The trail of destruction left by Cyclone Chido continues to have a profound impact on the lives of thousands of families in Pemba, the capital of Cabo Delgado province. Real stories, collected by the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund - UNICEF Mozambique, reveal the devastating impact of the disaster and the strength of communities to rebuild their lives.
Some of these stories presented by UNICEF Mozambique on its website are presented here by MozaVive. One of the stories is that of Cátia Biche, from the Metula neighborhood, who recalls the moment when the cyclone hit her house in the early hours of the morning.
“The sheets of metal flew like sheets of paper. We had to flee with the children to a neighboring house,” she says. With the shelter destroyed, she saw her family living in a makeshift shed, struggling to feed her children and ensure they could return to school.
Osvaldo Abudo, from the Chuiba neighborhood, says he has lived a similar reality and is looking for ways to rebuild with limited resources.
“We raised 500 meticais to buy bamboo and wire. Everyone does what they can to build a shelter,” he says. His greatest wish is to ensure his children’s education: “Without notebooks or folders, it will be difficult for them to keep up with their classes,” he says.
Still in Chuiba, Mariamo Cacos lost practically everything and reveals that to this day she suffers from desolate situations such as the lack of food on the table.
“Sometimes I go the whole day without eating,” she laments. Her daily struggle is to ensure at least one meal for her children. “Only God wanted us to survive. Now, we need support to start over,” she says.
UNICEF is dedicated to ensuring special protection for disadvantaged children, victims of war, disasters, extreme poverty and all forms of violence and exploitation, as well as those with disabilities.
(By MozaVibe)
