from ARIMANDO DOMINGOS in Maputo, Mozambique
MAPUTO – THOUSANDS of children in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe left without schools after deadly cyclones have received a major boost with the confirmation of US$7,8 million (R109 million) to finance their education.
This is the second tranche of funding announced by ‘Education Cannot Wait’ to respond to the destruction caused by Cyclone Idai in the three countries earlier this year.
New funds bring the total support to $15 million (R209, 9 million) to date.
Yasmine Sherif, the Director of Education Cannot Wait, said the additional support for the children affected by the catastrophic cyclone season in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe helped to ensure education was a top priority for aid stakeholders throughout the various phases of crisis.
“Speed, continuity and sustainability of interventions are crucial for children to achieve quality learning and for education to play its role as a stepping-stone for children and communities to recover and build back better after disaster.”
Cyclone Idai wreaked vast devastation across the three countries in March.
Mozambique was hardest hit by the cyclone and subsequent flooding.
Estimates indicate over 3 500 classrooms were destroyed, affecting more than 300 000 students and 7 800 teachers.
Mozambique suffered a further disaster after Cyclone Kenneth struck a few weeks after Idai.
– CAJ News
