Taking care of (new) business

“The kids were scared because the parents were scared. There was no one to comfort each other because we were all scared.”

Alick Lozani says that when the flooding from Cyclone Idai rose around his house, he, his wife and three children covered their front door with mud to keep the knee-high water out, and waited inside for four days before the water dried up.

Alick and his wife had planted maize, sorghum and tomatoes before the flooding, but their crops were destroyed. He had to find a way to feed his family, so he looked, unsuccessfully, for work on other farms.

“It was really hard to get food because we didn’t harvest anything,” says Alick. “Even the larger farms didn’t have work because their crops were gone too.” Alick’s family was only eating once a day during this time. He says they ate dinner, because it was easier to fall asleep with food in their stomachs.

Thanks to funding from the Humanitarian Coalition and the government of Canada, Presbyterian World Service & Development, a member agency of Canadian Foodgrains Bank, began providing food supplies to 2,000 families affected by the flooding.

Through the project, Alick and his family received maize flour, beans and cooking oil for four months. They also received maize and vegetable seeds to help them grow their own food in the longer term.

With the food they received through the project, the family could eat lunch and dinner. Alick says the food gave him the energy to start making bricks so he could repair his home and think about starting a new business.

So with money he had saved before the cyclone, Alick invested in two bunnies. In two months, they had multiplied to 16. He would like to get up to 60 rabbits eventually.

Alick says the future is hopeful. “I’m trying my best to get things going,” he says. “I want to grow out of the need for help if this happens again. My dream is to be resilient and independent.”

He also has a word for the Canadians who made hope possible: “A very big thank you. You have really helped me.”