Cyclones Batsirai and Emnati hit the southern Ikongo district within two weeks of each other in February 2022, tearing through communities and leaving an aftermath of destruction. Hundreds of classrooms were totally destroyed and hundreds more lost their rooves. Bridges collapsed, landslides cut off roads, fields were silted over and swathes of crops and trees were destroyed. Thousands of already poor families were left homeless and without any food reserves. Whilst we have helped thousands the plight of the wider population is worsening without the provision of basic health, education and transport services. Many health centres were destroyed. Ankarimbelo hospital was reduced to one leaking room where newborn babies and mothers were crammed in with sufferers of infectious diseases.
The municipality of Ankarimbelo, on the eastern edge of the rainforest, suffered the highest death rates during the cyclones and its two main health centres were devastated. We have now rebuilt the hospital in Ankarimbelo and the health centre in Faliarivo so over 28,000 people have improved access to heath services. Open here for more One Year On information and how you can help.