An Cosantóir September 2014 www.dfmagazine.ie
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HuManitarian
by SGT WAyNE FITzGERALD
I
n February 2000 heavy rainfall in Mozambique caused enor-
mous flooding, with water rising to 12ft in many places.
International aid was urgently needed to help the country and
its people. At the time the Irish aid agency GoAL had personnel
based in Mozambique and nearby in South Sudan, dealing with
displaced persons as a result of civil war, which meant they
could get people in on the ground as soon as the floods hap-
pened. however, the agency required more people to deal
with the situation in Mozambique. they also needed people
who could hit the ground running and accordingly turned
to the Defence Forces to look for volunteers as many, if not
most, Irish soldiers have developed valuable skills while serv-
ing at home and, particularly, overseas.
An Cosantóir met up with former members of the Defence
Forces who volunteered for secondment to GoAL to help out
with the humanitarian crisis in Mozambique. Sgt Noel tuohy
(retd) was serving with Gormanston Camp Coy when he answered
the GoAL advertisement. he was selected and told to report for a
briefing at GoAL hQ in Dun Laogharie, where he met another fel-
low DF volunteer, Sgt Ronnie Palmer (retd), who was serving in the
Air Corps as base Provost Sgt when he got the 'Do you want to go to
Mozambique?' call.
Mozambican family stranded on a
small island on the flooded banks
of the Save river in February 2000.
Sgt Ronnie Palmer instructing in
Baldonnel (circa 1990s).
