As part of the social responsibility of the IAOC - Agrarian Institute of Bilibiza (now in Ocua), in coordination with the Aga Khan Foundation Mozambique under its project, Improvement and Modernization Programme of IABil (now in Ocua) has joined forces with one of its suppliers, Tasha Comercial, and in commemoration of the month of Ramadan, have donated 40 mattresses to elderly people who recently have been relocated into the transit accommodation center for IDPs in Chiure. 

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The mattresses were initially purchased by the Aga Khan Foundation Mozambique to equip the newly built 120-bed female dormitory. During negotiations, and given the current context, the Aga Khan Foundation Mozambique agreed with its supplier that part of these goods should be allocated to the ones in need, the internal displaced people (IDPs), victims of armed conflict in northern Cabo Delgado.

 

The 40 beneficiaries, all aged over 65 years, who were forced to leave their homes, and lost all their possessions in the process, have been sleeping on the floor at the accommodation center.

 

The Government has been able to support relocating them to resettlement centers. However, the number of IDPs has now passed the 730,000 and rising; the needs are just too many and Government alone cannot cope, leaving many IDPs at mercy, good will, and solidarity of individuals and institutions. 

 

On the occasion of the ceremony, led by the Head of the Administrative Post of Ocua, and attended by the IAOC Management Board and the Aga Khan Foundation Mozambique project team and population, the beneficiaries addressed words of appreciation and were immensely grateful for the human gesture from the IAOC, the Aga Khan Foundation Mozambique, and the commercial company, Tasha Comercial.

 

The donation will be of great help to minimize the suffering and overcome an immediate need at the accommodation center.