Humanitarian Aid & International Crisis Response
When Cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique, humanitarian organizations faced a rapidly evolving operational environment across the Beira–Chimoio corridor. Widespread flooding, damaged infrastructure and displaced communities created significant challenges for organizations working to assess needs, coordinate resources and deliver assistance safely.
The Challenge
In the immediate aftermath of the cyclone, organizations required accurate, real-time information to understand the developing situation on the ground.
Key challenges included:
- Identifying internally displaced populations and emerging aid camps.
- Assessing damage to roads and critical infrastructure.
- Monitoring water levels and road accessibility.
- Understanding the capabilities and requirements of aid camps.
- Identifying isolated communities requiring urgent assistance.
- Providing reliable, location-specific intelligence to support humanitarian decision-making.
With conditions changing rapidly, conventional reporting methods risked creating delays between an incident occurring and the information reaching those able to respond.
Sicuro Group Solution
Sicuro Group deployed its team along with incident mapping and intelligence capabilities within days of Cyclone Idai’s landfall, establishing a comprehensive live operational picture of the affected corridor.
The team conducted ground-level mapping and intelligence collection, identifying key points of interest including displaced populations, emerging aid camps, damaged infrastructure and areas requiring urgent assistance.
This information was continuously supplemented with reporting on:
- Water levels and flooding.
- Road safety and accessibility.
- Camp capacity and capabilities.
- Humanitarian requirements.
- Emerging incidents and areas of concern.
The resulting live online situation map provided humanitarian organizations with a consolidated view of conditions on the ground, supporting faster and more informed operational decision-making.
Delivering Impact
Sicuro Group’s mapping capabilities helped one client avoid an estimated $42,000 in unforeseen delays, demonstrating the operational and financial value of timely, accurate situational awareness.
The team’s intelligence collection also identified a village near Metushira Lamaco that had become completely isolated by floodwaters. Sicuro Group established the village’s precise location, assessed the condition of the population and identified immediate aid requirements, including a potential helicopter landing location.
This intelligence was shared with an NGO response team and medical personnel with access to a medical helicopter. The precise location information enabled the medical team to coordinate an immediate air evacuation for the most seriously injured and ill members of the community.
From Our Client:
“The ability to establish a live operational picture and continuously share accurate information proved vital to organizations responding to the crisis. The mapping capability provided actionable intelligence that supported faster decisions, improved coordination and helped resources reach those most in need.”
The Result
Sicuro Group’s approach was subsequently recognised with the Humanitarian Project Award at the Intersec Awards for its Mozambique Crisis Response & Operation Continuity Strategy. The award highlighted the value of combining field intelligence, incident mapping and real-time situational awareness to support faster, more informed decision-making during a complex humanitarian crisis.