By Chris McIvor, Country Director for Save the Children UK in Mozambique
Last week a colleague at Save the Children in London asked me why Mozambique has so many emergencies; floods most years, regular cyclones, periodic drought.
I responded that it was partly a question of unfortunate geography.
The simple fact is that if it rains in Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia or Malawi, sooner or later that water will probably end up in Mozambique.
Even when the rains are marginally above normal the rivers downstream will flood.
This year the rains are considerably above normal in all these countries, which is why we are all jittery about what the next few months will bring.
At the same time the coast of Mozambique is right in the path of the Indian Ocean cyclones when they hit land.
And if that wasn't bad enough, the south of Mozambique is prone to drought.
This year some half a million people are in need of food aid because they didn't get enough rain last year for their crops.
But emergencies are not just about geography and climate. When people are poor they take risks.
They find land close to flood-prone rivers to make use of the silt that is deposited every year.
They live in coastal areas where they can fish, even if they are directly in the path of cyclones.
We need to remember these reasons when we wonder why they continue to live in areas of risk from which they have to be rescued.
A farmer in central Mozambique told me that he expected to be flooded out of his home every three to four years.
But if he didn't farm near the river he wouldn't have enough food for his family.
Faced with a choice of starvation or an occasional threat he opted for the latter.
That's why if we ever expect people to move out of harm's way they need to be offered an alternative.
As part of Save the Children's emergency programme we are now providing small grants to community groups so they can explore safer options of earning a living.
Responding to emergencies is only one half of our business.
If we don't look at causes we'll be getting nervous at this time of year for quite some time to come.
Picture: Mansir Petrie / Save the Children
Despite the geographic nature of the land, tears of sorrow flow each time such tragic events are broadcast through no fault of those that have to endure mother nature.
The natural terrain within many a nation provides ample and immediate opportunity for every government to start digging and ease the burden on the rivers that flow and divert the water to ares that require it in ordert hat sustained communities can be created. As, the "Real Life" situation can be changed by virtue of a digger and determination, we need to tell the "Simple Minds" that like fighting, help save your proud nation and create something more worthwhile than destruction of your nation.
Posted by: Khalid 16 Jan 2008 10:42:16