Working Together To Repair Cyclone Damage

Working Together to Repair Cyclone Damage
Recent cyclones in Mozambique have damaged so much – including health facilities. Many Canadians have reached out to help. The Steelworkers Humanity Fund (USW Canada) recently teamed up with the Mozambique Canada Maternal Health Project to repair some of this damage.
Funds were donated to repair the roofs of three buildings in the Kewene rural health centre that were damaged by Cylcone Idai — the main building which includes the maternity ward, pharmacy, medicine storage facility and outpatient consulting area, and two small staff houses. Kewene is situated on the Saint Sebastian peninsula, off the Bazaruto archipelago in the district of Vilankulo, Inhambane province. Road access is very difficult and sandy and its closest route to Vilankulo town is by boat.
The renovations will help rural Mozambicans access maternal health care by supporting the provincial health directorate in providing services. Although the Kewene health area is not a project partner community, Vilankulo is a target district, and the Canadian connection has enabled the project to help improve maternal and reproductive health services for other rural communities also.
It is a good example of how Canadian projects situated abroad can combine their resources in times of emergency need. Jessie Forsyth, Project Director, explained, “This was a good opportunity to put our Canadian network in touch with our Mozambican partners. We want to thank the United Steelworkers Humanity Fund for their timely contribution.”
Photos – Damaged building and new roof repair.