Mozambique

WeWorld has been present in Mozambique since 2000. Over the years we have worked in numerous areas of the country and we are currently present in the provinces of Maputo, Tete and Cabo Delgado.    

According to the Word Bank date of 2023, Mozambique is the 35th most vulnerable country to climate change and the 24th least prepared for it. In addition, armed conflict in the north of the country, rising prices of essential goods and the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic have induced an economic recession. Women, girls and children suffer most from the current context, as they are the first to be discriminated and excluded from social, political and economic life.  

These problems are most prominent in Cabo Delgado, the northern region of Mozambique, which not only has the highest poverty rates nationwide, but has also for years faced violence and conflict that has led to serious human rights violations, including forced recruitment of youth and women, abductions and sexual violence, and a general escalation of social disintegration and fragmentation. This humanitarian crisis has forced large numbers of Cabo Delgado families to flee to the neighbouring provinces of Niassa and Nampula, becoming internally displaced persons. In the north, almost two million people face extreme humanitarian needs and require vital assistance to survive.  

WeWorld has been present in Mozambique since 2000 and today has operational offices in Maputo, Pemba (Cabo Delgado Province) and Tete (Tete Province). We intervene in both the development and emergency response sectors, and our main areas of intervention for over 15 years have been food security and agriculture, which, in response to new needs, have been complemented by: preparedness and response to natural disasters in connection with resilience to climate change; support for social cohesion and peace building with a view to preventing conflict and violent radicalisation of youth; strengthening educational services and family income opportunities.  

All interventions are designed and implemented in close contact with the government, local authorities and civil society organisations. The protagonists of our projects in Mozambique are women, young people, children and girls. 

In the field of education and professional development, we work with the aim of ensuring access to quality education for children in the most vulnerable circumstances.  Activities include psychosocial support, education, peace and the use of art and sports methodologies. 

Regarding disaster risk management, we work at the national and provincial level, and since 2022 the focus has been on improving disaster preparedness, prevention and response at the level of communities, authorities and schools. Furthermore, as Mozambique is considered among the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, we are currently engaged in the Maputo area in the preservation and enhancement of mangroves in the coastal zone, the revitalisation of urban agriculture and the protection of biodiversity and conservation of natural resources. In addition, we are supporting civil society, in particular young people and authorities at the national level, in order to increase population and decision-makers’ environmental awareness through dialogue, awareness-raising and lobbying on the effects of climate change. Furthermore, in relation to food security, we support the agricultural sector to increase the resilience of households in relation to climate change. 

Following the start of the armed conflict in the province of Cabo Delgado in 2017, and the resulting sense of insecurity and fear in the affected populations, we introduced various activities focused on social cohesion and peacebuilding, through strengthening the role of youth and peace committees as promoters of social cohesion in local communities.   

In 2019, thanks to the coordination with specific local associations, we immediately took action to deal with the two emergencies caused by cyclone Idai and Kenneth, through direct help during the emergency of the basic needs for all: clean water, health, assistance and sanitation services.  In the Province of Manica, one of the most affected by cyclone Idai, our local staff installed emergency lavatories and distributed filters and buckets for the collection and purification of water, reaching over 4,000 families.  After the emergency, we activated programmes to restore economic resources for communities to act autonomously with the distribution of seeds and agricultural kits. 

Clima de mudanças - This initiative, co-funded by the European Union, aims to promote the consolidation of good environmental governance in Mozambique by strengthening the role of civil society and local authorities in raising the awareness of the population on the effects of climate change, and by involving women and young people in the political debate on the environment, in decision-making and in the supervision of the sustainable management of natural resources, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of Agenda 2030.   

COREBIOM - With the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), we are working to improve capacities to promote the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and natural resources, strengthening the Maputo Natural History Museum, the Marian Biology Station in Inhaca, involving local communities in the sustainable use of natural resources and promoting ecotourism in the country and its protected areas.  

 MangAction - The project aims to contribute to the definition and implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for vulnerable ecosystems in Mozambique, specifically mangroves. These plants play a key role in coastal zone stabilisation and carbon sequestration. We work to promote their conservation and recovery in Maputo Bay, as a guarantee of environmental protection and a source of sustainable income for the communities in the area, small farmers and fishermen.   

Oficina de Arte 2.0 - The Education in Emergencies action, co-funded by the Swiss Cooperation, is aimed at increasing access to and permanence in a safe, inclusive and supportive learning environment, while addressing and reducing the risks associated with extreme natural events.  We address the main barriers that prevent access to education in 16 schools in 3 districts in Cabo Delgado, especially for children that are refugee or affected by other forms of vulnerability. We work on both inclusion and retention in the formal education system. 

READY - With the support of UNICEF, we work to increase access to inclusive and quality learning opportunities in a safe and protective environment for boys and girls between the ages of 6 and 12 in rural schools in the Chiure district, Cabo Delgado province. At the same time, we provide training to boys and girls on violence prevention, promoting peace building and social cohesion, and increased access to basic social services in the multi-purpose centres in the Chiure district.   

Healthy and Resilient Communities - In the districts of Angonia, Mutarara and Tete, located in the province of Tete, we work to increase informed access to quality sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health and adolescent services, with a special focus on the most vulnerable groups: adolescents, pregnant women and infants, and among them, people living with HIV/AIDS and disabilities. Specifically, we focus on: training health centre staff in disaster risk reduction management and the creation of Community Committees for Disaster Risk Management in the health sector; organising awareness-raising campaigns on disaster risk management and climate change; developing health centre risk maps in coordination with the National Institute for Disaster Management; organising emergency drills in Tete hospitals.   

DELPAZ - The aim of this initiative is to overcome the impact of anthropogenic shocks related to the military conflict between the government and the main opposition party, the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo17) until 2016, which damaged food production, livelihoods and forced families to leave their lands. We work to foster conditions conducive to the long-term reintegration of people and help strengthen solutions to avoid tensions that lead to future conflicts. In addition, we are also committed to improving the livelihoods of rural communities, with a focus on women, youth and the most vulnerable groups in Moatize, Tsangano and Doa.   

Kujenga Amani Pamoja [Building the Peace Together] - A multinational project between Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique, co-financed by the European Union, in which we work with local youth organisations opening spaces for peaceful dialogue and interaction between networks and local communities across borders. We want to strengthen the role of civil society in promoting dialogue and understanding by raising awareness and mobilising young men and women as promoters and builders of peace. We focus on the production of information and knowledge for the promotion of peace. The establishment of dialogues and spaces aims to explore ways to support youth-led peacebuilding efforts and promote Swahili creative arts as a way to reduce the potential conflict between groups, while revitalising traditional bonds of solidarity between the people of the Swahili Coast. 

UNOPS - Strengthening gender equality and the rule of law by promoting women's participation in conflict prevention and resolution processes. Funded by the United Nations Development Programme, the project aims to consolidate the rule of law and the protection of human rights in Mozambique through a series of activities to strengthen gender equality and the rule of law by promoting the participation of young people and women in conflict prevention and resolution processes. Thanks to this project, in 2023 in the Province of Cabo Delgado we decided to carry out Nosso Olhar - Points of View, a participatory photography workshop carried out in collaboration with the photographer Ilaria Quintas. Behind the Cameras, boys and girls from the communities of Cabo Delgado who created an art project exhibited in two photo exhibitions in Mozambique, in the cities of Pemba and Maputo. A collective and choral narrative that creates a profound connection not only between the images and themes, but also between the people who made them. 

WW-GVC's interventions in Mozambique are possible thanks to the support of AICS, ECHO, UNICEF, WFP, DFA, SDC, EU, UNDP, UNOPS, British High Commission in Mozambique, UNDP, Government of Flanders, Swiss Cooperation and the people who support us. In these interventions, we have worked in collaboration with UNAC - National Union of Peasants, Livaningo NGO, AMA NGO, CNV - National Council of Volunteers, CENTRO TERRA VIVA, ICEI NGO, PMM - Mlal World Project, HI - Humanity & Inclusion, COSPE NGO, AVSI NGO, ABIODES, Sapienza University of Rome, AIFO NGO, AUCI NGO, E35 Foundation, PROMURA, Maputo Municipality, INGD - National Institute for Disaster Management, SDEJT - District Service for Education, Youth and Technology, SD- District Secretaries, SENSAP- National Public Salvation Service, SDPI- District Planning and Infrastructure Services, IPAJ- Institute of Advocacy and Legal Assistance, DPE- Provincial Directorate of Education of Cabo Delgado, CMCP- Pemba City Council, Provincial Directorate of Gender and Social Action of Cabo Delgado, SEPPA Foundation, Unilurio Nampula.