Caritas Mozambique mobilises support for troubled Cabo Delgado

Hermínio José - Maputo, Mozambique & English Africa Service – Vatican City

In an interview with Vatican News, the Secretary-General of Caritas Mozambique, Santos Gotine, affirms that the attacks on innocent villagers by armed gangs, in the province, have led to displacements and a worsening humanitarian situation.

Working in collaboration with the Caritas of Pemba Diocese, the national office says it is mobilising support for thousands of displaced and homeless families.

Over two million people affected overall

According to UN Reliefweb, the escalation of insurgent activities in Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado is deteriorating the humanitarian situation of affected populations in the area. More than 11 of the 16 districts in the province have witnessed incessant attacks with a significant rise in the death toll.

The number of displaced people has risen from around 1 000 in March 2019 to over 115 000 in March 2020. Over two million people are affected by the crisis.

The Church in support of those who suffer says Caritas

As observed by the UN agencies, the challenges in Cabo Delgado range from protection concerns, livelihoods and food security, healthcare, and education. Caritas Mozambique’ Secretary-General, Santos Gotine, says that the Church cannot sit idly by in the face of such a serious and unfolding humanitarian situation. The Church in Mozambique may not have enormous resources needed to respond to the crisis, but it gets involved by in being close to those who suffer. This, is the mission of the Church and is the reason why Caritas is appealing for help on behalf of Cabo Delgado, says Gotine.

COVID-19 mitigation and prevention response

Given the prevalence of COVID-19 pandemic not only in the Cabo Delgado Province but in other parts of the country as well, Caritas Mozambique is carrying out mitigation and prevention measures.

One year after Cyclone Idai in Mozambique

One year after Cyclone Idai made landfall in Mozambique and set off a series of unprecedented climate-related disasters, 2.5 million people, almost half of them children, remain in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 3,000 children under the age of five have been diagnosed with life-threatening severe acute malnutrition after harvests were washed away in floodwaters. These children are proof that the victims of the climate crisis are first and foremost, the poor and the very young.

(Additional sources: Caritas Mozambique and Reliefweb)