<
https://theconversation.com/mozambique-floods-why-the-most-vulnerable-keep-paying-the-highest-price-274759>
"When floods submerged parts of Mozambique after heavy rains in 2000, a baby
girl was born in a tree, where her mother clung as the Limpopo river waters
rose. The baby was nicknamed Rosita in the press. Her survival became a symbol
of the country’s grit.
But her story, once a symbol of hope, now frames a harder truth.
Sadly, Rosita’s life was cut short on 12 January 2026. She reportedly died of
anaemia in a provincial health centre. This condition might have been treatable
in a stronger, better-resourced health system.
Her death coincided with a new wave of severe flooding. Southern Mozambique was
under water again in late January 2026. Weeks of heavy rain affected more than
600,000 people. Residual flooding persists in low-lying areas because of
upstream inflows and high dam discharges. Towns such as Xai-Xai and Chókwè have
faced repeated inundation as the Limpopo swells.
We work for Inclusive Growth, a longstanding research and capacity development
initiative in Mozambique. Our work is designed to support evidence-based
policymaking to foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the
country.
Rosita’s story mirrors what our research on Mozambique’s socio-economic
development shows at scale: vulnerability persists where poverty, weak public
services and deep-rooted inequalities intersect.
The same communities that experience the highest levels of multidimensional
poverty, stagnant progress and widening inequalities are also the ones
repeatedly exposed to shocks, with limited access to the health, education and
infrastructure needed to recover. When floods strike, these disadvantages
compound: incomes collapse, assets are lost. Already poor households fall even
further behind, making each shock harder to escape and reinforcing long-term
deprivation.
As Mozambique faces more frequent and more severe disasters, cycles of
vulnerability will be exacerbated. To break this vicious cycle – and prevent
future stories like Rosita’s – Mozambique must invest in rapid, well targeted
post-shock support, swift livelihood restoration, and sustained, equitable
public investment that builds long term resilience."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
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mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
