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Climate Change Leaves 1.6 Million in Mozambique in Need of Urgent Assistance

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Mozambique
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CARE
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MAPUTO (November 12, 2019) - At least 1.6 million people in the central and southern parts of Mozambique are presently in need of assistance due to the devastating effects of the ongoing drought and increasingly severe weather events. Mozambique is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to natural disasters and climate change.

The severe food shortage is taking a heavy toll, especially on children under the age of five years, with some 67,500 children facing acute malnutrition. Crops are failing; communities do not have enough food to eat, and cannot produce enough to sell. There is a high risk of negative coping mechanisms. The country is still reeling from the devastating effects of two major cyclones, Cyclone Idai in the central-eastern parts, and Cyclone Kenneth in the northern parts of the country, which hit the country earlier this year.

In response, CARE is planning to distribute drought-resistant seeds and tools, as well as deliver basic training in improved agricultural practices to combat the effects of the climate crisis, in several districts of Sofala and Inhambane provinces.

About CARE in Mozambique:

CARE began working in Mozambique in 1984 delivering emergency and large-scale humanitarian assistance to communities affected by the protracted war between the government and rebel forces. Since the end of the war in 1992, CARE has been addressing the needs of people in the areas of health, water and sanitation, agriculture as well as economic empowerment and food assistance. One of CARE‘s major focus areas is the empowerment of women and girls and strengthening local civil society action. As part of our historic focus on emergency response, we are now engaging more on disaster risk reduction and climate change.

About CARE

Founded in 1945, CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. CARE has more than six decades of experience helping people prepare for disasters, providing lifesaving assistance when a crisis hits, and helping communities recover after the emergency has passed. CARE places special focus on women and children, who are often disproportionately affected by disasters. To learn more, visit www.care.org.

Media Contacts: Mahmoud Shabeeb, mshabeeb@care.org, +962 79 146 39 03 (Amman, Jordan)

Vanessa Parra, vanessa.parra@care.org, +1 917-525-0590 (NYC)