Mozambican HQ – Wings’ first foreign base – 2008 Posted January 25, 2008 by Adrian Nance

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We have always wanted to make fast disaster responses.  So, to make sure we needed a Mozambican HQ.

Why Mozambique?

Well we did lost of research. We wanted to find out where the impact of disasters is worst. And we ended up looking at South and Eastern Africa.

Visits and reconnaissance took us to Mozambique.

So what does a local HQ do?

We get a lot of help from a local HQ. It helps to build links there. That’s day-to-day links with the authorities.  It’s those links that build a reputation. Those links also make our disaster response quicker.

Mozambican HQ
Maputo – the capital of Mozambique is in the south

A Mozambican HQ – gives a quicker response:

  • We get quicker through shared knowledge. Assessments shared with those on the ground.
  • We get quicker thorough steady relationships. Good links with the UN teams in country.
  • We get quicker by sharing information. That’s sharing up to date weather and aviation information.  
  • We get quicker through trusted government links. That’s regular access to the key people. Not to distract them. To help them with their work.

Our Mozambique HQ

We are delighted that Mark Mitchell has moved to Mozambique.  Mark left Tend International in Johannesburg to work for us. He, his wife Julia and their family are in Maputo.  That’s the capital.

Mark being there increases the disaster response capability of the region.

And Mark is our first staff member. So now the capital of Mozambique has our first country director. That’s what they call the senior person of a charity in a country. And he is our first foreign staff representative.  

He can build current links with the key people. And he can join the team building the most effective disaster responses.

This is great news!

Mozambican HQ
Mark and Julia

It’s because Mark is a disaster relief logistician. And he’s experienced with several aid agencies.  We saw him at work during the 2007 floods.

The Mitchells move to Mozambique makes a big difference. They increase the in-country skills in disaster response.  And Wings has shorter our reaction times to disasters too. All this from our Mozambican HQ.

This has been made possible by the generosity of Ken Wills at Helicharter. He match funded the HQ. Awesome!

Why not contact us to see how it all worked out?