Exposure, capacity, and vulnerability combine to form what experts call the disaster equation. When communities are exposed to hazards, lack the capacity to respond, and remain highly vulnerable, disasters become inevitable, and poverty turns into a cycle that is difficult to escape. For women, girls, and boys, these risks are magnified by pre-existing inequalities, making them even more vulnerable in times of crisis.

In Mambwe District of Eastern Province, this equation has played out repeatedly. Situated in the Luangwa Valley, the area is prone to both droughts and floods. Streams are shrinking, dry spells are more prolonged, and even normal rainy seasons now bring destructive floods. Without irrigation or reliable water sources, farmers struggle to sustain their crops, and every dry season threatens not only their harvests but also their incomes, water supply, and food security.

Women, in particular, face the heaviest burden. They walk long distances to fetch water, juggle productive and reproductive roles, and often face heightened safety risks from both wild animals and Gender-Based Violence (GBV). Their time poverty deepens, leaving them with little opportunity to pursue livelihoods or participate in decision-making.

It is against this backdrop that the Community Recovery and Resilience Facility (CRRF), a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the African Union Commission, was introduced in Mambwe District. Rooted in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the CRRF aims to prevent disasters, reduce existing risks, and enhance resilience in vulnerable communities. By targeting households most affected by climate stress, it seeks to rewrite the disaster equation, reducing exposure, building capacity, and addressing vulnerabilities in ways that are gender responsive and transformative.