By Brenna Matendere
When the winds roared and the mountains groaned under the weight of Cyclone Idai in 2019, hundreds in Chimanimani clung to trees, rocks, and hope.
Six years later, many survivors are still holding on — this time to the trauma that never left.
For Mary Chirwa, a 47-year-old widow from Ngangu village, every rainy season reopens old wounds.
She lost her husband — the family’s breadwinner — and her six-year-old child when the cyclone ripped through their community.
“I took a warm blanket and wrapped my younger child while my husband helped the others. When we tried to cross the waters using a rope, I lost both my child and my husband,” she recalls softly, her voice breaking. “No one has come to help us heal. We need psychosocial support.”
Mary’s story echoes across Chimanimani and Chipinge, where grief lingers like the mist over the mountains. Survivors say physical wounds have healed, but emotional scars remain — unseen and untreated.
Mental Health in Emergencies
This year, as Zimbabwe joined the world in marking World Mental Health Day on October 10 under the theme “Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies,” experts renewed calls for better mental health systems in disaster-prone areas.
According to Cimas Health Group’s iGo wellness coach, Chidochashe Makara, integrating psychosocial support into national emergency response plans could transform recovery efforts.
“The most common conditions after humanitarian crises include acute stress, anxiety, depression, and PTSD,” Coach Makara explained.
“We need to prioritise integrating mental health services into disaster preparedness and train non-specialist providers to serve during crises.”
Makara says Psychological First Aid (PFA) — listening, comforting, and linking individuals to further services — can save lives and reduce distress immediately after trauma. Local NGOs are already training community members to offer such support.
“Community-based initiatives preserve social networks and help identify those in need of care,” she said. “It’s about restoring dignity and resilience.”
Forgotten Promises
For survivors like Mary Tashinga, who broke her limbs while fleeing floodwaters, survival came at a steep cost.
“I paid for treatment with money from my church. The government never helped,” she said. “But what hurts most is the silence. No one talks to us about what we went through.”
Investigations by this publication reveal that many families affected by Cyclone Idai are yet to receive counselling or other mental health services. Experts warn that without such intervention, trauma festers — manifesting in depression, substance abuse, and family breakdowns.
A System Under Strain
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 22% of people exposed to humanitarian disasters suffer from mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Yet, in Zimbabwe, mental health support often takes a back seat to physical reconstruction.
Makara believes progress has been made but much remains to be done.
“Mental health support is being integrated into Zimbabwe’s disaster preparedness, but full system inclusion is still a work in progress,” she noted.
“Emergencies amplify existing vulnerabilities — from poverty to food insecurity — and mental health systems must be ready to respond.”
Rebuilding Beyond the Rubble
Experts say recovery requires a holistic approach:
Early Intervention: Provide immediate counselling and trauma support.
Trained Responders: Equip local health workers with mental health skills.
Community-Based Services: Set up accessible, culturally sensitive support centres.
Reduce Stigma: Encourage open conversations about trauma and healing.
As the world faces more frequent climate-related disasters, Cyclone Idai remains a grim reminder that rebuilding infrastructure is only half the task — the rest lies in rebuilding minds and hearts.
For Mary and thousands like her, the call is simple: to be heard, to be helped, and to heal.
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