Mozambique

In Mozambique many families live in very poor, rural areas. There are too few schools and children are forced to help earn a living at too early an age. This means that across the country two in five children do not attend school. Girls are particularly disadvantaged. More than boys they suffer from the fact that many schools do not even have toilets. 320,000 children and adolescents who have lost a parent due to AIDS have little chance of attending school. Many of them have to leave school and earn money instead to survive. In Mozambique UNICEF is helping to improve equipment in village schools and to install drinking water and hygienic latrines. The children are given exercise books, pens/pencils and other school materials. UNICEF also supports the founding of parent committees that support the running of schools. Teachers are trained to better adapt their teaching to pupils’ needs. Together with community helpers trained by UNICEF, they make great efforts to ensure that orphans are well cared for and can attend school.