Every year, the rainy season in April brings torrential downpours to northern Tanzania—this time, intensified by climate change. As rivers overflow and infrastructure collapses, thousands are left to fend for themselves while government support remains minimal.

In Moshi’s Majengo neighborhood, Lidia and Sebastián barely survived a flash flood when the Rau River burst its banks in the middle of the night. With water rising inside their home and no power, they huddled with their children on a ceiling beam, watching everything they owned wash away. The government’s response? A sack of maize and orders to evacuate—with no alternative housing offered.

In the nearby Maasai villages of Msitu wa Tembo and Londoto, Rehema and Margaret lost their maize crops—vital not only for feeding their families but also for keeping their children enrolled in school, which requires families to contribute maize for school meals. For over a month, these communities were cut off from the outside world, relying on wooden canoes to bring in food and supplies.

Even those far from the rivers, like Eva and Paulina, saw their homes damaged by the rains. With collapsed walls and no functioning toilets, they now cook under tarps and wait for help that never comes.
 

This is not a one-off disaster—it’s the new normal. Yet Tanzanian authorities remain absent, leaving vulnerable communities to endure the consequences of a climate crisis they did not create.

Msitu Wa Tembo, Tanzania. April 2024. Miguel SR & Pablo Feito (writer)

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Story Link: África Mundi