On Friday (21), humanitarian aid organizations visited Dondo district to learn about actions and interventions of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) for reproductive health and the fight against gender-based violence for the victims of cyclone Idai. Representatives from DFID (UK Department for International Development), Irish Aid, RedR Australia, NORCAP (Norwegian Refugee Council) were present.
First stop during the mission, the Mutua Health Center, which serves about 25,000 people in the region, is operating with the assistance of temporary clinics implemented by UNFPA, as well as kits with medicines and hospital supplies. In April and May, UNFPA delivered more than 300 kits with hundreds of equipment and remedies for the cyclone-affected units. These kits contain essential products and instruments for the life of the mother and baby.
"It took me over an hour to get here, but when I stepped in, I was taken care of, and I had my baby. The nurses were very kind to me. I'm here in this resting tent and I'm going home soon," said Edna John, who spent the night with her baby in the temporary clinic.
After the visit to the health unit, the teams, accompanied by representatives from UNICEF and the Provincial Department of Gender, Child and Social Action, visited the resettlement center of Maganafuta, where more than 700 families live today. To address gender-based violence on the ground, UNFPA has implemented the Women-Friendly Space (with a range of activities and support targeted at women and girls) and the protection office (where it is possible to report and monitor cases of gender-based violence).
