Disaster Response Mozambique Project #39455

Cyclone Eloise Emergency Response

by IsraAID

Project Report | Jan 24, 2024
One Year of Connect II

By IsraAID Staff | IsraAID Mozambique

In Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, nearly 1 million people are internally displaced. Facing the compounded challenges of insecurity, violence, and now displacement, they grapple with significant emotional distress and mental health needs. These challenges disproportionately impact already vulnerable sectors of the population including women, children, and individuals with disabilities. Recognizing the critical need for protection services, IsraAID implemented the Connect Project. In partnership with Light for the World, ADEL, and local and provincial government institutions, we provide psychosocial support (PSS) to crisis-affected communities in the Chiúre and Metuge districts.

IsraAID trained local community outreach workers, known as “Delegados para a Implementação Comunitária do Desenvolvimento" (DICDs), in psychosocial first aid (PFA). DICDs deliver essential PFA interventions directly to internally displaced persons (IDPs) through home-based visits, ensuring accessibility for individuals with limited mobility or those facing other barriers to accessing traditional support services. Weekly engagement allows DICDs to provide culturally competent and trauma-informed support, fostering a sense of safety and trust.

The second phase of this program, Connect II, was launched one year ago, enabling us to expand our impact to serve 650 women, girls, and people with disabilities every week. As part of this next phase, IsraAID strategically integrated Connect programming into existing Women and Girls Safe Spaces run by local NGO Girl Child Rights. These designated spaces provide a haven for survivors of GBV and other forms of exploitation, offering bi-weekly, inclusive PSS services outside their often-unsafe homes. To further strengthen access and referral pathways over the past year, Community Committees for Women and Girls with Disabilities were established and trained on PSS, GBV, and specialized support mechanisms. This has augmented local capacity and fostered local ownership, weaving a safety net of care within the community toward long-term self-reliance and resilience.

Thank you for your support!

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Sep 26, 2023
Nicavaco's Child-Friendly Space: One Year On

By IsraAID Staff | IsraAID Mozambique

Over the past year, IsraAID’s Child-Friendly Space (CFS) has provided crucial support to internally displaced children in the Nicavaco Resettlement Camp, Mozambique. The ‘'Espaço Amigo da Criança,' as it is known in Portuguese, was launched one year ago in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Cabo Delgado, where over one million people live in a state of protracted displacement due to persistent conflict in the north of the country. The situation in the region presents numerous challenges for children and their families, including heightened risks of gender-based violence (GBV), limited access to basic services, and malnutrition concerns.

From the moment the CFS opened its doors, it has been a beacon of hope for children aged four to seventeen who confront the harsh realities of displacement. In an environment where child protection services are scarce, the CFS offers children routine and stability - two key elements for a child's recovery in the aftermath of a crisis. The CFS served over 300 children in its first week alone and has since ensured that thousands of children have a safe place to “just be kids.”

At the heart of the Child-Friendly Space are thoughtfully designed group activities that provide opportunities for children to come together in a predictable and stimulating environment. Here, children learn, play engaging games, express themselves, form connections with their peers, and receive the emotional support they desperately need. These activities offer moments of joy and normalcy in an otherwise turbulent environment. The CFS also facilitates communication with parents and other community members who may require support. This includes conducting awareness-raising activities for care-givers on various topics such as health and nutrition.

To ensure programming remains responsive to the needs of the community, the dedicated CFS facilitators, many of whom come from the community themselves, received refresher training sessions over the course of the year. This included a comprehensive four-day training program for five female CFS facilitators, covering sexual reproductive health, GBV prevention, psychological first aid, and referral pathways. This initiative empowers facilitators with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance GBV prevention efforts, particularly among female adolescents in the camp, and ensures that facilitators can best support the well-being of all CFS participants.

Over the last 12 months, the IsraAID Nicavaco CFS has helped thousands of children and their families meet their immediate needs while sowing the seeds for long-term resilience. Thank you for your support; we could not do it without you!

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Jun 2, 2023
Prioritizing the Needs of Internally Displaced Children in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique

By IsraAID Staff | IsraAID Mozambique

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