In 2010, in the central province of Tete, Mozambique, World Vision will partner with the World Food Programme to distribute 3,352 metric tonnes of food aid to over 80,000 people across 7 districts.
The Tete province is one of the most isolated and underdeveloped regions in Mozambique. Cultivated land has been devastated by flood and drought – land local inhabitants depend on to survive. Many now resort to eating leaves, wild fruits and berries to sustain themselves and their families.
Right across Mozambique, food shortages and starvation are prevalent, and they are the result of many factors. Nearly one million people were killed during the brutal civil war that spanned from 1976-1992. The war also destroyed the economy. Today, despite greater socio-political stability, Mozambique is still plagued by extreme poverty.
Like many other countries where World Vision works, natural disasters have played a key role in perpetuating the cycle of poverty. Recurring floods and droughts have affected millions of Mozambiquans, ruining livelihoods and creating further instability. Approximately 70% of Mozambiquans live in rural areas. Two-thirds are subsistence farmers who rely on favourable weather conditions to feed their families and make a living.
World Vision has worked in Mozambique for over 25 years. After the civil war, World Vision helped rebuild the lives of 1.5 million refugees. But our work is far from over. Although World Vision currently assists 3.5 million Mozambiquans with long term community projects and relief assistance, the current food crisis requires specific food relief programs to combat shortages.
For nearly 15 years World Vision has partnered with the World Food Programme to deliver food relief and assistance to desperately hungry people. Through this partnership World Vision is able to deliver up to ten times the value of received donations in relief supplies to help save lives in the communities where we work.
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