Who are the people?
Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal in 1975 and became a republic in 1992. The country’s 19.4 million residents belong to a variety of ethnic groups. While the official language is Portuguese, more than 200 languages and dialects are spoken in Mozambique.

Nearly 80 percent of Mozambique’s residents earn their living in agriculture. Many are farmers with very little land who struggle just to grow enough food to feed their families. They rarely have a surplus to sell, so they are unable to purchase other life essentials such as clothes and school materials for their children. In addition, many Mozambican families lack access to basic health care and clean water.

More than half of Mozambicans are illiterate. For many children, educational opportunities are extremely limited. Without help, there is little chance they will ever achieve higher education.

Through sponsorship, World Vision is helping the poorest of families learn new skills to increase their harvests. We are working alongside communities to make health care and education more readily available and to improve the quality of life for sponsored children and their families.
Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal in 1975 and became a republic in 1992. The country

Country Comparison	Mozambique	United States
Population	19.4 million	295.4 million
Land Mass	302,739 sq. miles	3,537,439 sq. miles
Life Expectancy	42 years	78 years
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1,000)	104	7
Literacy Rate	46%	97%
Primary School Enrollment	60%	92%
Access to Safe Water	42%	100%
Average Annual Income (GNI per capita)	$250	$41,400

Religion

<

What is it like to live there?
Located on the southeastern coast of Africa, Mozambique is bordered by Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and South Africa. The country provides access to the sea for neighboring landlocked countries along its 1,531 miles of coastline.

Thirty years of guerrilla warfare have taken a heavy toll on Mozambique, one of the poorest countries in the world. At the height of the war in 1992, more than 1 million people had lost their lives and nearly 40 percent of the country’s population were refugees. The aftereffects have significantly impacted the country’s economy and infrastructure.

Extreme flooding and intense drought have further devastated Mozambique’s people, who are now deeply dependent on foreign aid for food and other basic necessities. Roads and railways are few and in need of repair, making the transport of goods difficult and periodically causing delays in correspondence with sponsored children.

World Vision’s efforts are addressing many critical needs in Mozambique to restore wholeness to this country. After years of crises, Mozambicans are grateful for the partnership of World Vision child sponsors in improving the future for their children.
Located on the southeastern coast of Africa, Mozambique is bordered by Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Zi
Mozambique Projects
With the support of generous donors like you, World Vision is partnering with families throughout Mozambique to build brighter futures filled with hope for their children.

Many activities are under way to help meet immediate needs and promote lasting changes that will strengthen communities and move families toward self-reliance.

Overall program goals include:

• Equipping families and communities to care for orphans and vulnerable children while providing life-skills training to those affected by the AIDS pandemic.
• Building new classrooms so more children are able to attend school.
• Equipping schools with latrines to improve sanitation and reduce the risk of diseases.
• Immunizing children under age five to prevent life-threatening childhood diseases.
• Constructing health centers so families have accessible medical care.
• Educating families about the importance of personal hygiene and proper nutrition.
• Drilling new wells to provide safe drinking water.
• Supplying farmers with seeds and fertilizer to help increase crop yields.
• Helping hundreds of families launch small businesses to increase their income.

• Pray that churches and families will respond to God's call to care for orphans and widows, especially those affected by HIV and AIDS.
• Pray that your sponsored child might respond to God’s love and grace.
• Ask God to guide your sponsored child as he or she learns, grows, and moves toward a future full of hope and possibilities.
• Pray for God to protect the health of your sponsored child and his or her family.

Mozambique is participating in our "HopeChild" program to provide additional resources for children and families impacted by HIV/AIDS in this high prevalence region.

Please click here to request a HopeChild from Mozambique.