CONNECTING CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND EDUCATION

ECW investments are connecting girls' education, empowerment and climate action in Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and beyond.

By Education Cannot Wait

October 12^th, 2021

The people of Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe are still struggling to recover from the vast destruction caused by Cyclone Idai in March 2019. The massive cyclone took lives, destroyed homes, schools and infrastructure, and left students wondering how their education would continue.

With climate change increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, triggering droughts and floods that displace populations, and turning economies on their ends, more and more girls and boys are experiencing first-hand what the climate crisis means for their learning, for their communities and for their future.

Nelah Kaphatikiza, a student at the Sekeni Primary School in the Chikwawa District of Malawi, was worried what the future would bring after Cyclone Idai ripped through her community. Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the United Nations global fund for education in emergencies, provided quick relief in the form of education supplies and other supports to her school.

“When a disaster strikes, learning suffers as our minds switch to things we lost and the immediate problems we go through. When classes resumed, I expected to be fighting for books with my classmates, but we not only received new textbooks, but also notebooks, pencils, pens, erasers, mathematical sets and play things of different shapes.” ~ Nelah Kaphatikiza, student at Sekeni Primary School, Malawi

Students in Mozambique attending school in a building damaged by Cyclone Idai. © UNICEF Mozambique/2019/Berger

An estimated 200 schools in Malawi and 150 schools in Zimbabwe were impacted by Cyclone Idai. Over 1.8 million people in Mozambique were affected and over 3,300 classrooms were destroyed, leaving 263,000 children without a classroom.

ECW responded rapidly to this crisis, mobilizing $14 million to restore education for about 500,000 children and adolescents affected by Cyclone Idai. After a second cyclone hit: Cyclone Kenneth, ECW allocated an additional $7.8 million dollars in response to this crisis to ensure education for an additional 185,000 children across the region (41,491 children in Malawi, 107,266 children in Mozambique and 36,350 children in Zimbabwe).

“At our school, we appreciate the support we got when we needed it most. The boxes we got were boxes of love. They made the teaching and learning environment better for everyone. Some of the materials from the boxes are still in use today.” ~ Deputy Headteacher of Sekeni Primary School

An estimated 1.9 million people have been affected in Mozambique by Cyclone Idai, of whom 1 million are children. © ECW/2019/Manan Kotak

Malawi

In Malawi, ECW funding – delivered through UNICEF on the ground – helped 174 schools quickly establish temporary learning spaces following Cyclone Idai. To ensure that schools are better prepared when the next disaster strikes, school district staff were also trained in disaster risk management techniques. Participants in these trainings supported their schools to develop Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) plans to strengthen their emergency preparedness and mitigate the impact of future climate crises and fast-acting natural disasters.

Sekeni Primary School teachers tried to describe the aftermath of the cyclone, recalling finding mounds of soaked textbooks, homes destroyed by flooding and families' lives turned upside down in an instant.

Providing educational materials and support to those affected by natural disasters – which are increasing in frequency and severity as a result of climate change – is essential in building resilient communities, protecting children, avoiding mass displacement, and building lasting education systems that allow children to learn, grow and thrive.

Sekeni Primary School was one of the 174 schools in Malawi that received funding and support from Education Cannot Wait, receiving seven boxes of educational materials and 195 school bags.

“Each box is a tale of hope for the affected children; an assuring story of enthusiasm and partnership to get schools back to speed after being hit by humanitarian emergencies.” ~ John Kulomba, deputy headteacher at Sekeni Primary School, Malawi

Nelah, Mayamiko, and John Kulomba outside of Sekeni Primary School at Nchalo in Chikwawa District. © UNICEF Malawi/2020/James Chavula

Nelah Kaphatikiza and Mayamiko Mphepo, both students at the Seneki Primary School, made good use of the school-in-a-box and sports kits. Mayamiko described the school kits as more than just supplies. The boxes were filled with more than basic school materials, but also included a wooden clock, colorful counting cubes, a radio receiver, a laminated alphabet mat, and multiplication and number tables. Additionally, the box itself also doubles as a chalkboard to be utilized by teachers in the temporary learning spaces.

“When floods happened, I lost hope of returning to school because my books and pens were gone, the school was closed, and our classroom was filled with people. The boxes came at the right time because everyone, including our parents, was worried about other things they lost during the floods. Our educational needs were not the first thing on their minds.” ~ Mayamiko Mphepo

A group of students in Malawi carry their school-in-a-box kit. © UNICEF Malawi/2020/Thoko Chikondi

Nelah also added that the sports kits helped the children take their minds off the anxiety and stress of dealing with the floods.

“After classes, we used to play different games instead of thinking about problems. This brought back smiles on our faces.” ~ Nelah Kaphatikiza

ECW and partners rapidly mobilised resources to reach the young learners affected by the Cyclone Idai – children like Nelah and Mayamiko. While rehabilitation of schools, educational supplies and learning kits helped ensure the continuity of education in the impacted region, more must be done to ensure that their education will not be disrupted again.

Mozambique

In Mozambique, ECW’s response included an additional $360,000 for Cyclone Kenneth, which hit only a few weeks after Cyclone Idai. Cyclone Kenneth affected over 250,000 people and 42,000 school-aged children, further increasing the need for resources in the area. Children in Mozambique lost not only their homes, but also family members, friends, classmates and teachers in the disaster.

ECW support helped on-the-ground partners to establish temporary learning spaces, supply educational materials (school-in-a-box) and recreation kits, rehabilitate schools and support school feeding programmes. Psychosocial support for teachers was also implemented at the school-level, as well as teacher trainings, which addressed disaster preparedness and management. This enabled teachers like Maria Alberto to restore a sense of normalcy for children and help them to cope with their devastating situation.

“This additional support from ECW for the children affected by the catastrophic cyclone season in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe helps to ensure education is a top priority for aid stakeholders throughout the various phases of crisis, from the immediate emergency response to longer-term recovery.” ~ Yasmine Sherif, Director of Education Cannot Wait

Frontline champion Maria Alberto is incorporating disaster preparedness into her school lessons in Mozambique. © ECW/2019/Manan Kotak

Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, ECW provided emergency relief for schools impacted by the cyclone and aimed to build the schools back better to resist the next climate-induced disaster. Through partners on the ground, ECW funding provided disaster risk reduction training in schools to empower them for the next crisis. The trainings aimed to create a more proactive strategy for schools to lower the risks in dealing with climate hazards and ultimately lower the damage and destruction caused by natural disasters.

ECW continues to provide emergency relief for climate change-related disasters, supporting communities to build back better and connect the dots between climate resilience, education and sustainable development.

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