General presentation ASEM 2014 Context of MOZAMBIQUE The country - PDF document

ASEM - 10/2014 General presentation ASEM 2014 Context of MOZAMBIQUE The country emerged from a long civil war that left more than 1,000,000 victims (95% civilians) in 1992, followed by cyclones and floods in 1999 and 2001, that made more damages than the past war. Despite an impressive volume of foreign direct investment in the mining, hydrocarbons, transport and communication, and financial services which allowed a growth of 7% of GDP in 2013 (World Bank), UNDP places the country 185th place (out of 187) in the ranking Human Development Index (HDI), with a value of 0.327 (Human Development report 2013- UNDP). These conflicting data show the need to diversify the efforts and investments in the country, especially considering that the agricultural sector employs 80% of the active population but continues to be unproductive and at levels of livelihood for the rural population contributing to only 28.7% of composition of the GDP. Unemployment is calculated at 17%, while 54.7% of the population remains below the national poverty line (WB, 2014). The distribution of wealth emphasizes even more the critical situation of the rural population. Over 50% of the Mozambican population are children between 0 and 14 years of age. ASEM ASEM is an association that works to support orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC), in the area of civil rights, shelter, psychosocial support, vocational training, social rehabilitation, education, expansion to school network, and reintegration into society. Working with children an special attention is given to redeem the values of girls/young women within society, their citizenship and dignity; vulnerable young women, single teen mothers, young female head of families that are living in terrible conditions and therefore are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases & human traffic. Most dwell in houses of poor construction some with lack of access to education and training, not able to practice any lawful trade or livelihood. They live under psychosocial tension, high levels of stress, and as a result, their children & siblings leave home to live on the streets, some of them committing suicide. Girls and young women feel discriminated and without opportunities to access education and vocational training. This stems from the absolute poverty they are living in, where they are often abandoned by their family (once they have lost their parents), and they have lost family members who ensured their financial sustainability to such things as HIV/AIDS, floods, war and droughts. Therefore, girls are more vulnerable to sex trade, child marriage and family helplessness due to lack of opportunity and social empowering. Several households headed by women are engaged in small business but it appears that their business is not providing long-term sustainability, i.e. they make small business to buy food for the household and not to gain profit. These families sell

ASEM - 10/2014 consumables products (tomatoes, coal, etc.) with limitation due to lack of financial capital to boost their income activities. While there is no solution to fund these families, mostly composed of 3 to 8 people, poverty will continue to dominate their life and suffering, with serious health and education risks having their housing in constant degradation. Philosophy of ASEM ASEM is not just a support organization to its beneficiaries, but also a hand between abandonment and reintegration toward a sustainable livelihood. ASEM tries to ensure that the investment in a child (person) will bring fruits for them in their future. That requests a continuation in follow- up and not just “on term projects”. Once a child / young adult has the tools to proceed positively in life or having achieved the set goal, its work is successfully accomplished. Often ASEM does not have the financial security to work and the full needed support, though, the personal investment of its workers repeatedly helps to overcome certain situation that otherwise would have let aside. Sharing, dedication, collaboration and invention help often to overcome the needs. “Transform impossible to I’m possible” ASEM is working in the sense to have integrated programs within the different areas of activities. Different Programs Beira & Gorongosa Beira: Management of the 2 ASEM schools Educational support Vocational training to young adults Psychological support Social support (food, health, etc.) Recreational activities and extra scholar activities Participation in building up a network with local community and organization Gorongosa: In the last two years, Gorongosa district went through bombarding and political unrest. Our agricultural activities could not been followed up. The Gorongosa staff

ASEM - 10/2014 and Center served refugees until they could go back to their homes. The Center ’ s wells offers water to the surrounding community. Number of beneficiaries The number of beneficiary at ASEM schools varies between 3000 and 4000 per year. We are in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and receive students living in extreme poverty, social exclusion and in situation of vulnerability as well as students not having been able to find a vacancy to study. It was said (Ministry of Education) that in 2014 over 1 million children had no access to school due to lack of schools or vacancy in the country. ASEM supports also children studying in other schools than ASEM. Between 250 and 500 children and young adults, receive different support like vocational training, job integration, psychological support, food and medical help, as well as defending their right in case of violence and abuse. ASEM in Beira & Gorongosa helps about children each year. ASEM VILANKULO Context of Vilankulo Vilankulo is located in the Province of Inhambane, in the Southern Region of Mozambique. Inhambane has a population of 1,412,349 inhabitants on an area of 68,615 km ². The Province has a tropical climate and has a largely arid inland area in the center-north of the province, with sandy soils that restrict the economic activities of nomadic cattle rearing and a coastline with abundant rainy seasons and subject to frequent floods and cyclones tropical (5 over the last 18 years). The production of major cereals are decidedly scarce, compared to a national average of 1.19 t. /ha corn, in the province has an average yield of 0.64 t. /ha (FAO, 2010). This is reflected in the quality of the diet in rural areas that is classified, the latest figures available, acceptable to 54% of families at risk for 36% and very poor for the remaining 10% (FAO / WFP CROP AND FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENT MISSION - 2010). The province offers great potential for the development of the tourist industry for its abundance of beaches and its wealth in marine and terrestrial ecosystems, such as the reserve of the Bazaruto Islands and the National Park Zinave. The district of Vilankulo, in the Northern Province, covers an area of 5867 km ² with a population of 143'137 people (2007 - DDS), composed of 60% of women and over 11% of households single-parent headed by women. The area of agricultural production is estimated at 65,000 ha. This area is divided into 60,000 plots of land of which 80% have less than 1 hectare, and 60% is carried out by women. The productions are directed from the crops grown products for their own consumption. A term of comparison yields of maize per hectare is limited to 0.32 tons. Over 30% of the workforce is made up of children under 10 years of age and

ASEM - 10/2014 53% of them are girls (Source: INS 2000), with 60% of the population under the poverty line. Different Programs Vilankulo Cultural Centre MAJIANZA – Nhajusse (Vilankulo) POTELIC (Occupational program for children’s free time) (see PPS enclosed) Vocational training School and food support (see www.theschoolfund.org/asem) Psychological support Agricultural land BUSARA – Mahangue (Vilankulo) Planting and animal rising Vocational training Outreach Community Number of beneficiaries The number of beneficiaries in Vilankulo varies between 500 and 800 children/young adults per year. We are in collaboration with 4 schools (Primary and Secondary schools) of Vilankulo and with the community in general. Different self-sustainable Programs implemented AS EM’s goal is to implement different micro economic activities for its future self - sustainability. Existing self-sustainable activates: Vilankulo: Animal rising (chicken, porks, goats, caferial chicken, ducks) Agriculture (beans, peanuts, manioc, vegetable, fruit trees) partially for self- alimentation, partially for sale Handicraft Cultural performance (music – dance)