At first glance, $36 may not seem much, but for survivors of a devastating cyclone in Madagascar, that amount provides the ability for a family to meet their immediate basic needs for six weeks.
Thanks to funding originating here in Canada, more than 17,000 people will receive life-saving assistance, helping them recover from this disaster.
On March 7, 2017, cyclone Enawo made landfall on the northeast coast of Madagascar, affecting more than 325,000 people, killing at least 51 people and leaving close to 80,000 people homeless or displaced. The Category 4 storm hit the island with an average wind speed of up to 203 km/h and gusts attained speeds of 300 km/h.
However, thanks to $200,000 from the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund (CHAF), CARE Canada will be able to provide cash for work activities as well as unconditional cash transfers that will support affected individuals to rebuild their houses and compensate the loss of the crops impacted by the cyclone.
The cash transfers will provide families with decision-making power on how to best use the money, whether it’s to help rebuild their homes, assist in recovering from the loss of crops or access health care. Cash for work initiatives, coordinated with local authorities, will initially focus on re-opening the road in the most affected area to facilitate humanitarian access.
CARE has an office in the most affected area and has been working in here for the last 25 years.
The CHAF is a joint mechanism financed by Global Affairs Canada, the Humanitarian Coalition and its member agencies.
-30-
For media inquiries, contact us at 647-517-4563 or media@humanitariancoalition.ca
The Humanitarian Coalition (HC) brings together leading aid organizations to provide Canadians with a simple and effective way to donate during large-scale humanitarian emergencies. The HC also partners with Global Affairs Canada to enable its member agencies to respond to lesser-known small and medium-scale disasters.