Save the Children in Mozambique
Save the Children has been providing support to children through our development and humanitarian programmes since 1950. We work with communities, local partners, and the government to design and deliver programmes to meet the needs of the most deprived children. We also advocate for greater investment of public and private resources for children.
The situation for children in Mozambique
More than half of population are children. Despite the progress that has been made, high levels of inequality exist which prevents millions of children from surviving and reaching their full potential.
One in four children under the age of five are stunted, with highest rates of stunting in rural and remote areas. Neonatal mortality rates remain high, resulting in children dying within their first month of life.
Children, especially those living in rural and remote areas, struggle to access quality education, and many do not receive any early education, which is critical for their development.
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8 provinces
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40+ partners
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567,647 children reached
What we do
Save the Children believes in a world where every child is healthy, safe and educated – playing, learning and looking forward to a future full of hope and opportunity. However, the impact of COVID-19, armed conflict, and the climate crisis have increased the vulnerability of many children in Mozambique in recent years. The world has never been wealthier, yet half of the children in Mozambique are deprived of their most fundamental rights, such as access to quality education, health care, good nutrition, and growing up in a safe environment.
Save the Children is the world’s first and largest independent child rights organization with over 100 years of experience. Save the Children started in Mozambique in 1986 at the height of the civil war with a focus on tracing the families of children who were separated during the conflict. Since then, we have dedicated our efforts on uplifting the country’s most deprived children and their families, directly reaching more than 1.8 million Mozambicans annually through our development and humanitarian efforts.
We work - with and for children and child-focused organisations - and communities in Cabo Delgado, Gaza, Manica, Maputo, Niassa, Nampula, Tete and Zambezia provinces. We adopt a community and system strengthening approach, partnering with the Government of Mozambique, civil society, and private sector actors.
We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming their lives and the future we share.
Nine-year-old Milton* and his eight-year-old sister Celina* witnessed horrific violence when armed men attacked their village in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. Milton and Celina’s mother was beheaded and they became separated from their father who is still missing. They managed to escape and travelled south to a transit camp set up for families who had fled the conflict. Save the Children’s support: In the transit camp, Save the Children registered Milton and Celina as unaccompanied children and organised for them to stay with a foster family. We then identified and located their grandmother Adelia* (55) through our family reunification programme and reunited Milton and Celina with their grandmother. Adelia* (55) was devasted when she discovered her daughter had died, but knew she needed to stay strong and look after her grandchildren. Save the Children provided Adelia with support and advice on how to take care of her grandchildren. We are also connecting her with other services to receive support with food and shelter. Save the Children’s case management programme in Cabo Delgado is funded by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF. Background: Since September 2020, the conflict in Cabo Delgado has intensified with reports of increased violations against civilians including sexual violence, beheadings and abductions. The violence has forced more than 800,000 people to flee their homes, including 350,000 children. As the situation continues to deteriorate in the northern city of Palma, an increasing number of displaced families are arriving on a daily basis in Pemba and other southern districts. Families who have fled the violence are now living in often squalid conditions in transit or resettlement camps or in cramped houses with family and friends. Displaced children in Cabo Delgado are incredibly vulnerable. They may face violence, become separated from their families or be forced to work. Displaced children also lack access to healthcare and clean water, making them more exposed to killer diseases such as cholera and malaria. Many children are missing out on school, placing them at greater risk of exploitation, such as child marriage. Sacha Myers / Save the Children
GET IN TOUCH
NATIONAL OFFICE ADDRESS
Rua 3253, Bairro de Maxaquene C, Maputo, Mozambique.
EMAIL
scimoz@savethechildren.org
PHONE
+258 21 493 140 / +258 843025552
News & Stories
10 Jan 2025
Empowering Education in Post-Conflict Mozambique: The Impact of the JPF Project in Cabo Delgado
In the context of implementing the JPF Project (Education Support), funded by Japan self-fund, which runs from 1st November 2023 to 31st October 2024, significant challenges remain in the education sector two years after the attacks of 24th March 2021. These challenges include a lack of materials necessary to ensure the teaching and learning process. The project aims to support the education sector to guarantee that teaching and learning can continue smoothly despite the atypical environment affecting Cabo Delgado province, particularly Palma district.
15 Dec 2024
Save the Children warns up to 650,000 children at risk from impacts of Cyclone Chido in Mozambique, as aid effort prepares to mobilise
Cyclone Chido made landfall between Mecufi district in Cabo Delgado province and Memba district in Nampula province in the early hours of Sunday morning.
4 Dec 2024
LEARNING EVENT ON CHILD MARRIAGES IN MOZAMBIQUE: Empowering Girls to Eliminate Child Marriages
Mozambique Takes Another Step Towards Eliminating Child Marriages with a Learning Event Under the Theme “Empowering Girls to Combat Child Marriages”
