Housing units that are more resilient to cyclonic hazards.

After the emergency response, it’s time for early recovery. Eight months after Cyclone Freddy hit Madagascar, Medair continues to assist vulnerable communities, now rebuilding their homes through cash transfers.

Tropical Cyclone Freddy made landfall on the east coast of Madagascar during the night of 21 to 22 February 2023, in the immediate vicinity of Mananjary, located in the Vatovavy region. For almost 24 hours, the cyclone crossed the island from east to west, causing extensive damage.

Medair was present in the Vatovavy region before, during, and after Cyclone Freddy struck to conduct both pre-disaster and post-disaster responses. In the first six weeks following Cyclone Freddy’s landfall, Medair’s mobile emergency response teams and local carpenter successfully constructed 100 new huts.

Thanks to current funding from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), proposed in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), 5,661 individuals, comprising 1,258 households, will see their traditional living quarters rehabilitated and fortified against hurricanes over the next seven months. This project aims to enhance the resilience of the communities in which Medair is actively involved.

“We chose to partner with Medair for this project because of their reputed work with other organizations, and their level of expertise in the humanitarian field and its geographical areas of intervention – particularly in the Mananjary district, said Charles Roger EVINA, IOM Head of Mission in Madagascar and Comoros.He added: “Two of the biggest challenges that Medair could face would be respecting the rules of the United Nations agencies and managing the complaints and feedback received from beneficiaries and local authorities. We will therefore have to work together, in symbiosis, to ensure that these difficulties are overcome as we move forward.”

“Medair will be in charge of implementing this project, where each vulnerable household will receive 350,000 Ar, or approximately 75 USD, so that they can rebuild their homes, which were partially damaged by Hurricane Freddy. We sincerely hope that these affected families will be able to live under a suitable roof in time”. Tojotia Nalisoa RABEZANAHARY, Medair GRC Project Manager in Mananjary.

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