Our projects
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty and Child Vulnerability
In Mozambique, thousands of children grow up in conditions of extreme hardship, marked by chronic poverty, the loss of parents, neglect, violence, or abuse. With few viable family alternatives, social services often place these children in privately run orphanages, which become a vital refuge – yet lack the means to ensure their full development.
Isolated, underfunded, and rarely supported, most orphanages have limited staff and few educational or psychosocial resources. Children find safety there, but often grow up without structure, guidance, or opportunities for the future. When they reach adulthood, many are left without training, autonomy, or social protection, perpetuating the very cycle of vulnerability they were born into.
ACA Moz works to break that cycle.
Our mission is to strengthen orphanages so they become true spaces of education, growth, and empowerment. We provide comprehensive, holistic support built around four key pillars:
- Education and academic reinforcement: literacy, English, IT, and tutoring.
- Personal development and psychosocial support: psychologic support, workshops, and artistic or sports activities.
- Vocational training and empowerment: sewing, practical skills, internships, mentorship, and university scholarships.
- Institutional strengthening: staff training, infrastructure improvement, and the creation of a network of local partners for sustainable support.
Key figures
- Over 2 million children in Mozambique are orphans or live in situations of extreme vulnerability. Source
- An estimated 1.3 million children have lost at least one parent to HIV/AIDS. Source
- While almost all girls enroll in first grade, more than half drop out before fifth grade, often at the start of puberty. Source
- The primary school completion rate remains low: 61% for boys and 55% for girls. Source
- Nearly half of all girls marry before the age of 18, and 46% of those aged 15-19 are already mothers or pregnant. Source
- In 2016, 71% of adult women in Mozambique were illiterate, reflecting persistent inequalities in access to education and employment. Source
Three Orphanages, One Commitment
Because an orphanage that is well supported should never be a place of waiting,
but rather the starting point for a possible future.
Today, ACA Moz supports three partner orphanages in Boane, Katembe, and Chamanculo.
Each center is accompanied by our local education team, psychologists, and volunteers.
Our programs currently benefit over 140 girls aged 6 to 18, and will expand to seven orphanages by 2027.
