Humanitarian Coalition

Published purpose

On March 15, 2019, Tropical Cyclone Idai hit Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe causing significant devastation to communities, destroying homes and infrastructure. Many communities remain cut off by flooding, without communications or electricity. Across the region, hundreds of people have been killed and many more remain missing. According to the United Nations, more than 3 million people have been affected by the cyclone. An effective and timely humanitarian assistance response is essential to address the immediate life-saving needs of the affected people. In order to address this humanitarian crisis, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) launched the Cyclone Idai Matching Fund in partnership with the Humanitarian Coalition and its members. Consistent with the terms of the GAC matching fund mechanism, the Government of Canada is matching the eligible donations made by individuals to the Humanitarian Coalition and its members, which reached the maximum announced matching amount of $2 million. Through this project, GAC is transferring the matching funds to the Humanitarian Coalition, which in turn allocates the funds amongst its members based on criteria such as their capacity and presence in the affected regions. The funds are used by Humanitarian Coalition members for humanitarian response activities, such as the provision of emergency health, protection, shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene services.