Mozambique

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.

Your sponsorship 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.

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.

Sponsoring aids efforts in addressing many critical needs in Mozambique to restore wholeness to this country. After years of crises, Mozambicans are grateful for the partnership of our child sponsors in improving the future for their children.

• 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.