MOZAMBIQUE
Situated in Sub-Saharan Africa, Mozambique is among the poorest countries in the world, though chances of economic recovery look promising after political reconciliation following more than ten years of civil war. Sadly the HIV/AIDS epidemic affecting more or less 14% of the entire population threatens the country’s prospects for sustainable economic and human development.

NAMPULA
The third largest city located north of the country. There is a great opportunity for growth in this peaceful city of around 200,000 people.

THE ESCOLA SECUNDARIA DE NAMPULA
The school where we delivered our newspaper workshop started operation in 1970 and is the largest school north of the country. At present, it has around 4,000 students attending day and evening classes.

SCHOOL RESOURCES
Many students and teachers alike do not have the benefit of information technology. Within the school, a limited number of manual typewriters are used, with access to computer equipment virtually nil. In fact, books are of more immediate concern as the school houses a one-room library with a seating capacity of not more than 20 students.

VOLUNTARY SERVICE OVERSEAS
This organisation (who invited us to Nampula) aims to support Mozambican institutions in more disadvantaged provinces. They hope their efforts will increase the availability, quality and access to education for the more disadvantaged, but particularly girls, out-of-school youth and learners with disabilities.

GOVERNMENT
Is trying provide equal access to education especially to girls and reintegrate marginalised and disadvantaged children into the mainstream. Thousands of families cannot afford to send their children to school even though the average yearly expenditure (tuition, books, and food allowance) in the public secondary school is more or less US $300 per student.