Background / Context

Rural districts in Mozambique suffer from high maternal and child mortality rates, largely due to poor access to health services. Many women give birth at home without skilled attendants, while children go unvaccinated against preventable diseases. Long distances to health facilities, lack of trained staff, and cultural barriers worsen the situation. Communities requested better outreach to save mothers’ and children’s lives.

Objectives

To reduce maternal and child deaths by expanding access to essential health services in remote communities.

Approach

One Africa Foundation worked with local health authorities to deploy mobile health clinics across underserved districts. Each clinic was staffed with midwives, nurses, and community health workers trained to provide antenatal care, safe deliveries, postnatal services, and immunisations. Health education campaigns covered nutrition, breastfeeding, and family planning. Community health volunteers were trained to refer pregnant women early and encourage families to immunise children.

Impact / Outcomes

Over 15,000 people accessed services within the first year. Safe births increased by 50% in target communities, while childhood immunisation rates rose sharply. Maternal deaths decreased as more women delivered with skilled health workers. Families reported greater trust in health services, and local health systems benefited from strengthened capacity.

Beneficiary Voice

“Before, I lost a baby because there was no clinic. Now nurses come to our village, and my second child was born safely,” said Ana, a mother from Sofala Province.