Life after cyclone Idai: in pictures
When Cyclone Idai hit Malawi, thousands of families saw their homes and livelihoods get washed away.
We worked with our partner Habitat for Humanity to provide emergency shelter in Malawi for families affected the most. Have a look at how they used our tools and materials to start rebuilding their homes and their lives.
Families whose homes swept away showed great resilience and strength, building temporary shelters with the few materials they could salvage so they could feel safe again.
We visited several villages and camps within the Chikwawa district in southern Malawi. One of the villages was completely swamped by the flooding with homes flattened and buried in mud, forcing the whole community to abandon it.
The flooding devastated livelihoods. Most people were making a living through farming, but all of their crops were destroyed.
We provided shelter kits to families who lost their homes, as they’d already started building shelters. The kits helped to make their structures significantly stronger, providing increased protection from the weather.
Kapitapita’s family were forced to flee after the floods tore through their village and flattened their home. Everything they owned washed away, and they were left with nothing.
A makeshift shelter made with tarpaulin provided by Habitat for Humanity.
Families in Mwalija village saw their homes and their belongings completely washed away. Their village, which is right next to the Shire river, was completely swamped by the flooding so the whole community abandoned it.
Many families have built makeshift shelters out of branches, grass, and thin plastic sheeting – whatever they can salvage. Some are trying to resume life as normal by rebuilding and preparing food.
A boy poses shyly in front of makeshift shelters.
Life goes on. Women and children prepare meals in an attempt to resume everyday activities.
A young man poses in front of some of the makeshift shelters.
Families gather in the shade as they wait for Habitat for Humanity to speak to them about our ShelterBox response.
People are seen outside their makeshift shelters, made out of anything they could salvage.
Children play amongst the rubble, in an attempt to resume normal life.
Joseph poses proudly net to his makeshift shelter, built out of anything he could find.
A child standing next to damaged homes and makeshift shelters in a village where families who lost their homes to the flooding were being hosted by the community.
A woman with her child looks across the camp.
In one camp, most families are staying in the schools but the men have to sleep in nearby tents.
Maria, 29, along with her husband and children had to flee their village after flooding washed away their home, leaving them with nothing but the clothes they were wearing.
Working through the challenges
In Malawi, whole villages were cut off, communications were down and many areas were still submerged by storm-driven floodwaters just weeks after the disaster hit.
The challenges were huge, but we managed to fly the aid in the country, thanks to the support we received from our Rotary partners, Habitat for Humanity and the World Food Programme.
Nearly 2,000 families received shelter kits, water filters, and carriers, mosquito nets, solar lights, and blankets. That’s around 10,000 people with a place to call home thanks to your support.