BACKGROUND

Cabo Delgado, Mozambique’s northernmost province, has enormous economic potential including a coastline attractive to tourism and natural gas reserves that could make it a leading natural gas exporter. Yet it faces high youth unemployment, poor access to education (especially for young women), and high rates of early marriage and gender-based violence. Since 2017, violent extremists have caused thousands of deaths, destroyed villages and government facilities, displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and caused ongoing insecurity for residents. In April 2019, Cyclone Kenneth hit the region, destroying housing, public infrastructure, and farmland. These dual crises have had a dramatic negative impact on the communities of Cabo Delgado, with the UN estimating that, by the time the activity was designed in 2020, approximately 800,000 people have been forced to flee their homes over the past several years and almost 1 million people remain severely food insecure.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

USAID Recovery Cabo Delgado will work with the government, local organizations, and the private sector in Pemba and Metuge districts to help IDPs and host communities develop sustainable sources of income that will decrease their need for humanitarian assistance. Additionally, the project will empower youth and women to seize new opportunities emerging in the province, supporting them to diversify income  generating strategies for themselves and their families. With a focus on the agricultural sector, the project will strengthen economic opportunities for youth from the IDP and host communities by providing vocational and entrepreneurial training and courses in life skills and communication The project will also work with communities to increase resilience to natural disasters by creating producer clubs that promote diversified livelihoods in agriculture and other small scale production activities. USAID RCD will also strengthen networks and information sharing between private companies looking for local talent and better prepared and qualified youth.

RESULTS AND IMPACTS (2023)

3,200 IDP & host community families (approximately 19,000 people)  is receiving support to  improve resilience to and recovery from conflict and natural disasters:

• Training of 2,710 producers, comprising 1,433 women and 1,277 men, on Conservation Agriculture
• 960,000kg of vegetables produced by 64 producers clubs harvested and sold in Pemba market for the general population and in 3 schools for school feeding programs reducing post-harvest losses and increasing families income.
• 50 solar dryers  allocated to the target communities for the processing of their products contributing to improved shelf-life whilst empowering small-scale producers, and promoting sustainable and economic growth within the community.
• 89 professional kits distributed to 162 families, reaching around 760 people 
• 3 Afridev water pumps installed to serve about 2,000 individuals in communities facing critical water challenges

2,000 youth (including young women) receives support in life and vocational and entrepreneurial skills:

• Vocational and entrepreneurship training provided to 426 youths, consisting of 216 females and 210 males. Additionally, the successful enrollment of 8 grade 12 students (3 females and 5 males)  into the ADPP Teacher Training College (EPF Cabo Delgado)
• 127 youth trained in PWD, including leadership and communication skills 
• The successful production and broadcasting, by the youth, of 45 radio programs – “the Youth Hour” on Radio Wimbe. Furthermore, the successful production and sharing of 34 community videos.These videos conveyed their messages directly to 1,521 individuals, reaching an impressive 93.9% of the 1,620 individuals targeted for the year