"OUR FUTURE IS NOW”: INCREASING FOOD RESILIENCE IN MATUTUINE.

VIDA an Mozambican ONG, founded in 1992, started working with the community of Djabula (Matutuine district) in 1999.

In 2011, VIDA extends its work to the whole district through the monitoring of the constitution of 25 community associations of small farmers and the process of improvement of agricultural production, where a group of activists emerged, interested in improving the living situation of vulnerable families in their communities.

In the ongoing project "Our future is now, the aim is to strengthen the role of the activists, empowering them in nutrition issues and connecting them with the public health service, through the creation of a community health and nutrition prevention network. With continuous monitoring and training, this group monitors is better prepared to help in a more effective way, pointing out risk situations to health agents, all these vulnerable families, consisting mainly of pregnant women, children under 5 years old and the elderly.

One of the difficulties that UAAMAT activists face in family visits is the long distances they have to walk between their home and those of the families, since the population of the district is very dispersed, communication routes are precarious. This also affects travel to the Health Centers, which are on average 52 km away.

With the bicycles the activists will be able to provide more health coverage in isolated communities. Currently, they visit about 15 families, but with a "new vehicle" helping them, it is expected that they can follow and monitor around 30 families monthly.

The Goal is to raise 60 bicycles for UAAMAT activists, as a way to improve their travel when visiting vulnerable families.