Zimbabwe's road to recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Idai

Life uprooted: From home to refuge

Mwaedza’s village in Chipinge district was one of the hardest hit. Her once-safe home was now a wreck.

Mwaedza had to seek refuge at her ancestral home in Mabhiza. The journey to Mabhiza was fraught with hardship. “For two days, I walked with my son and three grandchildren, relying on the kindness of strangers for food and transport. It was one of the toughest times of my life.”

When she reached her birth home, her uncle gave her a small piece of land where she built a makeshift pole-and-mud structure.

Life in her new, single-room home was far from ideal. Due to cultural sensitivities, her son couldn’t sleep inside. As Mwaedza recalls, “When it rained, he would knock on the door to come in.

“We’d stand huddled in a corner, holding dishes and buckets to keep the water out. Often, our belongings would be soaked. It was a miserable existence.

“Every rainy season brought dread—fear that the house would collapse, fear that we would lose everything again,” she adds.

The house was a constant source of worry.

“We had to reinforce it with mud every season, knowing that one day, the rains might wash it all away. The roof collapsed once, but thanks to the kindness of our neighbors, we received roofing sheets and wooden poles to rebuild. Otherwise, I don’t know where we’d be today,” she says.

CARE’s shelter project: New home, new hope

In her ancestral home, Mwaedza’s survival depended on menial jobs—working in other people’s vegetable gardens for food or small payments. “I had goats once, but they all died. Now, I water people’s gardens and do other small jobs to get by,” she says.

Mwaedza found solace in her community, which supported her and provided a sense of normalcy.

Then, a stroke of luck was about to change Mwaedza’s fortune.

“When they told me they were building us a house, I couldn’t believe it,” Mwaedza says with a broad smile.

“I am overjoyed by this new home. Now, for the first time in years, my son can sleep indoors. The relief I feel is indescribable.”

Mwaedza’s new house was built as part of a CARE project, launched in January 2024. Strengthen Shelter Preparedness and Response pilot project, funded by the Volant Charitable Trust, aims to strengthen national shelter preparedness and response, with a particular focus on the disaster-prone province of Manicaland.

“In partnership with the government, we identified a gap in Zimbabwe’s disaster preparedness strategy, especially regarding shelter response. CARE and the Government of Zimbabwe identified an opportunity to improve how people like Mwaedza can have better shelter,” says Walter Mwasaa, CARE Zimbabwe Country Director.

This led to the launch of the project that involved community members in designing housing prototypes that could provide quick, temporary shelter in times of crisis.

As Mwaedza reflects on the transformation her family has experienced, she is filled with hope. “I would walk inside the new house while it was being built and just wonder if this was really happening to me. It’s better to work hard and search for food while living in a decent house. The stress of the old place was overwhelming, but now, I feel like I can breathe again.”

With her new home complete, Mwaedza is preparing for the upcoming rainy season with renewed confidence. “The rainy season is starting, but this year will be different. I no longer have to fear the storms,” she says, her eyes shining with optimism.

The road ahead

Although the past five years have been filled with financial hardship, food insecurity and unemployment, Mwaedza’s story provides hope and resilience. Cyclone Idai may have taken much from her, but it also brought new beginnings.

Today, she looks forward to a future where her son and grandchildren can thrive without the fear of losing everything to the elements.

“This house is more than just a shelter,” she says. “It’s a symbol of hope, a sign that we can overcome anything with the right support. At least we can now focus on finding work and securing food for the family.”

Cyclone Idai was a reminder of the unpredictability of nature and the immense challenges it can bring. But for survivors like Mwaedza, it also highlighted the strength of the human spirit. Even in the face of unimaginable adversity, she has shown that hope can prevail, and with a roof over her head and her family by her side, she is ready to face whatever comes next. This year, for Mwaedza, the storms will no longer be a source of fear—they will be a reminder of how far she has come.

“Resilience takes many forms and is a composition of multiple assets and capitals,” says Mwasaa. “To Mwaedza and her family having a house that is safe from the storms and rains is a big step on her journey to resilience.”

“While Mwaedza has found safety, many others are still susceptible to the devastating impacts of climate change on housing,” says Mwasaa. “To ensure that more families like Mwaedza’s can rebuild their lives from a solid base, more action and funding is required to provide essential shelter, food and support to those affected by disasters.”