"My little house was washed away"

"When a community is uprooted like that it loses its identity"

Phukani Hlunguani (pictured) was one of thousands living in Massangena who saw their homes washed away during the floods of January and February 2000. 'When the water came it was up to our ears. My little house in Manigi [about 1km away] was washed away, I lost everything. When we escaped here we made little shelters to live in.' 

Yet there was considerable delay before the displaced people in the remote community of Massangena were to receive any help. The National Administrative Secretary of the Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM), Titos Macie, says, 'There is no record of any rescue assistance for these people, at a time when many parts of our country were receiving full emergency relief. Certainly, they received nothing in terms of food and shelter. It was the end of 2000 before we learned what they had been through. 

HELP

We sent a team early in 2001 and drew up a plan for the best way to help. There was no infrastructure. We found the main village had been washed away. The floods had destroyed the hospital, and what schooling there was happened in the open. Then lack of water became an issue. A rainy season hasn't materialised here since the 2000 floods. If there is enough rain during the rainy season a river runs nearby. Generally though, the region is arid. We knew we had to do something - housing, sanitation and water pumps were all priorities.'

Handing over the house ceremony: click image to enlarge

Initially, Phukani Hlunguani regarded CCM's developmental plans with some scepticism: 'I thought they were just saying this to keep us calm.' Titos Macie is familiar with this kind of disenchantment among disaster victims. 'When a community is uprooted like that it loses its identity. It lives in shock and finds it difficult to think how to solve its problems. A house that may have taken a few years to build can be destroyed in minutes. Even if the motivation to build a new house is there, the materials are not. Lack of adequate medical care and a clean water supply both work against progress.' 

Titos believes that a faith-based organisation like CCM brings a special dimension to a particular set of problems. 'The effect on the people is emotional as well as physical. We are prepared, perhaps more than many other organisations, to be with the people. It's not just that we want to "do something for them," we want to know them as people. The spiritual dimension is very important to them and to us. When we begin any activity with them we pray together. Although they have had bad experiences, they benefit from the opportunity to thank God for what they have now.'

PARTNERSHIP

CCM's Regional Co-ordinator for Gaza province, of which Massangena is part, is Felizardo Matsombe. He stresses CCM's desire to work in partnership with the local community. 'There were people living here before the floods who are also at risk from the famine. We were able to mobilise these people on a World Food Programme "food for work" basis. Now they are helping to build the houses of the elderly displaced people like Phukani, a secondary school, and seven small dams.' These dams will provide water for 918 families in the area by harnessing the water that becomes available during the rainy season. In addition to this, as Felizardo Matsombe explains, CCM has 'set up processing equipment for maize we are able to buy in the neighbouring province of Manica. We also have a sweet potato project which will help meet the need of 140 families.'

Titos Macie believes the background to the sweet potato project further illustrates the partnership dimension of CCM's work. 'We said to the people here, "the fields are dry - how can people survive?" A local person will then tell us about another area which seems to hold moisture, so we will go there. When we are asked by local government officials, "how did you find this place? It's in the middle of nowhere!" we say, "it wasn't us; we just provide a framework for local people to provide their own solutions."'

As for Phukani Hlunguani, who lost everything she had in the floods, CCM have just provided her with a new home, and her life has taken on new hope. 'I'm so happy,' says Phukani, pointing to the singed edges of her wrap-around skirt. 'My clothing is burned here because many times we had to be close to a fire to keep warm. Now I won't have to do that. I'm very happy.' Phukani is not the only one: soon 120 families in Massangena will have received cement-walled, tin-roofed houses just like hers.

PRIORITIES

CCM continues to consult local people so that they can assess their needs and priorities: they are currently conducting a survey of local needs in order to draw up a three-year plan for the region of Massangena.

Southern Africa's continuing drought and resulting famine presents a major challenge at every level. But grassroots projects like the one in Massangena provide a model of hope for disaster victims and relief workers alike.

click image to enlarge

Mozambique faces a crucial time in her history. Having sustained ten years of peace - following many more years of war - Mozambicans are trying to build a democracy and a stable economy. The Christian Church has a key role to play in this process.
Richard and Bianca work with the Christian Council of Mozambique (CCM) in Mozambique¹s capital, Maputo.

Richard works in collaboration with the heads of CCM departments (Development, Evangelism, Emergency, Youth, Peace and Reconciliation, Women; and Economic Justice) producing and advising on communications solutions.Typically this means designing printed materials for the intended audience of each department.

Bianca works with the Evangelism and Women's departments. She works in a girls' home teaching from the Bible and leading craft sessions. During this year she will introduce discipleship programmes in a variety of ways including seminars and courses.
Richard is from Stockport (Greater Manchester), UK. Bianca is from Bahia, North East Brazil. They have one son, Myles. 

Crosslinks magazine April 2003 index