assistance to Improve Children’s Nutritional Status

29th March 2021 6:00

As part of the JPF program, Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP) is implementing assistance in Mozambique to build classrooms and toilets and to distribute food in public primary schools.

In Nhamatanda District, Sofala Province, which was one of the areas particularly severely affected by Cyclone Idai in March 2019, assistance is still needed two years after the disaster. Malnutrition among children has become a problem, and in addition to the severe food shortage, the unbalanced nutrition of the meals served at home is said to be a contributing factor.

In response, GNJP is holding nutrition education seminars for parents on balanced diets in addition to the food distribution. GNJP supports community-led efforts to improve the nutritional status of children by training parents selected from the PTA as nutrition promoters.

PWJ’s Safe Water Supply Assistance for Areas Affected by the Cyclone

26th February 2021 7:00

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is implementing a water supply project to support those affected by Cyclone Idai.

Parts of Mozambique suffered severe damages by Cyclone Idai in 2019. After the cyclone hit, rainwater and sewage flowed into some areas of the country because the wells were not adequately built. However, since there was no other source of water, people had to struggle from diarrhea due to the use of contaminated water.

PWJ is repairing and installing the lacking water supply facilities both in the areas in which residents originally lived and were affected by the cyclone as well as in the resettlement areas where they moved after being displaced. They are installing facilities that are suitable for each area according to the local water quality such as quantity of water available and the level of salinity concentration. Currently, PWJ is surveying the water quality and the needs in each locality.

GNJP’s Assistance for Children in Mozambique

26th January 2021 14:00

As part of the JPF program, Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP) is implementing assistance in Nhamatanda District, Sofala Province, Mozambique, to build classrooms and toilets and to distribute food in public primary schools.

Nhamatanda District is one of the areas that was particularly badly affected by Cyclone Idai. More than a year has passed since the disaster, but the effects of the damage are still evident and the community is in need of assistance.

Many children are learning outdoors or in damaged classrooms, and due to the lack of toilet facilities, they are at risk of infectious diseases. In addition, there is a shortage of food, and the physical and mental health of the children is not being protected. GNJP is supporting two public primary schools in Nhamatanda District by constructing classrooms and toilets, providing training for children to improve sanitation in the schools, distributing food at the schools, and conducting nutrition seminars for parents. Currently, they are coordinating with the parties involved in this project.

PWJ's Assistance Project in Mozambique

22nd December 2020 20:00

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is implementing a water supply project to support those affected by Cyclone Idai.

Cyclone Idai hit the region in March 2019 and caused significant damages. Securing sanitary water has been a major issue both in the affected areas and in the resettlement areas to which people who lost their homes due to the disaster have moved.

PWJ is repairing and installing new water supply facilities within the affected communities and at public facilities such as schools and hospitals. Additionally, they are supporting the establishment of a system that allows residents to take the initiative in maintaining and managing these facilities. PWJ is currently in the process of selecting contractors.

New Project Beginning in Mozambique

10th November 2020 17:28

Japan Platform (JPF) has decided to launch Good Neighbors Japan's (GNJP) project entitled "Classroom and Toilet Construction and Food Distribution in Public Primary Schools in Nhamatanda District, Sofala Province, Mozambique," as a JPF program.

As part of this project, a total of five classrooms and two toilet facilities will be built in two primary schools in Nhamatanda District. The project aims to improve sanitation in the environments in which children learn through supplying the schools with the facilities and providing training on the maintenance and management of the toilets as well as hygiene education.

Additionally, to improve nutrition among the children, food will be distributed once a month for four months at the two target schools, and nutrition education will be provided for the parents of the children.

A press release was issued by the Embassy of Japan in Mozambique, and this project was also covered by the local media in Mozambique.

This coverage by the local medica can be accessed here (in Portuguese): https://bit.ly/3k9OVtm

PWJ's Water Assistance

28th October 2020 22:15

Cyclone Idai has caused tremendous damages in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. One year and seven months have passed since JPF began to provide assistance to those who were affected by this cyclone, and we are continuing our relief work with our member NGOs.

As part of the JPF program, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) began a water supply project in September for those affected by Cyclone Idai. In the resettlement areas for those who lost their homes in the cyclone, there is still a lack of water supply facilities. In some places, one manual pump well, which can typically be used by about 500 people, is used by about eight times as many people, or about 4,000.

In addition, even in the areas where local residents used to live, wells have been damaged due to the cyclone, requiring people to either go fetch water more than 1 kilometer away or to use water from rivers, puddles created from rainfall, or wells that have sewage flowing in. These conditions have made it difficult for people to access safe water.

PWJ will support the installation and repair of water supply facilities and the establishment of resident water management committees to enable community-led management of water supply facilities after construction.

SCJ’s Project Completion

27th September 2020 14:00

• School supply distribution (photo taken in July 2019) ©SCJ

At the end of August, JPF member NGO Save the Children Japan (SCJ) ended its support for Mozambique that began after Cyclone Idai hit the country in March last year.

SCJ was involved in the distribution of school supplies to children affected by the cyclone in Manica and Sofala Provinces. The cyclone left many children without basic school supplies, making them unable to receive an education.

SCJ distributed more than 26,000 school bags and stationery items. As for some school supplies, SCJ did not distribute them directly to the children but handed them to their schools, as all schools in Mozambique were closed due to COVID-19 prior to distribution. During the post-distribution monitoring, many children reported that receiving the school supplies motivated them to start going to school or temporary learning centers again.

SCJ’s School Supply Distribution

29th August 2020 2:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Save the Children Japan (SCJ) has been implementing a school supply distribution project to support the children in Manica and Sofala Provinces in Mozambique who have been affected by the cyclone.

SCJ has been supporting the resumption and continuation of education for children affected by the cyclone through provision of necessary school supplies. Due to the impact of the new coronavirus, it is increasingly likely that schools will not reopen by the end of August when the project term comes to an end, so SCJ is coordinating with each school and the provincial educational department to determine how the supplies can be delivered to the children through the target schools.

PWJ’s Water Assistance

21st July 2020 23:00

• Residents fetch water at a water station ©PWJ

JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) is continuing its relief work in Sofala Province, Mozambique, which was severely affected by the March 2019 cyclone.

Many residents affected by the cyclone in Sofala Province have been relocated to government-designated resettlements, but some of them have continued to lack access to safe water. Since August, PWJ has been installing water supply facilities to meet their drinking water needs, and so far they have installed water supply facilities at 12 locations and provided safe water to those communities. They will continue to install the water supply facilities as needed.

Although gatherings are currently restricted due to the spread of COVID-19, PWJ will continue to provide appropriate advice on the use of the water supply facilities to help prevent infections.

PWJ's report can be read here: https://peace-winds.org/activity/mozambique/18373

SCJ’s Assistance Activity

27th June 2020 20:00

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Save the Children Japan (SCJ) is currently implementing a school supply distribution project to support the children in Manica and Sofala Provinces in Mozambique who have been affected by the cyclone.

Currently, poverty is intensifying where SCJ is working because the spread of COVID-19 has been affecting the region that sustained damages in the cyclone last year. As a result, children cannot access any education at all, including alternatives to physical in-class instruction such as those delivered online and by radio. Additionally, home schooling by parents and guardians are difficult since literacy rates are low in the region. There is no telling when the school closure order will be lifted, but SCJ is proceeding with the project so that the children can receive the school supplies at their schools once the schools open.

SCJ’s Assistance Activity

29th May 2020 22:05

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Save the Children Japan (SCJ) is currently providing support to the children in Manica and Sofala Provinces in Mozambique, who have been affected by the cyclone, through distributing school supplies to them.

In many of the areas affected by Cyclone Idai that made landfall in March 2019, a lot of children lost their school supplies and have ended up not being able to receive any education at all. This project supports over 27,000 children, making sure that they receive the school supplies they need.

Currently, educational institutions in the region have been closed due to the spread of COVID-19, and the children are waiting at home for the schools to reopen. SCJ is coordinating so that the children can receive the school supplies once the school closure order is lifted.

PWJ’s Health Care Facility Repairs

30th April 2020 23:50

As a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Wind Japan (PWJ) had been working on repairs for health care facilities in an area hit by Cyclone Idai. This project was successfully completed on the 20th of this month.

PWJ was repairing two facilities that sustained serious damages from the cyclone in Sofala Province, Mozambique: the psychiatric ward of the Beira Central Hospital (Hospital Central da Beira) and a school that trains health care professionals. After the cyclone struck, the hospital could only accept less than half of the patients that it used to see before the cyclone, and the school could only hold classes in limited places.

Now that repairs have been completed, there is a better flow of movement for the patients, doctors, and nurses, and the layout of the ward also improved with spaces now available to create private rooms for isolation. Overall, the patients can now receive care hygienically and safely. The school also lacked classrooms and could not offer sufficient instruction, but the repairs allowed for the conditions to improve there, too.

Due to the spread of COVID-19, there have been some restrictions on outpatient care and physical attendance at the school for the students, but we hope that the repairs that have been completed at this time would contribute to the development of the region in the months and years to come.

JPF’s on-site monitoring at the GNJP project sites

28th March 2020 4:59

• ©JPF
• ©JPF
• ©JPF

In late February, two staff members from JPF’s Emergency Response Division conducted project monitoring for the Emergency Response to Southern African Cyclone Idai program. Cyclone Idai caused serious damages in March 2019 to Mozambique, Malawi, Zimbabwe and other countries in Southern Africa. The monitoring at this time was for JPF grant projects in Mozambique by Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP), Peace Boat Disaster Relief (PBV), and Save the Children Japan (SCJ). The Emergency Response Division staff visited the project sites and interviewed beneficiaries and local partner organizations, while discussing the projects’ progress and areas that warrant improvement with these JPF member NGOs.

These photos are of schools that received support from GNJP. The school building and toilets became unusable after the cyclone, while the number of students increased tremendously to a total of 8,000 even as both primary and secondary schools did not have enough classrooms or toilets for them. GNJP constructed the schoolhouses and the toilets and provided necessary furniture and blackboards. The children attending the new schools seem very happy.

During the monitoring visit, JPF staff got to confirm the condition of the newly built schoolhouses and also realized how many children do not wash their hands after they use the bathroom. This certainly gave them a hint as to the need for sanitation and hygiene education in the future.

GNJP’s Classroom Rebuilding Completed!

27th February 2020 11:00

• ©GNJP

JPF member NGO Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP) completed its classroom rebuilding project in public schools in Sofala Province, Mozambique, that were affected by the cyclone that hit southern Africa in March 2019. The project was concluded on 31st January, and now with four primary schools and ten classrooms rebuilt, they are ready to provide 5,969 students with a safe environment to study. We hope that the students enjoy learning in the new classrooms!

GNJP Rebuilding School Classrooms

29th January 2020 21:44

• ©GNJP
• ©GNJP

JPF member NGO Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP) has been rebuilding ten classrooms in four public schools in Sofala Province, Mozambique, which were affected by the cyclone that hit southern Africa in March 2019. On 23rd January, a handover ceremony was held for a school classroom in Nhamatanda District in Sofala Province. For some of the schools, preparations are under way for the provision of equipment. We hope that the children can enjoy learning in the improved school environment.

GNJP Rebuilding School Classrooms

20th December 2019 17:30

• ©GNJP
• ©GNJP

JPF member NGO Good Neighbors Japan (GNJP) has been rebuilding classrooms in public schools in Sofala Province, Mozambique, that were affected by the cyclone that hit southern Africa in March 2019. GNJP plans to rebuild ten classrooms in Nhamatanda District, Sofala Province. A teacher at a school that was damaged by the cyclone expressed their anticipation saying, “Children will be able to enjoy learning more when the classroom is completed.” We cannot but hope for the construction work to go smoothly and safely.

For more on GNJP’s program, please visit: http://www.gnjp.org/contents/reports/detail?report_id=1003

Emergency Response to Southern African Cyclone Idai: Distributing Food and Recovery Items to Those Affected by the Floods

26th November 2019 16:28

• Workshop for the residents ©SPJ

JPF member NGO SDGs Promise Japan (SPJ) distributed food and recovery items for the people in Zomba District, Malawi, who were affected by the floods caused by the cyclone in March. During the first response period between May and July 2019, SPJ only distributed food. However, during the second response period between August and November, in addition to food, they distributed materials to repair roofs so that residents can prepare for the cyclone that hits the region every year.

SPJ held a workshop among the residents to teach them how the roof repair materials can be used, and at this workshop they went over the evacuation route for when cyclones may hit in the future. The workshop allowed residents in the region affected by the March cyclone an opportunity to come together to think among themselves about the appropriate responses for future disasters.

For more on SPJ’s projects, please visit here: http://sdgspromise.org/?p=11477

Distributing Agricultural Materials and Hosting Training: Peace Winds Japan

24th October 2019 23:30

• Woman showing the watering pot that she received ©PWJ

Between May and July 2019, JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) had distributed agricultural materials for those affected by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique to help them get back on their feet. Cyclone Idai, which hit southern Africa, caused great damages in Mozambique.

PWJ revisited the households that received the agricultural materials in Sofala Province. Sofala Province is where those displaced by the cyclone had migrated and where PWJ had done the distribution earlier this year. Some residents that PWJ revisited joyfully shared that the seeds they had received and had sown have now sprouted in the small farm that they made.

Continued assistance to the community would be desirable for those affected by the cyclone, including assistance such as training in appropriate cultivation methods that will allow farming to be a vital source of income for the residents.

PWJ’s report can be found here:
https://peace-winds.org/activity/mozambique/16796

Story from the Day Cyclone Hit: Peace Winds Japan

12th September 2019 19:30

• Narciso Madeira speaking about the day the cyclone hit ©PWJ

JPF member NGO Peace Winds Japan (PWJ) has published a story from Narciso Madeira, who works with PWJ as an agricultural coordinator in Mozambique where there were grave damages from Cyclone Idai that hit southern Africa.

Mr. Madeira spoke about how his home was flooded, and he had to leave his precious computer behind and wait on top of the roof for 12 long hours. He also mentioned how the rescue boat capsized and so many children died. Having gone through this experience and wanting to do something for those affected by the cyclone, he shared that he quit his job and started working for the Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), a PWJ partner organization.

PWJ’s report can be found here:
https://peace-winds.org/activity/mozambique/16582

Emergency Response to Southern Africa Cyclone Idai: Steps to revive agriculture

10th August 2019 22:00

• Ground maize is used to make ncima, a staple dish in Mozambique ©PBV

Peace Boat Disaster Relief Volunteer Center (PBV), a JPF member NGO, is delivering aid including material goods to those affected in Sofala Province, Mozambique, which was severely hit by Cyclone Idai in March.
In June, they worked with local partner organizations to distribute vegetable seeds to the affected people. We hope that the sowing and harvesting of crops including corn, both a staple food and source of income for locals, will go well and help them rebuild their lives.

Emergency Response to Southern Africa Cyclone Idai: PWJ is supporting the restoration of agricultural land and repairing of houses

8th July 2019 22:00

• Distribution of seeds and farm tools at the Metuchira resettlement site in Nhamatanda District ©PWJ

Peace Winds Japan (PWJ), a JPF member NGO, is supporting restoration of affected agricultural land and repairing of damaged houses in Mozambique, which was severely hit by the cyclone in March.
To date, they have distributed food and other material goods as well as tools needed to restore agricultural land and repair houses. Beginning in June, they have also been distributing farm tools and seeds to people who had to move away from regions that had a risk of flooding.
We hope that the people who are restarting their lives from scratch in a new place will be able to rebuild their lives as soon as possible.
▼See here for details on PWJ’s program
https://peace-winds.org/activity/mozambique/15968

Emergency Response to Southern Africa Cyclone Idai: GNJP is building bathrooms for schools in affected communities

25th June 2019 15:30

• A GNJP staff member checks the faucets for the bathroom sinks under construction at Nhamatanda Middle School (Taken on June 29, 2019, in Nhamatanda District, Sofala Province) ©GNJP

Good Neighbors Japan, a JPF member NGO, is carrying out a program to repair bathroom toilets and sinks in elementary and middle schools in Sofala Province, Mozambique, which was severely hit by the cyclone in March.
Construction for the bathrooms began in late May, and is expected to be completed by the end of June. We hope that these repairs for children’s educational facilities will go smoothly.
▼See here for details on GNJP’s program
https://www.gnjp.org/reports/detail/955/

Emergency Response to Southern African Cyclone Idai: Reporting Session Announcement

21st May 2019 19:30

JPF will be cooperating with Ehime Global Network (EGN) on their “Mozambique Cyclone Relief: Reporting Session” held in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, on 25th May. On the day of this event, JPF Emergency Response team, which conducted assessments on the ground in Mozambique, will speak about the conditions there and upcoming relief and assistance activities.

Emergency Response to Southern African Cyclone Idai: Damages in the Port City of Beira and Surrounding Areas

18th May 2019 22:00

• Interviewing at an evacuation camp ©PBV

Between 11th April and 3rd May, as a JPF grant project, JPF member NGO Peace Boat Volunteer Center (PBV) sent their staff to Mozambique where there were serious damages from Cyclone Idai that hit southern Africa, and conducted assessments on the damages and relief activities.

Damages are especially severe in the port city of Beira, and even though over a month has passed since Cyclone Idai made landfall, many homes in the city were still missing roofs. There are multiple evacuation camps scattered throughout Sofala Province, which includes Beira, and the surrounding areas, and evacuees must live in tents despite the temperature exceeding 30 degrees Celsius. Many issues must be overcome in the coming days including securing safer evacuation sites and food, establishing hygiene facilities, and resuming schooling.

Please find PBV’s write-up here: https://pbv.or.jp/blog/activity/?p=23400

Calling for Urgent Donations (And You Can Use Your T-Points, Too!): Emergency Response to Southern Africa Cyclone Idai 2019

9th April 2019 19:30

• Flooded urban area in Mozambique ©Good Neighbors

JPF decided to mobilize its response program to assist the people affected by Cyclone Idai, which hit Southern Africa in early March. The cyclone has caused serious damages to Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, with around 3 million people affected, half of whom are said to be children. Many areas are still out of reach and the entirety of the damages caused is yet to be fully seen. Death toll as well as the numbers of missing and affected persons are expected to rise in the days to come.

With cooperation from Yahoo! Japan Internet Donations, JPF accepts donations by credit card or through your T-points. JPF will be accountable for your donations, which will be used to help those affected by this disaster with our member NGOs working on the ground. We thank you in advance for your warm support and donations, and we extend our gratitude to those who have given already.

Visit this program’s donation site on Yahoo! Japan Internet Donations
https://donation.yahoo.co.jp/detail/987024/

Mobilizing the “Emergency Response to Southern Africa Cyclone Idai 2019” Program and Calling for Donations: Over 700 Deaths and Affecting 3 Million with Over Half Being Children

4th April 2019 23:35

On 3rd April, JPF decided to mobilize its response program to assist the people affected by Cyclone Idai, which formed in the Mozambique Channel in early March. We have started to call for donations and will be grateful for your support.

According to the UN report, the death toll in Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Malawi totals over 700. More than 3 million people have been affected by this cyclone, including over 1.6 million, or more than half, of them being children. The numbers of evacuees exceed 140,000 in Mozambique, 85,000 in Malawi, and 4,500 in Zimbabwe. There are concerns over a possibility of a cholera outbreak and the safety of children who have lost their parents. The numbers of dead and missing persons, as well as the overall number of people affected, are all expected to rise.

In the communities affected by the cyclone, there is a shortage of everything imaginable and major infrastructure, such as water facilities and roads, have been severely damaged. Given these circumstances, each NGO is currently preparing to deliver urgently needed relief, including safe water, food, daily essential items, and shelter.