Rapid Assessment Report: Cyclone Idai

As the areas become more accessible, we’ll continue to gather the data and keep you informed. 

RAPID ASSESSMENT REPORT: CYCLONE IDAI EFFECTS

Ward 22|Bikita district |Masvingo Province Zimbabwe

“In ward 22 of Bikita, 255 households were victims of the destructive cyclone Idai which left 25 families homeless.” says ward Councillor, Mr J. Kunzeno.  Among the greatest losses were damaged roads, bridges, livestock housing, livestock and crops. The food insecurity situation of ward 22 has drastically changed with two out of every three people categorized as food insecure.

Ward22, is in the Western part of Bikita district in Masvingo province of Zimbabwe. The ward is popularly known in the district for its active participation and unwavering spirit of volunteerism. The ward is vulnerable to extreme weather patterns, in this case the recent drought which was further compounded by the cyclone Idai experienced in the past seven days. The ward was selected to participate in the Upscaling Rural Livelihoods in Masvingo (URLIM) project being implemented by Heifer International Zimbabwe owing to its high poverty & food insecurity levels. Currently, a total of 176 households (59 males and 117 females) in ward 22 registered to participate in the URLIM project. From this pool of registered households, a deliberate effort will be made to select female headed households and women of and under the age of 35 years to participate in the Women Inclusion and Economic Empowerment Project (WIEEP). To date, 255 households fell victim to the destructive path of cyclone Idai. Twenty-five families are currently homeless. Among the destroyed property and infrastructure were roads, bridges, homes, granaries, livestock housing and including crops and livestock. The affected families are yet to receive meaningful assistance to extricate them from this dire situation. Currently, the Civil Protection Unit (CPU), a government-led unit that is mandated to offer protection and assistance of communities affected by natural disasters is overwhelmed, under financed and incapacitated. Thus, assistance for the affected families and rehabilitation of community infrastructure is expected to be delivered through fundraising from well-wishers, charity organizations and international donor agencies. Key areas identified for emergency intervention are water & sanitation, human housing, road infrastructure rehabilitation, food supplements, livestock placements and livestock veterinary chemicals.