Economic Growth India Project #20121

Together for a more just and caring society

by Fundacion Vicente Ferrer

Project Report | Jan 22, 2026
FVF expands its labor to Mozambique

By FVF Communication | Communication Team

Dr. Elsa Jordao Zhita, Carmelos's Director

Fundación Vicente Ferrer expands its labor to Mozambique

The organization begins its work in the country to curb HIV/AIDS after the withdrawal of international funding

Health and Wellness challenge

Fundación Vicente Ferrer (FVF) views Health as an essential human right encompassing physical, mental and social well-being beyond the mere absence of illness or diseases. From this perspective, it promotes a person-centered approach, recognizing individuals not only as users of the Health System but also as rights holders.

The full experience this right constitutes one of the fundamental pillars of its work, especially in contexts marked by profound structural inequalities that hinder access to essential services. Within this framework, the experience accumulated over 30 years of experience working to reduce this epidemic in India and aims to contain the spread of HIV/AIDS among minors and pregnant women in the African country, which has the second-highest incidence rate of the epidemic worldwide.

FVF’s main lines of action in Mozambique

Prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.
Reduction of gaps that hinder equitable access to health, with special attention to women and children.

Caring for people, transforming the future

Mozambique, a context where health deficiencies are especially urgent and require immediate intervention. Located on the southeast coast of Africa, has a population of 33 million people, of which 52% are under 18 years old. This young majority represents an opportunity for economic development, but it also poses significant challenges in health, education and employment.

The country faces a complex context marked by structural poverty, severe inequality, and very limited access to essential services. These factors place the country among those with the worst living conditions in the world, with an average life expectancy of around 63 years.

Deep inequalities particularly affect children, with 48% of girls and boys living in extreme poverty, high rates of child labor and school dropout, which increases significantly among girls due to child marriage, early pregnancy, domestic work overload, and sexual harassment in their environments. These vulnerabilities reflect structural gender inequalities, especially in rural areas, where women bear the burden of household care and agriculture without access to resources or decision-making spaces. Although some matrilocal regions offer women greater community influence, this does no offset the overall inequalities.

Despite the fact that the country has a legal framework recognizing the right to health and specific policies on HIV/AIDS, state capacity is limited. Reduction in international aid, primarily from USAID, the United States Agency for International Development, makes things worse.

Rural vulnerability and critical health challenges

Over 70% of the population lives in rural areas, where the highest poverty rate is concentrated, gender gaps deepen, and access to public health is even more precarious than in other regions, especially in remote areas. Most depend on subsistence agriculture, which is highly affected by recurrent droughts and floods, exacerbating food insecurity and limiting access to adequate nutrition.

AIDS remains the leading cause of death, and almost a 12.5% of his population live with the virus. It is the second country in the world where more people lives with it. Besides, around 42% of people with tuberculosis do not receive treatment within the public health system, 37% of children under five suffer from chronic malnutrition, and 52% of women of reproductive age have anemia.

In this context, Mozambique represents a strategic priority for FVF’s work in the field of the right to health. Its recognized experience in maternal and child health, combating infectious diseases, and strengthening community networks in rural areas provides an opportunity to generate impact, synergies, and knowledge transfer.

In the face of urgent need to strengthen equitable access to health, FVF’s presence and model contribute significantly to the overall well-being of the most vulnerable population, especially women and children.

Carmelo Hospital

Fundación Vicente Ferrer aims to contribute to improving access to and quality of health services in rural areas of the country, focusing its efforts on ensuring the operation of Carmelo Hospital, located in the Chókwè district, in the province of Gaza, Mozambique, which serves more than 48,000 patients annually. This region faces multiple challenges: geographical dispersion, difficult access to healthcare services, and socioeconomic conditions that increase the population's vulnerability, reinforcing the hospital's strategic importance in local healthcare coverage.

“The reduction of international funds has a huge impact on patients, medicines, counseling, and awareness talks for those living far away. Practically, everything is coming to halt.” Dr. Elsa Jordão Zhita, clinical director of Carmelo Hospital.

Carmelo is a leading public healthcare center located in a rural area severely affected by diseases such tuberculosis, malnutrition, and HIV, in which has a pioneering role in the diagnosis and treatment since the 1990s. This historical leadership continues today: in 2024, more than 8,000 people received antiretroviral therapy (ART), reinforcing the center's active role in the clinical management of HIV.

FVF's support ensures the Hospital's operation, especially in outpatient consultations, hospitalization and laboratory, in order to guarantee accessible, comprehensive care adapted to the priorities of the population. The goals are:

To guarantee comprehensive and continuous medical care, with special attention to HIV and tuberculosis, to ensure adequate hospital capacity, to strengthen the laboratory and to improve clinical follow-up.
To develop social, nutritional, and community support actions, especially in maternal and child health and in vulnerable groups, contributing to improving the quality of life of patients and their families.

Carmelo Hospital Laboratory

Carmelo Hospital Outpatient Care

Carmelo Hospital Inpatients

Carmelo Hospital Waiting Room

Mobile Health Unit

Links:

THE CARMELO HOSPITAL

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Aug 5, 2025
Childhood in South Asia

By FVF Communication | Communication Team

FUNDACIÓN VICENTE FERRER BROADENS ITS HORIZONS

For over 50 years, the Fundación Vicente Ferrer has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged communities in India. Throughout this journey, we have relied on the support of donors like you. Our donors' commitment has been fundamental to transforming the situation of these communities and promoting the fight against discrimination, inequality, and poverty. Based on our positive experience in India, we aspire to share our knowledge and learnings with others countries, especially with families and communities in situations of vulnerability and poverty. We believe that committed people, solidarity, and the power of care are the most powerful resources for transforming the world around us. Growing inequalities and the state of our world make good deeds and care more necessary than ever.

Our goal is to share our experience and all that we have built in India, and Nepal is the first of many destinations we wish to reach.

A commitment to childhood in South Asia

After dedicating more than five decades to rural communities in India, we are expanding our work to promote children's rights in South Asia. The Asian continent is facing emerging challenges, such as overpopulation and forced migration, which increasingly compromise the well-being and development of children. The negative consequences of these challenges are becoming increasingly. The situation of children in the South Asia region has reached a critical point.

Poverty and increasing inequality are forcing many children to abandon their studies, work in extreme conditions, and migrate with their families to meet their most basic needs. In the face of this reality, we aim to leverage our experience working with children in India to develop solutions that will improve the living conditions of girls and boys in countries such as Nepal, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

Data on the situation of children in South Asia reveal a disturbing reality in a region that is home to 36% of the world's children under the age of 18.

Education and Gender: 31.8 million children do not attend school. Additionally, only one in three girls makes it to upper secondary school.
Child Undernutrition: More than one in three children (38%) live in extreme food poverty, and nearly half of children under five are undernourished.
Child Labor: One out of every eight children between the ages of 5 and 14 is engaged in child labor. Furthermore, nearly half of these children perform hazardous work.

Childhood cannot wait

Children are among the groups most affected by the consequences of poverty. A lack of access to education and the practice of child labor can have a profound and lasting impact, affecting their expectations for the future and perpetuating the cycle of poverty throughout their lives. To improve the living conditions and future opportunities of children in South Asia, we are developing four lines of action:

Empowering through education. After years of efforts in India to educate the most vulnerable children, inspiring results have emerged: many children have succeeded in breaking the cycle of poverty. Therefore, we will continue to work in South Asian countries to ensure that all children have access to quality education.
Child protection: ensuring a safe environment for children. Our experience in India has shown us that children's well-being improves when they grow up in a safe and secure environment. Building on this experience, we will work in South Asia to empower children and families by teaching them about children's rights and how to protect them.
Support for Vulnerable Families. Poverty and lack of opportunities experienced by children are closely tied to their family circumstances. To address this issue, we will provide training and economic support to strengthen the family environment.
Support for Children with Disabilities. Since our inception in India, we have recognized the unique vulnerability of children with disabilities. With this in mind, we will continue our work in South Asia to ensure these children receive the necessary rehabilitation to help them overcome the barriers that accentuate their vulnerability.

SEE THE INTERACTIVE DOCUMENT CHILDHOOD IN ASIA AT THE LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OUR WORK.

Links:

CHILDHOOD ASIA

Attachments:

CHILDHOOD ASIA (PDF)

2 Attachments

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Mar 17, 2025
From Challenges To Triumph: Hanumakka's Journey Of Resilience And Entrepreneurship

By Namratha Rao Malkar | Communications Officer

A quiet hum of mathematical calculations fills the air in the morning hours at Hanumakka’s household. Namratha, the eldest daughter, tutors her younger sister, while their mother prepares breakfast. This is the everyday morning routine of their life. Hailing from Madakasira, Hanumakka’s life has been a testament to resilience and hard work.

Hanumakka is among the 1,004 beneficiaries of the Single Mothers Project initiated by RDT. The project aims to support single mothers and foster their independence. It provides comprehensive support, including housing and income-generation activities and scholarships to their children for higher education. The initiative has supported single mothers in building a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Overcoming challenges with strength

Hanumakka’s life had an upturn when her husband passed away from a heart attack. “We were held back in our lives for a while”, she says. Her determination to provide her children with a better future made her stand strong. With the support of the Single Mother project, she received economic assistance to start a footwear business. She travelled from village to village, selling footwear, determined to provide a better future for her family. This relentless effort took a toll on her health, leading to severe back problems which forced her to rest for a few weeks. “The time was very difficult for us; our fees were due, and we didn’t have enough money to run the household,” says her elder daughter Namratha.

With a strong resolve, she managed to pay daily expenses and take care of her children. With the support of RDT, under the Single Mothers project, Hanumakka also started a petty shop which generated additional income. “I got to understand many skills and how to develop a business through workshops conducted by RDT which made me improve my business skills,” shares Hanumakka. Hanumakka’s idea of starting a footwear business became a reality with her dedication and determination to provide her children with a happy and healthy life.

“We have seen our mother work tirelessly for us, and it inspires us to work hard and dream big” says Namratha. Hanumakka’s journey is not only about her resilience and entrepreneurship but also an example of the transformative impact of support and determination. Her journey to success is a reminder that every individual has the potential to thrive when given the opportunity. Let us join hands in creating a world where every person, like Hanumakka, has the chance to build a brighter future. Together, we can foster resilience, inclusivity, and opportunity for all.

Text and Images: Namratha Rao Malkar

Links:

Single Mothers - Rewriting Narratives, Empowering Motherhood

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