CHURCH WORLD SERVICE: EMERGENCY RESPONSE OFFICE UPDATED CWS/ERO - SOUTHERN AFRICA FLOOD APPEAL - #976416 April 11, 2000
SITUATION: Two cyclones -- Leon and Gloria -- hit southern Africa in February and March, causing wide devastation in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, northern South Africa and Madagascar. In Madagascar, the two storms affected nearly a quarter of the nation's 110 districts, and the situation was made worse when a third cyclone -- Cyclone Hudah -- affected a large area of Madagascar. That storm was the third cyclone to affect Madagascar in eight weeks. Due to the severe flooding and consequent mudslides caused by the cyclones, at least 200 persons have died in Madagascar, and some 800,000 people have been displaced. Major road links have been interrupted or destroyed, and in many areas, 70 percent of the water supplies have been badly damaged or destroyed, raising the serious concern of a dramatic increase in cholera among those displaced. The International Committee of the Red Cross also reports an increase in malaria, diarrhea and dysentery. RESPONSE: The Church of Jesus Christ, Department for Development (FJKM - SAF), is an ACT member and is proposing the following project components in its response: Shelter, non-food items, agricultural inputs, food for work for rehabilitation of schools and health clinics, disaster preparedness training. It is requesting $580,519 from the ACT network for these efforts. The FJKM's roots are with the Quakers, London Mission Society and the French Protestant Mission. In 1968 the three groups came together and formed the Church of Jesus Christ of Madagascar and in 1974 the FJKM formed SAF - its relief and development arm. For the current response, FJKM proposes to assist survivors who have lost their means of subsistence and their homes, and to communities that have lost their schools and clinics. Specifically, this appeals targets 25,000 rural farm families by providing them with 5 kilos each of rice and maize seeds; 3,000 homeless families with housing rehabilitation kits and resettlement kits. The resettlement kits consist of 2 blankets, 1 large mosquito net, 4 bars of soap and 6 liters of anti-cholera water treatment kits; the housing rehabilitation kits contain 2 kilos of nails and 2 bags of cement. With the support of CWS, FJKM also plans to hold a community-based disaster response training program to include up to 83 participants. In addition, FJKM plans to initiate Food For Work (FFW) programs for a two-month period for 3,000 persons to rehabilitate community infrastructure (schools and medical clinics) and construct 20 granaries to promote food security in the affected regions. The FFW participants will be provided with 50 kilos of rice per 15 days (30 half days) of community work per month. CWS SUPPORT: CWS is seeking full denominational support for this update to #976416. Denominations can support the appeal either directly to ACT (AFMG-01) or by sending contributions to Church World Service in Elkhart (CWS/Southern Africa Flood Appeal, Madagascar Relief and Rehabilitation, #976416. Those wanting more information on the ACT appeal should contact the CWS Emergency Response Office. Or visit the ACT Web Site at: www.act-intl.org. CHURCH WORLD SERVICE, Attn. Southern Africa Flood Madagascar Relief and Rehabilitation, #976416, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN 46515. Phone pledges or credit card donations: 1-800-297-1516, ext. 222. On-line contributions to: http://www.churchworldservice.org Call the CWS HOTLINE for updates: (800) 297-1516, ext. 111. For further information about disasters to which Church World Service is responding, contact CWS Emergency Response. Telephone: (212) 870-3151 After-hours emergency pager: (800) 780-0853 Internet Web Site: http://www.ncccusa.org/CWS/emre distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Southern Africa Floods: http://www.vita.org/safflud.htm