Karonga Diocese embarks on CMFRR, Keep Equip Residents Projects in Flood Prone Areas

Written by Moses Kamanga,Deputy Communications Secretary,Karonga Diocese

With all the evidence in the atmosphere that the rainy season has come, people in Karonga, like in many other areas are busy working in their gardens as the growing season demands. All they focus on is food production. However, this expectation turns into a dreaded nightmare when the thought of floods clips into their minds.

Karonga District like many other low lying districts are prone to floods during rainy season. Residents along Lufilya and Rukuru Rivers are the most hit people and suffer the worst anger of the overflowing rivers. The most damaging effects of floods include loss of houses, livestock and even human life.

The Diocese of Karonga through its Development Desk embarked on projects to make sure the effects of flood are reduced. Through its Community Managed Flood Risks Reduction (CMFRR) and Karonga Empowering Emergency Preparedness (KEEP) projects the Diocese has equiped the residents in flood prone areas to mitigate the flood effects and prepare for the floods. The two projects have the same structures but have different focal points and catchment areas. CMFRR covers the areas of Mpata in the area of Paramount Chief Kyungu along Rukuru river and Ngerenge in the area of Traditional Authority Kilupula along Lufilya river. KEEP on its part,covers places beyong Ngerenge going towards the Songwe border.

Among many things that these two projects have achieved, empowering people to reduce and survive the ugly aftermath of floods is one of the paramount achievements. Through the CMFRR, river bank protection along the Rukuru and Luflya rivers has been improved. This is an exercise where trees, banana suckers and reeds have been planted along the river banks especially on “hot spots.” Hot spots are the fragile parts of the river that let the excess river water into people’s fields and homes.

The residents were also grilled in how to escape and what to carry as they escape to saftey places in case the floods hit. One of such grills took place in Kafwala village in the area of TA Kilupula.

The CMFRR Project coordinator Mr James Kasambala described the drill as a success. “Initially, when people were taken by surprise with floods or indeed any other disaster, they did not know what to carry that would help them to survive in evacuation centres. People remembered to carry their shoes and not the essentials” observed Kasambara. But now they know what is essential for them to carry: safe water and food supply that would take them three days, first aid kit and black plastic sheets to help them construct temporary shelter.

To compliment the CMFRR’s efforts, KEEP on its part has constructed evacuation centres that will host flood victims. According to Mr. Jim Lukwale, KEEP has constructed six evacuation centres to host about 500 people incase the floods hit. Apart from this, the two projects have helped villagers through Village savings programmes abbriviated as VSL for CMFRR and SILC for KEEP to save money that would help them to recover their economic ground once floods are gone.

To make sure that water sanitation and hygiene are up to date even during floods to reduce water borne diseases, the KEEP and CMFRR have also constructed sanitation facilities like toilets and urinals in each of the evacuation centres.

KEEP has also a consignment of life jackets and first aid kits that would help people to be evacuated to safety when the disaster hits.

KEEP is by funded by the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) under USAID through Christian Relief Services (CRS) while CMFRR is funded CAFOD.