Sandra Iagido Issa is head teacher at Eduardo Mondlane Primary School in Mozambique. Her school plays a crucial role in educating local children, including those displaced by conflict from distant areas. Photo: Karl Schembri/NRC

NRC in Mozambique

Facts

A total of

108,383

people in need received our assistance in 2023.

 

Humanitarian overview

In the last five years, Mozambique has experienced disasters and armed conflict involving non-state armed groups in the north. The conflict, mostly concentrated in Cabo Delgado province, also affected Niassa and Nampula provinces.

As of February 2023, 1.6 million people are in need of assistance, including 859,500 (August 2023) who remain internally displaced. The conflict has impacted economic activities in the region, resulting in the suspension of gas activity. Military support has been given from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and from Rwanda to stabilise the situation. Some internally displaced people (IDPs) have begun returning home since 2022 and over 570,000 have now returned, though precarious conditions in areas of origin have often resulted in secondary displacements. A further 1 million people were affected by Cyclone Freddy in September 2023.

Humanitarian assistance, centered around settlements with increased focus on host communities and return areas, remains affected by funding gaps and a small humanitarian presence, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.

 

  • 4,247
    people benefited from our education programme in 2023
  • 18,135
    people benefited from our food security programme
  • 16,763
    people benefited from our shelter programme
  • 2,444
    people benefited from our protection programme
  • 21,190
    people benefited from our ICLA programme
  • 39,061
    people benefited from our WASH programme
  • 33,342
    people benefited from other NRC activities

 

NRC's operation

NRC has provided first-line humanitarian response since 2021 with multi-sector activities in shelter, education, food security, and information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA). We are currently leading the Rapid Response Mechanism consortium. Our focus is on supporting people in hard-to-reach areas, working in partnership with authorities and local actors. We are piloting cash-based interventions with displaced populations living in host communities.

On a policy level, we work to support IDP national policy by leading a consortium with UNHCR and IOM, supporting the National Institute for Disaster Management.

NRC EducationEducation


We work to ensure that conflict-affected children can access quality education. The focus of our Education in Emergencies (EiE) work is on children living in displacement sites and in host communities. In cooperation with the education authorities, our activities include:

  • support for formal and non-formal education, including remedial classes
  • distribution of student, teacher and school kits with supplies
  • teacher training
  • construction of temporary learning spaces and/or rehabilitation of existing learning facilities

 

NRC Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)


Our ICLA programme assists conflict-affected people with accessing civil documentation. This allows people to, among other things, access basic services, own a mobile phone used for banking purposes, and exercise their right of movement. In cooperation with the authorities, we help facilitate the issuing of birth certificates and national IDs. We also work to strengthen authorities’ capacity to issue key documentation in the most affected areas.

 

NRC Livelihoods and food securityLivelihoods and food security


Through our integrated livelihoods and food security programme, we aim to facilitate durable solutions for the people we work with, whether they live in a host community or a settlement site. Our activities include:

  • distribution of seeds and tools
  • awareness of improved agriculture techniques
  • food preservation
  • cash support
  • economic recovery (small start-up grants)

NRC Shelter and settlementsShelter and settlements


Through our shelter programme, we assist people throughout different phases of displacement – from lifesaving emergency support to durable solutions in displacement or return contexts. Our shelter and settlements work includes:

  • distribution of non-food items (NFIs)
  • emergency shelter kit distribution
  • technical shelter support
  • shelter upgrades
  • multi-purpose cash support

About NRC in Mozambique

Established
2021
International staff
6
Areas of operation
Cabo Delgado
National staff
67

Contact

Country Director

Ulrika Blom

Phone

+258 86 111 8254

Publications