Marara Project, Mozambique

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, most families could not produce enough food. Schools lacked resources and qualified teachers, and few households had toilets or access to clean water.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Marara community have improved access to education, clean water and nutritious food and their families have more opportunities to earn income.

Before your help, women had to walk 3km on average to collect water from polluted streams. Now families can access clean water close to home and children are healthier.

Together we've achieved so much

The number of children who can read by grade two has doubled

A community library and 13 reading centres have been set up enabling more children to gain literacy skills.

The project worked closely with the community and local authorities to build a new primary school.
300 of the most vulnerable children in the community were supported with school fees so they could continue their education.
139 teachers have completed skills training to improve their knowledge of the curriculum and better support their students’ learning.

90 percent of people had access to essential health services by 2016

This was up from 40 percent in 2013.

The project created community health committees and trained 450 committee members to provide basic health and nutrition services and education to families. In addition, 180 mobile health brigades were supported to deliver maternal and child healthcare in remote villages.
Mothers have learned how to prepare nutritious meals for their children using foods they can source locally. This has helped to reduce the percentage of children under five with growth stunting.
Following health education campaigns and increased access to health centres, over 90 percent of women now give birth in a health centre instead of at home and husbands accompany their wives to antenatal check-ups.

10,587 people gained improved access to clean water

152 boreholes were drilled and local committees formed to ensure they remain in working order.

Following community hygiene education and support to build toilets, 10 villages have completely eradicated the practice of open defecation, one of the main causes of disease outbreaks.

"Water is just two houses away from my home … Our children no longer take water to schools as there are boreholes in schools. l am so happy."

- Midalia, aged 62, Marara community member

Health committees help save lives

Gerson, aged two, is among 3,000 children in the Marara community who’ve benefited from health and nutrition activities supported by generous child sponsors like you.

When he was aged one, Gerson was severely malnourished, like many other children in his community. But he’s now healthy and full of life. His mum Domingas (pictured here with Gerson) received home visits from a member of her local health committee who had completed training in maternal and child healthcare.

She referred Gerson to the nearest health centre for treatment and encouraged Domingas to attend cooking demonstration sessions run by the health committee where she has learned how to prepare nutritious meals.

“I attended the sessions for 12 days,” Domingas explained. “After a month my son was fully recovered. Voluntarily l joined the health committee because l wanted to help other mothers who could be in the same situation l have been.”

"I thank World Vision for bringing such a magical solution to the problem that claimed the lives of a lot of children ... My second child will not suffer from malnutrition!"

- Domingas, Gerson's mother