Mozambique

Children displaced by some of the worst flooding across southern Africa in decades are facing a growing health crisis, with a lack of running water and destroyed sanitation facilities fuelling a spike in waterborne diseases.

Southern Mozambique was hit by devastating floods that claimed over 100 lives and affected roughly 432,000 people, including thousands of children at extreme risk. The disaster caused widespread destruction of homes, livestock, and infrastructure, notably in Gaza Province after the unprecedented opening of all 14 floodgates at the Massingir Dam. Save the Children has been actively responding by using boats to rescue stranded families and providing emergency aid in temporary accommodation centres. Despite these efforts, the organization warns that humanitarian resources are critically strained and urgent international support is required to prevent the crisis from escalating further as heavy rains continue.

Ângelo Aniceto, 18, President of the Environmental Club at Chókwè Secondary School, was motivated to learn about the environment. After Green Mindset training, he built a semi-hydroponic greenhouse at home with recycled materials to grow vegetables, aiming for family consumption and business. He encourages colleagues and represents the spirit of Project LINK in Chókwè, showing how young people can transform knowledge into real solutions.

By activating rapid child protection mechanisms and mobilising community networks, Save the Children managed to locate Olinda*’s mother within just five hours. This successful outcome demonstrates the impact of coordinated humanitarian action and the vital role of Child-Friendly Spaces in ensuring no child is left to face a crisis alone in northern Mozambique. A response largely made possible by the crucial support of the EU Civil Protection & Humanitarian Aid.

The LINK Project, funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), is rehabilitating 192 water boreholes and empowering Water and Sanitation Committees in Manica, Gaza and Tete. The objective is to improve access to drinking water, strengthen community management of water resources, and increase community resilience to climate change. The LINK Project is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and implemented in partnership with the Government of Mozambique

The armed conflict in Northern Mozambique has triggered a severe child rights crisis, leaving 441,721 children and 5,365 teachers in urgent need of humanitarian education support, with 138 schools closed and 82,800 children having their learning interrupted. Despite the critical scale of this emergency, humanitarian education funding has alarmingly declined over the past four years, dropping from 37.5% coverage in 2022 to just 5.1% in 2025, marking the lowest funding level across all humanitarian clusters. Save the Children, alongside its allies, is therefore demanding urgent action from donors, UN agencies, and government stakeholders to demonstrate their duty of care and commitment to reverse this situation, protect the right of conflict-affected children to safe and uninterrupted learning, and prevent long-term, intergenerational impacts resulting from a lack of education.

In collaboration with National Human Rights Commission (NCHR), we reaffirm children's rights to dignity, protection, and opportunity in Mozambique. Save the Children and NCHR co-hosted the 4th Regional Conference of National Human Rights Institutions in Southern Africa, addressing priorities like ending early and forced unions, strengthening child protection systems, and safeguarding children in humanitarian and climate crises, while highlighting challenges in weak law implementation and limited child participation.

In a vital initiative aimed at ensuring no child dies from preventable causes, Save the Children, with financing from UNICEF, is implementing the MAMI project in Mozambique to support infants under six months at nutritional risk. By combining specialized healthcare with strategic cash transfers, this initiative addresses the root causes of malnutrition, empowering vulnerable mothers to provide life-saving care and nutrition for their babies. Through this integrated approach, we are protecting the most fragile lives and building a foundation for a future where every child can survive and thrive.

The humanitarian crisis in Northern Mozambique is escalating due to spreading violence, massive displacement (around 120,000 people, including 55,000 children newly displaced), and a severe funding collapse. The crisis is one of the world's most underfunded emergencies, with only US $73 million received against a required US $352 million. Humanitarian organizations call upon the international community, donors, and governments for urgent action, increased funding, and renewed commitment to address the rapidly growing needs.

At the launch of the 16 Days of Activism campaign, Save the Children, in collaboration with district partners, carried out community activities in Montepuez, Cabo Delgado. The objective was to strengthen the prevention of and response to gender-based violence, with a focus on digital violence against girls and women. Activities included marches, theatre plays, and community dialogues.

On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Save the Children highlighted the story of João (14) in Mozambique, who faced increased vulnerability and limited access to education after Cyclone Chido destroyed his home and school materials. Through a coordinated effort with partners, an adapted wheelchair was provided, which transformed his daily life by restoring his independence and dignity, allowing him to return to school with ambitions in community protection. This success exemplifies Save the Children's unwavering commitment to disability inclusion as a core pillar of their Mozambique 2025-2027 Strategy, ensuring equitable access to vital programs for all vulnerable children in crisis settings, with funding from the European Union (ECHO).

The MAMI approach addresses gaps in child nutrition services, managing malnutrition risks in children under 6 months and their mothers, and integrating into health systems. Community nutritional screening was conducted to identify and treat acute malnutrition. Additionally, safeguarding sessions were held with the community, where participants demonstrated understanding of protection against exploitation and abuse, and the importance of treating everyone with dignity. Save the Children's complaint mechanisms were also explained, including safe and confidential channels for reporting incidents, with priority given to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases.

As part of the ECHO SAIL II Project and in response to the damage caused by Cyclone Chido, Save the Children International (SCI), in coordination with the Chiúre District Government, carried out the inspection and provisional acceptance of rehabilitation and construction works for school infrastructure in the districts of Mecúfi and Chiúre. The inspections, conducted between 19 and 21 November 2025, aimed to verify technical compliance and ensure quality standards, with continuous monitoring planned for six months.

In Montepuez district, 10 displaced adolescents and young people established a cooperative for the sustainable production of oyster mushrooms, using agricultural waste. The first production cycle, supported by the YEE II project, resulted in 21.7 kg of mushrooms sold to the local company RW Machambas. The cooperative members benefited from training in financial management and operational control, and mushroom production offers environmental and nutritional benefits for the community.

Between 10 and 14 November 2025, Save the Children held a workshop based on the 'Girls Decide' approach as part of the ECHO CP project to empower girls in migration and displacement contexts. The event trained participants to promote mental resilience, practical skills, and community support, addressing critical protection issues such as GBV and CPI in northern Mozambique, and highlighting the importance of Safeguarding and PSEA.

On the International Day for the Protection of Education from Attack, the safety and protection of children and education personnel in schools in Mozambique remain a national priority in the face of ongoing conflicts and the increasing impact of climate change. Based on IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix data, over 600,000 people have been displaced due to conflict in Northern Mozambique, including more than 320,000 children, making the urgency for a collective and robust response greater than ever. Data estimates show that over 110,000 children are not attending school, highlighting the serious threats to their fundamental right to education. The challenges are compounded by frequent cyclical natural disasters, which further disrupt learning.

Child marriages in Mozambique continue to limit the future of girls, for whom this video, supported by Save the Children, invites reflection and change. It is emphasised that girls are the hope for the future and need space to grow, learn and follow their dreams, advocating for every child's right to a full childhood, with opportunities, dignity and freedom.

Save the Children, in partnership with the National Institute of Social Action (INAS), has completed the registration of over 6,150 beneficiaries of the Productive Social Action Programme (PSAP) in Manica, Gaza, and Tete provinces. Conducted between July and August 2025 using the SIB-Mobile application, this activity aims to strengthen the climate resilience of vulnerable communities and ensure that assistance effectively reaches those most in need.

Save the Children, in partnership with the Provincial Directorate of Education of Nampula, held the Provincial Meeting of the Inclusion Network in the district of Meconta. Created in 2023, the Network's mission is to ensure that children, young people, and adults with disabilities or special educational needs have access to inclusive, quality education with dignity.

From 1 to 7 August, World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated, this year under the theme “Prioritising Breastfeeding: Creating Sustainable Support Systems”. The week highlights the importance of building solid support networks that allow mothers to breastfeed safely and consistently, establishing a firm foundation for children's health and development.