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A New Road for Corrane Resettlement Enhances Lives and Connections
Since 2020, the Corrane Resettlement Site in Nampula Province has accommodated over 4,200 people displaced by insecurity in northern Mozambique. Despite evolving into a vibrant community, residents faced a critical challenge: accessing the site.
The existing route to Corrane presented significant challenges, as identified through ongoing community engagement and consultations with both displaced and host communities. Its poor condition, exacerbated by recurrent flooding in the rainy season, led to the isolation of residents from essential services, neighboring communities, and economic opportunities such as access to markets. Additionally, it hindered the delivery of humanitarian aid.
The former road to Corrane remained inaccessible during the rainy season. Photo: IOM 2022/Maria Toro
“In the past, the children suffered a lot when they had to leave the site to get to school, also here from the host community. Sometimes they would drop their books in the streams and come home crying”, shared Gilda Manuel, resident of Corrane host community.
Responding to these challenges, a collaborative effort involving the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD), District Services for Planning and Infrastructure (SDPI), National Road Administration (ANE), and community leaders was initiated. The result has been a new, 3-kilometer route connecting Corrane and host communities.
The work involved the placement of bridge protection, a dissipation ditch, a retention wall, drainage channel and an upstream flow control and retention pond to manage flooding during the rainy season. Photos: IOM 2023/Leonel Mesa
Dr. Laura Tomm-Bonde, IOM Mozambique Chief of Mission, highlighted the project's transformative impact. "These joint efforts to provide access to Corrane Resettlement Site and the host community exemplify the potential of partnership and collective action. This project not only improves physical infrastructure but also enhances the lives of the displaced and host communities, fostering resilience and sustainable development."
Construction involved a comprehensive approach, with involvement from various stakeholders, including IOM, ANE, INGD, DPTDA, and SDPI, encompassing land clearing, paving, and infrastructure installation to effectively manage rainwater. Members of both the Corrane Resettlement Site and host community actively participated in planning, decision-making, and construction processes, leveraging local expertise and nurturing a sense of unity and shared responsibility.
Rontina Manuel, a neighbor of the resettlement site, expressed appreciation for the road's improvements, foreseeing enhanced access to education and essential goods. “With this new road, our kids can finally reach school without any hurdles. No more missing classes because of the tough journey,” she reflects. “There'll also be food in the market. Sometimes, even if we’ve got some money, there is nothing to buy. But now, with this road, it will be different.”
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Implemented by IOM with support from the Government of Mozambique, USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the project underscores the commitment to addressing displacement challenges.
With the commitment to support affected communities, IOM continues to collaborate with the government and partners to foster resilience and sustainable solutions for displaced populations in Mozambique.
