Support for families fleeing conflict in Cabo Delgado
21 December 2020Attacks by armed groups have forced thousands of people to flee their homes in Cabo Delgado. Plan International Mozambique is providing immediate support to affected families and ensuring children continue to receive an education.
In Cabo Delgado, in the north of Mozambique, attacks by armed groups have escalated in the past year. The growing insurgency which started in the oil-rich province in 2017 has forced thousands of people from their homes, many of whom have fled to neighboring regions where they are now living in resettlement camps for people displaced by the fighting.
Reintegrating children back into education is critical in order to reverse the cycle of poverty and to prevent young people being recruited into armed groups. The school infrastructure in the north has been largely dismantled during the conflict so providing education services is key to breaking the cycle of violence.
Education disrupted
I would like to continue my studies because my dream is to one day become a doctor.
Like many other girls in the camp, Fitima’s education has been disrupted.
“I was in the 7th grade and I would like to continue my studies because my dream is to one day become a doctor,” she says. “I am also worried because my family has not yet been allocated a farming plot where we can grow seeds for food.”
Immediate support for families
Plan International is working in the camp, digging boreholes for residents to access clean water and distributing hygiene kits to prevent the spread of COVID-19. We have also delivered menstrual hygiene kits, solar radios, buckets, water purifiers, blankets, mosquito nets, lanterns, mats and farming tools.
With insurgents having taken control of remote territories in the north of Mozambique, thousands of people have no choice but to try to escape, with many losing their lives along the way. Each day sees new arrivals in the camp, many of whom have harrowing stories to tell.
Emergencies, Disaster relief, Education in emergencies
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