Save the Children offers facial masks to the Government

Save the Children in Mozambique (SCIMOZ) today delivered the first two thousand face masks to the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Action (MGCAS) as part of its contribution to preventing and combating COVID-19 among vulnerable groups. The delivery was made by SCIMOZ's Country Director, Chance Briggs, in a ceremony chaired by MGCAS Vice Minister, Lucas Mangrasse.

The two thousand masks constitute the first batch of a total of about nine thousand to be delivered in the provinces of Sofala, Nampula, and Cabo Delgado. SCIMOZ and its partners have been ensuring the production of masks on a large scale, in full alignment with the standards defined by the Ministry of Health, namely the use of three layers of fabric measuring 23cm x 18cm, for adults, and 18cm x 13cm, for children.

During the ceremony, Chance Briggs said that the gesture is in line with SCIMOZ's COVID-19 Response Plan in Mozambique, which aims to support the Government of Mozambique and relevant groups dealing with Child Protection, Health, Livelihoods and Food Security, Nutrition and Education to ensure that COVID-19 preparedness, prevention and response activities are sensitive to the most vulnerable children and communities and address secondary impacts on health, nutrition, education, child protection, child poverty and child rights governance.

SCIMOZ's plan is subdivided and has four objectives, one of which seeks to “strengthen child protection mechanisms and institutions to ensure their ability to support and protect children, with a focus on vulnerable and at-risk populations, and to respond to emerging needs. We believe that today's act is in line with this specific objective” said Chance Briggs, stressing that Save the Children will continue to support the Government in what is necessary and possible.

In turn, Lucas Mangrasse said that MGCAS is implementing the Action Plan to Respond to the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19 on the vulnerable population and that the SCIMOZ gesture will strengthen the assistance and protection action of this population group, particularly women, children, people with disabilities and the elderly.