In March 2019, Cyclone Idai hit south-east Africa, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall. When the cyclone made landfall, it was one of the deadliest cyclones to ever hit Africa, killing more than 1,000 people across Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
In eastern Zimbabwe, flash flooding and landslides damaged and destroyed critical infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, farmlands and homes. It caused more than $600 million in damage. More than 50,000 households were destroyed, directly affecting 270,000 people – including displacing 60,000 people. The cyclone also cut off communities from basic services.
The Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project, funded by the World Bank, was launched to help communities recover in the immediate aftermath of the disaster and to build the foundation for long-term resilience and regional recovery.
Watch to learn more about the project and the important role women have played in implementing it.