Given the high illiteracy rates in Mozambique, it is vital to ensure that the younger generations can have access to education and to reduce the high dropout rates. Project Educate, a CPMZ initiative, aims to remove the barriers to access to education, improve the quality of teaching, and encourage children to stay at school and continue their studies. The initiative is based on gender equality and, as such, includes specific measures for girls’ education. The pilot phase of the project is based at the Nhamatanga primary school and it is forecast to continue beyond 2025 and have a broad and sustained impact on many young people in Mozambique.

Type of intervention: CPMZ’s own project (in partnership with Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo and Gorongosa National Park).

Objectives: To remove barriers to education, lower dropout rates among pupils, provide incentive to carry on with their studies and improve the quality of teaching.

Methodology: The Nhamatanga primary school will pilot the design, implementation and appraisal of the Project Educate pillars. In partnership with the Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo, a diagnosis of the teaching in this school and a characterisation of the community in which it is located will be carried out. The recommendations deriving from this appraisal will allow for ongoing improvement of teaching and teaching staff. The project also envisages the implementation of a Girls’ Club (partnership with the Parque Nacional da Gorongosa) and extracurricular art, craftwork and sports workshops (arranged by Father José Luzia) which can motivate young people, encourage them to stay at school and – in the specific case of the Girls’ Club – empower school-age girls and combat child marriage and pregnancy.

The roll-out of the pilot project in Nhamatanga in 2022 will be followed by result monitoring and assessment (2023-2024). The project is then expected to be rolled out in other schools and communities from 2025 onwards.

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As part of the priority investment in health campaigns, CPMZ provided direct support for the Catheterisation and Cardiac Surgery Treatments for Children programme set up by ICOR – Instituto do Coração. This funding has helped provide access to health treatments for children from needy families.

Type of intervention: Direct support for institutions.

Objectives: To foster access to catheterisation treatment and heart surgery for children from needy sections of the Mozambican population who have been diagnosed with heart disease.

Methodology: ICOR assesses the health status of children referred from several state hospital units in Mozambique and, if necessary, performs catheterisation or cardiac surgery procedures and provides follow-up appointments for these children. Depending on the case and where the child is from, the patient and a companion can be accommodated for weeks or months in a residence rented by ICOR near the hospital so as to ensure subsequent follow-ups and treatments.

In response to the serious public health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, CPMZ contributed to the construction of a reference clinical testing laboratory in Beira to boost the capacity to diagnose the new coronavirus in the centre of Mozambique. The initiative was the responsibility of the National Health Institute (INS), directly supported by CPMZ.

Type of intervention: Direct support for institutions.

Objectives: To contribute to laboratory diagnosis for epidemic outbreaks and boost operational capacity for diagnosing the new coronavirus in people from the centre of Mozambique.

Methodology: CPMZ provided a significant portion of the funds required for the new clinical testing laboratory, and was also responsible for engaging a consultant to prepare and appraise the project. The management of the project and funds is shared by CPMZ, INS and partners.

The conflict in Cabo Delgado brought about a dramatic humanitarian situation, with an estimated 800 000 internally displaced people. In order to provide a response to this emergency, CPMZ developed its own support project for the displaced people who were taken in along the Beira corridor, in two different ways: immediate (emergency) and ongoing. At the same time, it donated a sum to the Cabo Delegado Diocesan Caritas to support the operations carried out by the institution to rebuild the lives of displaced people.

Type of intervention: CPMZ’s own project (partnership with INGD – Instituto Nacional de Gestão e Redução do Risco de Desastres and with SDPI – Serviços Distritais de Património e Infra-estrutura de Manica e Sofala).

Objectives: To meet the immediate water and food needs of the displaced people, provide housing for groups outside of the accommodation centres and provide school materials and uniforms for displaced schoolchildren.

Methodology: Based on an initial appraisal (conducted by CPMZ, INGD and SDPI) of the situation of those displaced by terrorism in Cabo Delgado who were taken in along the Beira corridor, the main needs to be addressed were identified (by priority of action). In the first support phase in 2021, CPMZ (with the monitoring and support of INGD and SDPI) arranged for food distribution and the construction of water sources. In 2022, the priority is on building houses and distributing school materials and uniforms.