What we do and why
Group of children. (Copyright: Save the Children New Zealand)

Mozambique

Protecting children from neglect, abuse, exploitation and violence

There are growing concerns about the sexual exploitation and abuse of children in Mozambique. Forced marriages of young girls and the mis-treatment of children in magic rituals are common and even accepted practices in many communities - so too are incest, prostitution and rape.

In 2002, Save the Children formed a partnership with Mozambique's National Campaign Against Sexual Abuse (NCASA) of Children to support training of humanitarian staff and affected communities in child protection. Significant progress was made in 2003 in examining the vulnerability of children to neglect, abuse and exploitation, including a Save the Children funded research project on sexual abuse in schools.

With your help, our work with the NCASA is continuing and further research into the extent and types of abuse experienced by children in Mozambique is taking place.


Home based care

This project assists orphans and vulnerable children whose mothers or fathers have died or are dying from HIV/AIDS related illnesses.

Save the Children trains and supports multi-skilled teams who visit the seriously ill in their homes. These teams provide primary health services, counseling and nutritional support. Home based care teams ensure the entire family understands the virus and helps them to prepare for their loss. This involves training on how to write a will, how to record family history in a "memory book", and securing extended family or community support for children before the passing of their parent(s). These teams also determine whether the family could benefit from a small enterprise credit scheme, which aims to supplement loss of income due to HIV/AIDS related illness.

 

Raising awareness about HIV/AIDS

Four Children. (Copyright: Save the Children New Zealand)Save the Children’s HIV/AIDS education project in Mozambique is based in Namuinho on the outskirts of Mozambique’s fourth largest city - Quelimane. In Quelimane and surrounding areas, approximately 20% of the population are infected with HIV/AIDS. While most people have heard of the disease and know that it can kill, has no cure and is passed on through sexual intercourse, there is a general denial that AIDS exists within the area. Contraception and safer sex practices are rare. Children are particularly at risk, becoming sexually active at puberty with little knowledge about how to stay safe or access contraception.

Save the Children began by carrying out detailed research into what children and young people already know about HIV/AIDS and other sexual matters. We set up separate committees for children, young people, teachers and community members to find out participants’ views about sex, sexually transmitted diseases, early pregnancy, sexual abuse and other important topics.

Once committee members had shared their knowledge and views about HIV/AIDS and other sex matters, Save the Children trained young people to conduct their own research on the knowledge and views of their own friends, school mates and neighbours.

This information has formed the basis of ground-breaking education materials to teach children under the age of 12 about HIV/AIDS in schools. The first book has been published, addressing the following key topics, with guidance on when the reader should seek help from an adult in their confidence:

  • the human body
  • reproductive organs
  • sexual and reproductive health
  • condoms
  • sexual behaviour and consequences
  • sexually transmitted diseases
  • origins of HIV/AIDS
  • sexual abuse and consequences.

A group of children and young people are currently working on a second bookwith Save the Children staff and advisors from the Pedagogic University in Maputo.