by Jack Cortenraad

01 June 2000

Maputo, Mozambique: Once we arrived in Maputo we picked up our luggage quickly set off towards the flooded Limpopo Valley. The trip was impressive, as the outskirts of Maputo were full of rainwater that could not be drained.

At several places, the road -- Mozambique's economic vein -- was washed away. The railway was no longer usable and rain was pouring down on the road. After a three hours' drive we arrived at Macia, a temporary centre for emergency aid coordination and food supply logistics. The World Food Programme (WFP) shared a temporarily warehouse with the local beer distributors.

We were supposed to meet the WFP Regional Coordinator and to attend a coordination meeting with local government officials and all the aid organizations working in the region. The WFP coordinator had fallen sick due to malaria and the meeting was canceled because of transport and communication problems. This gave me time to meet all the UN Volunteers who had come to Macia.

The first was Laila Ismael Narcy. I knew she had spent two days on top of a tree before she could reach a safe haven. Her story was frightening: Grasping her two-year-old son, she shared her treetop with nine other people -- and a cobra. When I asked her how they managed to be so close to the snake, she said the cobra was "as scared to die in the water as the people were".

There was also Theresinha Joao Maibaze, who also told of her experience. She woke up in the middle of the night as the water started pouring into the house. By the time she had roused her children, ages one, three, four and five, the water was almost one metre high. With the help of a sister and a neighbour she carried the children towards the city centre. After a long walk, the water was literally at her lips as she reached a small house where she would seek refuge. It was a major struggle and challenge to get onto the roof without slipping and falling into the water -- and disappearing as she a few moments earlier had witnessed. She had just enough time to push her children onto the rooftop and pull herself up as well. Like Laila, she had to get by for two days without food and potable water. Sharing her 10-square-metre rooftop were 24 people.

She asked us if we could accompany her to her house were she had not been since. We decided to make space in the programme for the following day, as I could see that this was very important to her.

Cheaquelane Refugee Area

As we traveled the next day to the Cheaquelane Refugee Area, I thought I was prepared. But how can one prepare to be faced with a refugee camp with more than 60,000 people? I know this area from the time I lived in Mozambique. In those days I spent weekends there, having fun and being amazed over the extended irrigation systems and huge rice fields, the richness of the Limpopo Valley and railway to Chicualacuala, a town at the border with Zimbabwe.

But I was completely caught off guard at the sight of the first tents. You can see 100 refuge camps on CNN and hear 1,000 stories: confrontation with reality is different. I swallowed and a tear rolled down my cheek. A colleague and I knew that we have to face this now and have support from each other without saying a word. Theresinha continued her stories, commenting that the situation has improved, as there were now tents for the people. The 60,000 people have had to endure weeks without shelter in the rain.

I saw the faces of old and young people -- farmers, civil servant, traders, housewives, midwives, mothers and grandmothers. Rich and poor people -- they all became poor. Everyone lost all of their belongings and their houses have been washed away.

I saw exhausted people, sick people, dull expressions, the fear for cholera and meningitis. The tension of so many people together. A new town suddenly in the bush.

But I also observed children playing, clean water provision and latrines. I was surprised by incredible community organization and everywhere there were aid workers, volunteers and caring people. It was so good to see that the UNV programme enabled victims to become aid workers bringing relief. The big challenge is coming with the resettlement of thousands of people, providing shelter, setting up agriculture and sparking renewed economic activities. I am sure UN Volunteers have a major role to play in the months to come.

In the plane back to Bonn

It's quiet and relaxing after an extraordinary and hectic mission. The steward asks me if I prefer Pinotage or Cabernet Sauvignon. I still have to decide what to eat. Meanwhile the airline presents the latest news: the famine in Ethiopia…. I skip dinner and try to rest. I just don't feel able to connect my field trip in Mozambique, the famine in Ethiopia with my destination: my desk in Bonn. With little interest in reading, I try to follow the movie's story line. But Ethiopia is still on my mind. I pick up one quote from the movie: "How would we know? If we don't believe anything, the scenery never changes."

Now I know why I do this job and why I like it.