Disaster Mitigation in Mozambique

In response to the catastrophic 2000 floods, 1,500 Lifeline Energy radios, sponsored by the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) Mozambique were distributed in collaboration with the Mozambican Red Cross (CVM) in four of the provinces most vulnerable to cyclones and flooding.

USAID Mozambique funded an activity called the Mozambique Integrated Information Network For Decision-Making (MIND), as part of its ongoing FEWS NET activity implemented by Chemonics International. FEWS NET works with partners, including government officials associated with communication, meteorology, water and natural disasters to strengthen the early warning systems for floods and cyclones.

The MIND project, with the co-operation of the CVM, distributed the radios between September and October 2001 in Inhambane, Sofala, Gaza and Zambezia provinces. Lifeline Energy played an advisory role based on lessons learned during the distribution of over 7,000 radios in a post-flood disaster communications initiative in 2000. Foundation representatives witnessed the distribution at Nova Mambone, a small town near the mouth of the Saviver on the border between Sofala and Inhambane provinces. Nova Mambone had been nearly destroyed by a cyclone in 1999 and had been flooded repeatedlyThe successful distribution of these radios in remote rural areas within such a short period of time is a tribute to the well thought out and structured methodology of the FEWS NET team. This supports Lifeline Energy’s belief that the success of a sustainable radio communications initiative begins with the structure of the distribution process. We targeted the distribution of radios from the national to the provincial, district and local levels. We compared historical records on floods and cyclones with the Red Cross priority districts for its disaster preparedness activities to identify 25 districts in four provinces to receive the radios. The Red Cross volunteers (locally known as activists) as well as teachers, traditional leaders and other influential members of the communities were selected to become guardians of the radios.