Mary’s Meals adds Mozambique to its global school feeding program
Our daily meals bring much-needed assistance to thousands of children whose families are vulnerable and living on the front line of climate change.
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Mary’s Meals recently announced the expansion of its school feeding program into Mozambique as El Niño-induced drought and flooding force millions across Southern Africa into extreme hunger. Mozambique is currently ranked 183 out of 193 countries and territories in the Human Development Index (HDI) and almost 65% of the population live below the international poverty line ($2.15 per day).
Mozambique, identified as one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, has been hit by 11 tropical cyclones since 2007. In March this year, just one year on from Cyclone Freddy, which ravaged the country and left millions in urgent need of support, Tropical Storm Filipo made landfall across the central and southern provinces, affecting tens of thousands of people.
Hunger and accessing adequate food are ongoing challenges for the people of Mozambique. IPC projections suggest that 3.3 million people are facing ‘Crisis’ or ‘Emergency’ levels of food insecurity, and nearly half of the population live below the international poverty line.
Founder and CEO of Mary’s Meals, Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, says: “As drought and flooding continue to devastate so many countries in Southern Africa, our expansion to Mozambique will provide important ongoing support to children whose lives are deeply affected by hunger, poverty and extreme weather events. So much of Mozambique’s population rely on farming to survive, so the recent irregular rainfall and the constant threat of cyclones mean that many families just don’t have enough food to sustain them. Our consistent school meals will bring much-needed relief, stability, and nutrition to children at a time of uncertainty and help to ease the worry of their parents – many of whom will be actively partnering with us as volunteer cooks.”
A few facts about our Mozambique and our work there
When did we start working in Mozambique?
Mary’s Meals began serving school meals in Mozambique in 2024.
How many children do we feed in Mozambique?
We are currently reaching more than 5,000 children in Mozambique.
What meal do we provide?
The meal consists of maize flour and beans.
Where are we based/where do we operate?
We deliver school feeding in places of education in Mabalane District, within Gaza Province in southern Mozambique.
What is the capital of Mozambique?
The capital city of Mozambique is Maputo.
What language(s) are spoken in Mozambique?
Portuguese is the official language of Mozambique, but it’s only spoken by around half of the population. Other languages spoken include: Makhuwa, Changana, Nyanja, Ndau, Sena, Chwabo, and Tswa.
What currency is used in Mozambique?
The Mozambique Metical (MZM).
What is the population of Mozambique?
The population of Mozambique is 33,421,000.
Just $31.70 feeds a child for a whole school year.