Learning by doing: lessons from anticipatory actions ahead of floods in Zambia

In January 2023, the Zambian Red Cross Society received warnings that the trigger threshold in its Early Action Protocol (EAP) for Floods had been reached, with a high likelihood of flooding in ten districts across the country. This led to anticipatory actions being undertaken in Kitwe and Kafue districts, including (among others) developing and sharing health messages (e.g., on the proper use of mosquito nets), identifying relocation sites within communities, and checking the status of the water points and sanitation facilities in evacuation centres.

Later that year, the Netherlands Red Cross commissioned a study to learn lessons from this EAP activation. One of the objectives was to understand the extent to which these actions were relevant to the communities affected by the floods. Through focus group discussions, key informant interviews, transect walks and a one-day learning session, the Zambian Red Cross Society gained several useful insights that will inform its future work in anticipatory action.

Much-needed support – but with areas for improvement

The study found that most respondents were satisfied with the anticipatory actions and grateful for the support. However, some community members recommended ways to increase the impact of these actions: for example, start disseminating the messages earlier, help communities to unblock drains before the floods peak, or support them to develop plans at the community level.

Another issue arose during the distribution of household items ahead of the floods. This was done at a central location within each communities, with both beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries present. This led to security incidents and miscalculations of the quantities of household items that could be taken; some unregistered households claimed and received household items, reducing the availability of items for the target households.

Despite these problems, the overall level of satisfaction was high, with 92 per cent of respondents feeling satisfied or very satisfied with the support they received. Communities also indicated that the household items received were of good quality, delivered on time and matched what they were promised. Some even reported that they were still using the insecticide-treated nets and water containers (see testimony, below).

Better informed, better prepared

Some of the community members interviewed for the study described how the anticipatory actions helped them to know about the imminent flooding, which allowed them to tell others in the community. As a result, they were able to protect some of their household assets and important documents.

There were also positive health impacts from this activation. For example, the incidence of water-borne diseases, including diarrhoea and dysentery, were reduced thanks to the chlorine provided; malaria was also lower than might otherwise have been expected. Moving people to safer areas helped to avoid the deaths and injuries that are common during floods, according to those interviewed; unfortunately, members of households that didn’t hear the evacuation messages were injured, but no one else was.

Importantly, the anticipatory actions meant that the communities hit by the floods were able to recover more quickly. People didn’t have to resort to negative coping strategies, such as selling their assets to buy food.  This helps to build people’s longer-term resilience, meaning they should be even better prepared the next time that floods are forecast to hit Zambia.