Updated: March 2009
Mauritania
Overview | World Vision's history in Mauritania | World Vision in Mauritania today
OverviewThe Islamic Republic of Mauritania, located in West Africa, is bordered by Senegal, Mali, Algeria, the territory of Western Sahara, and the Atlantic Ocean. The land consists mostly of the vast, arid plains of the Sahara Desert, punctuated occasionally by a plateau or steep slope. The majority of the country experiences a hot and dry desert climate, where temperatures can reach 120 degrees. The Senegal River Valley, a narrow stretch of land along the southern border, sees lower temperatures and an average of 20 inches of rain a year. Despite the gradual encroachment of the Sahara, the valley features the country’s only area of rich soil and vegetation. Natural resources include iron ore, copper, phosphate, diamonds, gold, oil, and fish.Most of the people in Mauritania are concentrated in the coastal cities of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou and along the Senegal River in the south. Arabic is the country’s official language, but Pulaar, Soninké, Hassaniya, Wolof, and French also are spoken. Arab Moors make up approximately 30 percent of the population, while the Haratine (black) Moors comprise another 30 percent. A mixture of the two groups accounts for the remaining 40 percent. Nearly 100 percent of Mauritanians are Muslim; there are very small numbers of Christians and other non-Muslims scattered across the country. By 1920, Mauritania had become one of France’s territories. The country gained independence in November 1960 and was admitted to the United Nations a year later. Mauritania and Morocco divided the territory of Western Sahara after the Spanish departed in 1975, with Mauritania controlling the southern third. Indigenous rebels fought for the territory against both countries. After President Ould Daddah was ousted in 1978, a succession of military rulers followed, and in 1979 Mauritania withdrew from Western Sahara. In 1984, Colonel Maaouye Ould Sidi Ahmed Taya took control of the government, relaxing Islamic law, fighting corruption, and instituting economic reforms. Two coup attempts in 2003 and 2004 were thwarted, but in August 2005 President Taya was deposed by military officers while out of the country. |  |
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| Presidential elections were held in March 2007, and Sidi Ould Sheik Abdellahi prevailed to become the country’s first democratically elected president. His term ended prematurely, however, when General Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz led a coup that ousted Abdellahi in August 2008, ushering in a military council government. Mauritania’s government has recently emphasized a plan to reduce poverty, improve health care and education, and promote the privatization of the economy. In 2001, government-controlled oil wells 50 miles offshore showed promise economically, but revenue prospects have failed to materialize. Demand for iron ore, once Mauritania’s largest export, has dwindled in recent years, leading to cutbacks in production. The country’s average annual income has dropped 59 percent in the last three years. Nearly 50 percent of people live below the poverty line—a total which rises to 68 percent in rural areas. Two-thirds of Mauritanians live on less than $2 a day. Since 1988, Mauritania has suffered from recurrent and prolonged droughts and from insufficient rainy seasons that have damaged crops and reduced food production, straining the resources of the poor. Because most Mauritanians depend on subsistence farming for their source of revenue, the severe weather conditions, combined with price increases in staple foods, have led to a food crisis in rural areas. Increased exposure to food insecurity has resulted in a decline in health among the vulnerable population. Acute malnutrition has affected 12 percent of Mauritanians, and in the country’s 17 worst-affected regions, one in five people was found to lack adequate food. In addition, only eight percent of people in rural regions have access to adequate sanitation facilities, heightening the susceptibility for bacterial diseases, hepatitis, and typhoid fever. Back to top World Vision's history in MauritaniaDeclared a national disaster by its government, drought-prone Mauritania requested international emergency food aid in 1983 for 420,000 people at risk of starvation. World Vision responded by establishing a Drought Task Force to address the needs of severely and moderately malnourished children in the Adrar and Tagant regions. World Vision’s initial relief efforts spawned many programs in the next decade, and by 1993, more than 2.4 million Mauritanians had benefited from those efforts.The Nouakchott Health-Care Center began in 1994 to assist families living in the slums of El Mina. The Social Mobilization for Health Program sought to empower women with the knowledge they needed to attain better health for themselves and their children through nutrition and health-care classes. In addition, an education program was established throughout the country for 300 primary school students and their teachers. World Vision also worked to establish health-care centers to ensure families had adequate food and water in Nouakchott, where the water shortage was especially acute. Cisterns were built with a $1.8 billion, five-year grant from USAID’s Mauritania Antipoverty program developed through World Vision, allowing 12,000 people to gain access to an abundance of clean water. Also in the 1990s, the Assaba Child Health Development project educated women on the importance of health issues, such as managing maternal and child health concerns, getting routine vaccinations, and HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention. More than 71,000 women and children benefitted from this program. The Mauritania Agriculture Resource Center taught farmers about agricultural techniques proven to increase the yield of drought-resistant crops. This also enabled the farmers to conduct further research and planning activities for long-term development. Other agricultural efforts included the establishment of a moringa tree nursery, the creation and construction of a qualified crop growing training center, and an improved water source development plan. Projects in the 21st century have included drought relief, microloan endeavors, and HIV and AIDS awareness. The Caravan of Hope Project addressed public health education through theatrical and musical performances. Performers traveled to nearly all of Mauritania’s regions, bringing to large and small audiences a message that promoted health education and HIV and AIDS awareness. World Vision also implemented a loan program for small-business owners living in poverty-stricken areas. Several businesses benefitted from these services and began employing people from the community. Back to top World Vision in Mauritania todayWorld Vision is committed to partnering with the people of Mauritania to enhance their lives today and to help enact sustainable solutions for the future of their communities, families, and children. Currently, 29,350 children are registered in the World Vision sponsorship program. Several times this number of children and other family members benefit from World Vision activities. Of these registered children, many have World Vision sponsors in other countries. U.S. donors sponsor more than 6,400 girls and boys. In addition, World Vision operates 11 development programs, three of which are supported by U.S. donors. Highlights of these efforts include the following:
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