All countries are prone to natural disasters, the difference is how they respond.
In 2019, Cyclone Idai swept through Southern Africa leaving a wake of destruction and losses. More than three million people across Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe experienced the direct effects of the cyclone. The economic costs were equally crippling. For Zimbabwe alone, Cycle Idai is estimated to have cost the country up to US$274 million in economic losses.
In response to the need to strengthen disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, Higherlife Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, has invested in building the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) in Harare.
The NEOC will serve as the centre for all Zimbabwe disaster preparedness and response interventions.
The facility is designed to strengthen data collection, analysis, and presentation to better disseminate information and determine appropriate preparedness and response interventions.
Construction of the NEOC is almost complete, with the superstructure now finished and the current focus is on fittings and furnishings.
Once complete, the NEOC will become the nerve centre for disaster early warning monitoring, allowing all emergency response stakeholders to congregate for better coordination and response before and during emergencies.
Higherlife Foundation has received resource support from ELMA Philanthropies throughout the project.
