We actually wanted to start this message with all the good news there was to tell from Mozambique.
The escolinha started again with 80 toddlers, the Community Center also started with lessons, English, Portuguese, mathematics, sewing lessons and now also computer lessons.
The Cantata music project has started again and only good news at the maternidade.
But then from March 10 to 11, Ilha, Lumbo, Mossuril and surrounding villages were hit by a terrible cyclone Gombe. What started with lots of rain and wind on Wednesday turned into a cyclone on Thursday evening. With the high (or low) point on Thursday night at 2 a.m., the eye of the cyclone. Terrifying.
Ilha has been badly affected, but most people in Lumbo have also lost their homes, the streets had turned into rivers and trees were blown away everywhere. 
There was no electricity and communication was no longer possible.
In addition to the damage caused by fallen trees, the escolinha and the maternidade were also badly affected. 
Fortunately, it was not that bad at the Community Center and the library, there has been a lot of wind blowing and rain, but the roof is still on and there is little damage.
We are very impressed with the resilience of the people in Lumbo. After, of course, being very upset at first, the next day it was cleaned up and rebuilt. People who still have a house also provided shelter to many homeless people. 20,000 households have lost their homes
We are currently doing what we can to help as much as possible.
For example, we started this week with a group of women (single mothers, with children and without an income or home).
They have started cleaning the Community Center, the library, the vegetable garden and the surrounding grounds, Then they continue with the escolinha and the maternidade, They are paid per day for that (paid at the end of the week) and it is going very well, They work really hard.
Next week we will have the baker prepare 200 loaves of bread with moringa and papinha will be cooked and distributed.
This is a small start. Next week we will meet with the support group to brainstorm about the campaign we want to start. Donations to repair the buildings as soon as possible and especially to help with the maternidade. On the night of the cyclone, 14 more children were born here, unbelievable. But also to organize paid work to give as many people as possible a chance to rebuild their homes.
We are currently mapping the damage suffered to the escolinha and the maternidade and preparing a budget for what is needed to restore it.
We will keep you informed by e-mail about the campaign(s) that we are going to organize.
