Restoring Health and Hope

When Essitia Jose brought 7-month-old Emma to Food for the Hungry, she was severely malnourished and in urgent need of medical care. With health support and care, Emma was rescued from certain death.

Mothers like Essitia Jose are encouraged to join small groups, also known as Care Groups, to learn how to better care and provide for their children. They are even trained to share their newfound knowledge and experience with other mothers in nearby villages. As a result, the Care Group model has expanded its reach and impact in Mozambique.

Essitia Jose learned how to make nutritious porridge or “papas” for her children by combining corn, mashed pumpkin leaves rich in vitamin A, oil, ground peanuts for protein and sugar for energy. She enjoys dancing and singing of God’s faithfulness with other mothers as they learn.

In Care Group meetings mothers learn to:

Understand and apply health lessons and principles. Share and discuss family issues with other women.Celebrate their community’s progress in improved health and nutrition Learn of God’s amazing grace and love.

Because of the training Essitia Jose received in her group, Emma did not become a statistic like so many other children. Now at age 7, Emma is a healthy and active child, full of hope.

What We Do

Agriculture & Environment: Increasing crop production, training farmer marketing groups, producing high-quality seed.

Child Development & Education: Education support program, training teachers, distribution of school materials, rehabilitation of school structures.

Church Development: Training of pastors and church leaders, truth-based messaging, leadership development.

Emergency Relief: Emergency flood and drought relief.

Economic Development & Livelihoods: Business development, savings groups.

Health & Nutrition: Nutrition education, zinc project to reduce effects of diarrhea.

HIV/AIDS: Abstinence and faithfulness in marriage, home-based care, HIV/AIDS awareness, food provisions, school materials.

Food for the Hungry has been implementing relief and rehabilitation programs in Mozambique since 1987 and has since successfully transitioned its focus to sustainable development, focusing on agriculture, marketing, savings groups, community capacity building, nutrition, and health. Since 2005, Food for the Hungry has expanded its programmatic areas to include HIV prevention, care, and child survival.

Most Mozambicans live along the Zambezi River and in the Angonia Highlands. Recent floods have destroyed roads and bridges, killed several people, and displaced tens of thousands more – yet another blow to people who already lived in desperation. A staggering 14 percent of the Mozambique population has contracted AIDS; over 400,000 of these are orphaned children. The floods and HIV/AIDS, combined with lack of clean water, drought and extreme poverty, have made life so extremely difficult for Mozambicans.