In Mozambique’s northern province of Cabo Delgado, violent conflict has led to increased severe hunger, gender-based violence, premature marriages abuse, lack of employment, this accelerating to humanitarian crisis. However the year 2023 has marked the slow return of displaced hundreds of thousands of people to their respective homesteads.

GCR, in consortium with VAMOZ, in partnership with SPAS, INEP, IFPELAC and DPAP, under an initiative part of the Northern Crisis Recovery Project which is being implemented by UNOPS with funds from World Bank one of its components is “Distribution of Self-employment Kits for Voluntary Returnees in the Northern Districts of Cabo Delgado. GCR/VAMOZ is implementing the Economic Empowerment project for young people, women, vulnerable people and people with disabilities, with the duration of 09 months (January – September 2023), in the province of Cabo Delgado in the districts of Mocimboa da Praia and Palma. The project aims to promote effective involvement and the creation of 1254 opportunities for local economic growth in the target districts.

The project will provide opportunities and life skills to a minimum of 1254 beneficiaries from the home zones in Mocimboa da Praia and Palma districts. They are expected to benefit youth and women (18-59 years old, with a focus on the 18-35 age group), survivors of Gender-Based Sexual Violence/Harmful Practices, People with disabilities and other vulnerable people. The project provides for facilitating access to employment, providing self-employment promotion kits and mentoring and business training. As a result, the distribution of economic strengthening kits will promote the inclusion of commonly vulnerable groups and increase participation and meaningful diversity in economic activities.

The implementation of the project will take into account the principle of “Leaving no one behind (LNOB)”, which is the central and transformative promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In this contest GCR/VAMOZ and ADEL/CCS had opportunity to showcase at provincial level baseline results of identified and selected 1254 beneficiaries in Palma – Mocimboa da Praia and 1500 beneficiaries in Quissanga and Macomia districts in Cabo-Delgado to participate effectively in the economic growth through economic empowerment (distribution of self-employment kits and capacitations in different identified economic activities).

Written by: Zadel Maradza / GCR Communications Officer