Child Grant programme helps families become self-sufficient in Nampula

Nampula, Nacala Velha – “I faced many difficulties to provide for my children before receiving the money from this program”, says Dalila Guarda, 39 years old, mother of 6, as she remembers the difficult days she faced in the past.

The youngest child of Dalila is now a child grant beneficiary. Dalila had to raise her alone as her husband died when the youngest child was born. When Dalila started receiving the monetary child grant, she prioritized food as it was a big challenge in her family, “with the money I received from the grant I bought food for my children and with the remaining amount we increased the area of our family farm and also I started pig farming. One time, I sold 7 pigs and earned 10,500 meticais, and with that money, I could invest in the producing peanuts to sell”.

Dalila recognizes that the Child Grant program, helped her a lot during difficult moments, such as when she lost her husband. “I am happy because I did many things as a way to prepare myself before the program ended because I knew that when my son turned 2 years old I would stop receiving the money from the program,” says Dalila, with optimism.

The start-up phase of the child grant (0-2 years) programme in Mozambique is implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action (MGCAS), through its operational arm, the National Institute of Social Assistance (INAS), with technical support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), financed by the governments of Sweden, Netherlands, and United Kingdom. The start-up phase was initiated in September 2018 in four districts in Nampula, one of the poorest provinces in Mozambique. The start-up phase was finalized in December 2021, when all 15,345 children and their caregivers will have received 24 months of payments, and graduate from the programme. Based on the positive outcomes of the pilot phase of the programme, the Government of Mozambique is currently preparing for its expansion to reach more children and families.

“My request is that INAS should look after other orphan children’s like they have done with mine – I am doing the best in order to have at least minimum conditions for my children, but in my community [Mueria] there are many orphans without these conditions and most of them will not even enroll for school,” said Dalila.