How to help survivors of Cyclone Idai
Tropical Cyclone Idai struck the African countries of Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique a week ago, but humanitarian workers are only now grasping the scale of the storm's destruction.
Hundreds are dead, and experts believe that number will rise sharply in the coming days. The storm brought catastrophic flooding that submerged entire villages and towns. The United Nations estimated that 2.6 million people were affected by the tragedy.
"If these reports, these fears, are realized, then we can say that this is one of the worst weather-related disasters — tropical cyclone-related disasters — in the Southern Hemisphere,” Clare Nullis, a spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, said this week, according to the New York Times.
More than a dozen nonprofit organizations are working on the ground to provide relief, which includes shelter, medical care, clean water, and food.
If you want to help survivors of the natural disasters, consider supporting the following organizations as well as consulting Charity Navigator's list of vetted groups working in the area:
The United Nations has deployed emergency teams that provide food, medical supplies, and shelter to survivors.
UNICEF, or the United Nations Children's Fund, is offering children and families drinking water, health supplies, and emergency shelter.
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Americares, a disaster relief organization, is sending emergency response experts to Mozambique, as well as preparing essential items like hygiene products, antibiotics, and supplies for wounds.
Mercy Corps, a global humanitarian organization, is reaching cyclone survivors in the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe with hygiene kits and sanitation supplies. The kits include water purification tablets, soap, gloves, and buckets.
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Oxfam America, a global organization that works to end poverty, is providing food, water, sanitation services, and other aid to survivors.
World Hope International is a Christian relief and development organization that typically responds to disasters by providing water, medical supplies, food, and household supplies.
The following organizations are also working on Cyclone Idai relief efforts: Catholic Relief Services, Save the Children, Water Mission, and World Vision.
UPDATE: March 25, 2019, 1:41 p.m. PDT This story was updated to include additional organizations providing aid to cyclone survivors.
Topics Activism Social Good
Rebecca Ruiz is a Senior Reporter at Mashable. She frequently covers mental health, digital culture, and technology. Her areas of expertise include suicide prevention, screen use and mental health, parenting, youth well-being, and meditation and mindfulness. Rebecca's experience prior to Mashable includes working as a staff writer, reporter, and editor at NBC News Digital and as a staff writer at Forbes. Rebecca has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a masters degree from U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.
