Young Libyans seeking to rebuild after devastation of Storm Daniel

By Sr. Titilayo Aduloju, SSMA

The city of Derna in Libya has been left wrecked after over 5,000 people died and several hundred remain missing as a result of Storm Daniel that hit the city on 10 September.

The wreckage has continued and is still glaringly evident after the storm struck over a month ago, leaving thousands of people grappling with loss and despair.

At least 30,000 internally displaced people housed in schools and other places are still blocked off and difficult to reach.

Young people on a mission to reclaim their city

Amidst the effects of the tragedy across the Libyan city, a group of resilient young people has volunteered to recover their city and lend a hand to those in need.

These young people, working together under the aegis of the "Derna Campaign with the Endeavour of Its Youth," have set out on a volunteer mission to comfort the grieving and restore normalcy to their city.

Abubaker Mansuri's, a café and barber shop owner, in the heart of Derna, was among the first to experience the clean-up.

“Today the café was cleaned by the ‘Derna Campaign with the Endeavor of Its Youth’,” he told Africa News. “The truth is, it is a tremendous effort despite the limited capabilities.”

As a sign that the city is once again coming to life, he provided coffee for the young workers.

“We provided free coffee as a form of assistance and morale booster in return for what these young people are doing,” Mr. Mansuri added.

Aftermat of the flood

A survivor’s story

Recalling the catastrophe that befell him and his family through the disaster, Waleed Musa Othman, a survivor of the disaster, offered the AP news agency a glimpse into the tragedy that struck his home.

“The ceiling fell, and all the furniture in the house was lost, along with my papers and all my things. My neighbours, friends, and relatives are all gone. May God have mercy on them,” said Mr. Othman.

His daily routine now revolves around the difficult work of purging his home of clutter and dirt. In addition to destroying his belongings, the floods also claimed the lives of many of his loved ones.

Efforts of the international community

As part of its mandate to promote education, UNESCO and the entire UN system have agreed to help rebuild the affected areas in Libya.

The UNESCO delegation arrived in Tripoli on Tuesday, where it will meet with the ministers of education, culture, higher education, and research to determine their requirements.

In order to evaluate the damage to educational and historical structures, the delegation group will also visit Derna, the area most affected by the disaster.

The UNESCO delegation will help to plan the rehabilitation and reconstruction work and develop the emergency measures to be deployed during an initial phase.