In response to the devastating flooding that affected the Madagali Local Government Area of Adamawa State, the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), an Anabaptist organization based in the United States and Canada, has partnered with the Catholic Diocese of Yola to provide emergency assistance.
This initiative, coordinated through the Office of Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) Yola, delivered essential food and non-food items to the affected communities.
On August 21, substantial rainfall and runoff from the Cameroonian highlands resulted in significant flooding that impacted numerous communities within the Madagali Local Government Area, including Duhu, Mayowandu, Kirchinga, Maiwandu, Jahili, Kokohu, Lumadu, Zhau, Pallam, Kwambula, Shuware, and Shuwa.
The distribution took place at St. Pius X Catholic Church in the Diocese of Maiduguri, where the JDPC Yola team, led by Most Rev. Stephen Dami Mamza, collaborated with local authorities, community leaders, and the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT) of Madagali LGA to oversee the distribution of aid to affected households.
The process was conducted transparently and efficiently, ensuring that the most vulnerable members of the community received the necessary support.
According to an IOM-led needs assessment, food emerged as one of the three most urgent necessities, with 97% of respondents identifying it as critical. The flooding severely disrupted local livelihoods, particularly for families reliant on agriculture and local markets, as floodwaters destroyed their crops and food supplies. Immediate food assistance was crucial to prevent widespread hunger and malnutrition among the affected populations.
Non-food items (NFIs) were also identified as a significant need, with 95% of the community reporting an urgent requirement for such supplies. Many families lost essential household items—such as bedding, cooking utensils, and clothing—due to the floods. The lack of these crucial items worsened daily living conditions for displaced families, making it challenging for them to maintain a semblance of normalcy and dignity amid the crisis. Providing NFIs was vital for supporting the affected communities in rebuilding their lives and recovering from this disaster.
A total of 110 beneficiaries were carefully identified and selected for the food distribution initiative, focusing on individuals who were most vulnerable and in urgent need of assistance.
JDPC Yola conducted a rapid needs assessment to determine the community’s most pressing requirements. Based on the assessment findings, the following items were distributed: maize, rice, beans, vegetable oil, salt, detergent, Izal (a disinfectant), mats, and soap.
This intervention directly benefited 110 households, supporting a total of 880 individuals.