Girls
in Mozambique face gender discrimination, child marriage and violence. There is
widespread sexual abuse from teachers who promise better grades and access to
university.
The
risk for major diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis is very high in
Mozambique. Lack of clean water is a major issue, with less than half of the
population having access to running water. There are many orphans due to
HIV/AIDS and there is a high prevalence of HIV amongst young women, almost
three times higher than young men.
Girls
and women are vulnerable to exploitation, and remain illiterate and unaware of
their rights. WOW wants to provide women and girls with a hand up, not a hand out, giving them life
skills, an education and business enterprise opportunities.
WOW has been given some land by the government, where the women grow crops to sell, and also to feed their families. Perma-garden training has been given to 54 women and many now have their own gardens which are producing food for the family. Small peanut growing businesses have been started, and a bakery has been opened employing six women. Our aim is to create self-sustainable business opportunities, and to create a thriving community of healthy women and families.
