Young women from the internally displaced and hosting community engaged in the construction activities of the new block for pediatric consultations in the Health Center of Mahate, Pemba city (UN-Habitat Mozambique, 2024)
Mozambique, August 2024 - Arminda Guizado, a 39-year-old mother of five, vividly recalls the night of March 16, 2019, when Cyclone Idai devastated her home in Donda District, Sofala Province, forcing her to seek refuge in Mandruzi. Like many others, Arminda's life was upended by climate-induced disasters and conflicts that have displaced over 600,000 people in Northern Mozambique, with women and children making up 78% of those affected.
Mrs Arminda Guizado, a 39-year-old mother of five @UN-Habitat
To strengthen the resilience of resettlements like Mandruzi, UN-Habitat, with support from USAID, is implementing the "Building Back Better and Resilience Building" project in Sofala Province. This initiative has benefited 5,800 Mozambicans through Climate Smart Agriculture training, Savings and Credit groups, livestock distribution, and agricultural inputs, fostering sustainable development.
Arminda found hope through this project, learning innovative agricultural techniques that improved her livelihood. She now manages a small business selling goods and has expanded into chicken farming, aspiring to grow her enterprise further.
Similarly, in Cabo Delgado Province, Maria Maurício Licumbe, displaced by conflict, was empowered through UN-Habitat's "Women Peace and Security" project. Supported by Norway and Iceland, this initiative provided training in resilient construction techniques, enabling Maria to lead a group of women artisans in building durable homes, transforming her community.
Displaced women participating in the process of construction of gender sensitive housing units in the resettlement village of Marokani, Cabo Delgado (UN-Habitat Mozambique, 2023)
In Mahate, Pemba, the "Sustainable and Gender-Sensitive Integration of IDPs" project, supported by Canada and Switzerland, has led to community-driven improvements, including the construction of social infrastructure and street lighting. João Pedro, the Mahate municipal secretary, emphasized the importance of community engagement in achieving durable solutions.
Displaced women and girls contributing to the participatory assessment of the Mahate neighborhood (UN-Habitat Mozambique, 2023)
These stories highlight UN-Habitat's efforts, supported by the Government of Mozambique and the Internal Displacement Solutions Fund, to place displaced people at the center of the Durable Solutions Agenda. By integrating community engagement into policies, UN-Habitat aims to bridge urbanization and displacement, promoting long-term resilience.
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