Bearing the floods: Issofou’s journey of resilience
By Bana Adamou Ibrahim
In the heart of the Zaria neighbourhood, in Niger’s Maradi city, 82-year-old Maman Issoufou is still homeless after devastating floods swept through the area late last year. With no means to rebuild, he relies solely on humanitarian aid to survive.
Floods have hit Maradi repeatedly for several years, affecting thousands of families like Issoufou’s. The situation worsened last year, with nearly 5,000 collapsed homes and 11 fatalities in the region.
Residents were already struggling to recover from previous floods and a drought, exacerbating their plight and leaving them in a state of uncertainty.
Seeking solutions amid adversity
Dr. Abdou Babaye Maman Sani, a climatologist, points out that these disasters are caused by torrential rains, non-absorbent soils, the illegal construction of a dam and poor infrastructure. He stresses the importance of proactive measures, such as urban sanitation programmmes and efficient drainage systems, to mitigate risks.
Insufficient preparation and local authorities’ constrained response capacities have left vulnerable populations in distress as the rainy season (from June to September) approaches. Issoufou and others like him now face the reality of leaving what little remains of their precarious dwellings to find refuge.
Despite the Government’s Triennial Contingency Plan on Floods (2023-2025) and humanitarian partners’ efforts, there is not enough aid to meet the needs of vulnerable families.
Issoufou received a food kit, shelter materials and cash assistance, which helped his family of 21 members including 18 children, briefly.
Issoufou explains: "Current living conditions are tough. My family manages to make ends meet thanks to monthly monetary transfers [US$8 or $16] from my children overseas depending on their assets...and the profits from the small business run by my wife in a primary school in the neighbourhood."
Initiatives and paths forward
Humanitarian organizations are finding ways to relieve the hardship for flood-affected families. In early January, the International Organization for Migration officially handed over the keys to 300 transitional shelters, 300 family latrines and 200 protection kits comprising hygiene kits, children's kits and school kits to 300 households.
This initiative is part of the response to the 2020 floods, which caused extensive material damage and even deaths.
Flood damage from the last two years has increased people’s needs across all affected regions. Additional resources are needed to respond to these floods, which affect all parts of Niger.
“Strengthening local authorities’ capacities and fostering community participation in flood management are essential steps for a more resilient future for all residents of Maradi,” said Maman Bachir, the Regional Director of Humanitarian Action.