Mozambique launches Movement: from Child to Child

“I can´t wait to connect to other children, from other parts of the country, I am willing to help them, just like my mother does” Thandi, 11 years old child told her mother when informed that she would have the opportunity to meet children from the areas World Vision Mozambique is operating.

This is the drive behind the: movement From Children to Children, created by the director of Justice and Advocacy for Children, Eleutério Fenita during the child’s fortnight.

There were nearly 80 children sons, daughters, nieces of World Vision staff with the ages varying from 2 years old up to 17 years old, who spent an entire day, getting to know the office, the work their parents, uncles and aunts do.

“I did not know what a vulnerable child is, I did today, it was only too great” Érsio, 13 years old said.

The launch held in the National Office in Maputo, decorated with balloons, colored chairs, with pop corns, jumping bouncer a number of other activities that entertain children to make the environment child friendly. It had different sections, called islands, where children would learn about what World Vision Mozambique does or better what their parents do when they out of the house from the earlier hours of the day until the beginning of the evening.

“I leant a lot about World Vision and how they get to help vulnerable children, I think it’s a noble and beautiful cause, so I can´t wait to start connecting with the children from other provinces where the organization is already operating to see how we can help, but also learn from them” said Jessica, 14 years old.

The first activity of the day after a welcoming prayer was the visit to the Family Island, each staff member was kindly requested to bring with him a family photo which was later displayed on the wall, children guided the rest of the participants introducing their families and telling the story behind the photo.

Children participarting in the movement.

After the family island children according to their ages where distributed into different islands, Our World Vision was the island they got to be briefed exhaustible about World Vision, the Education Island where they got to know what is done in the education sector, the Malaria Island where they got to know the fight the organization has declared against malaria, the Water Island, where they are informed how lack of water is serious in the community and is a barrier in the development of a child, the Child Marriage Island only for children after the age of 12 who got to be informed that children like themselves where no longer at school but married and taking care of other children, that there were forced at their ages to be mothers and wives.

“I was sad to hear that there are children like ourselves already married. I think that the organization should continue concentrating more efforts in this sector to bring down these figures and children forced to marry before the right age” Vanucha 17 years old said.

All the children had the opportunity to meet in person the objective of Sponsorship program from World Vision Mozambique after being introduced to former sponsored child, Filipe Moçambique who today is an engineer and is a manager from a frim dedicated to sell oil, Total group.

“I feel pleased to be here, World Vision is the reason of what I am today, through sponsorship I had support I went to study in Portugal did my bachelor and later master, now I am back home and I am working for an established group as one of the manager” Moçambique told the children.

Moçambique is from Zambézia province the second most populated of the country, he told every children how World Vision helped him and that there were other children like him in his province and other parts of the country that still need similar support.

“I wish I could help other children as well for them to be like Mr Moçambique, it would be great” said Edwin, 14 years old.