Parque Nacional da Gorongosa Moçambique

The people of Mozambique are challenged by a severe health crisis. Poverty, malnutrition, and infectious diseases are commonplace. Life expectancy is 37 years. Some of the critical issues include reproductive health and child mortality, malaria, and HIV/AIDS.

Reproductive Health and Child Mortality
Health facilities are scarce in Mozambique, especially in rural areas. Therefore, women tend to visit them only as a last resort and often too late. A critical lack of skilled birth attendants and obstetric care contributes to many women's reproductive health problems and increases infant and child mortality.

Malaria and HIV/AIDS
Malaria is the largest single cause of death in Mozambique and the leading cause of child mortality.  Pregnant women who have malaria give birth to low-weight babies who are then more susceptible to other infections. These women often develop severe anemia, putting their own lives at risk. Nearly two million cases of malaria were reported in Mozambique between January 1 and April 15, 2007. HIV/AIDS is a pandemic in Mozambique, affecting an estimated 16.2 percent of the population in 2006.

Gorongosa National Park Projects
We see an opportunity to improve people's health in the Gorongosa region. We focus most of our efforts on helping local communities increase their standard of living through improved nutrition and sanitation, clean drinking water, and better access to health facilities. We recently built a new health clinic in Vinho community (near Chitengo), and our medical team visits Nhambita and Nhanguo weekly to support those communities' growing needs. We also partner with the Gorongosa District health authorities to assist local people of all ages to learn about disease prevention and treatment.