In March 2000, Amurt first went to Mozambique to respond to the floods in Xai-Xai. After the disaster phase, we constructed the roads and 254 houses in the resettlement town of Ndameine 2000.
We commenced the hygiene and sanitation program in 2001, with grants from UNICEF and the Swiss Development Corporation, building 1,400 pit latrines in three resettlement areas. Our surveys had shown that many people were unaware of the causes of diarrhea, so we also organized educational theater programs in all the beneficiary communities.
 AMURT is working with UNICEF on a hygiene and sanitation program in 176 rural schools in Mozambique. One part of the program involves providing pit latrines for the schools. Here an AMURT worker is preparing the concrete slabs for the latrines. |  In rural Mozambique many schools are still held under trees due to an acute lack of infrastructure. AMURT would like to help such communities build simple school buildings. |
We are currently working in 176 schools in Xai-Xai, Chibuto and Guija Districts, installing 1408 pit latrines. In all the schools we are forming child-to-child sanitation committees and promoting awareness campaigns about hygiene and sanitation issues with a special focus on hand washing and fighting HIV/AIDS. We have a staff of 17 people.
Infrastructure in the rural areas of the districts where we are working is minimal. There is no piped water, no electricity and many school classes are held under trees. When it rains the children have to seek shelter somewhere, thereby disrupting their education.
With the help of UNICEF we are also sinking water wells in the rural schools to provide clean water for the children. Eventually we hope to help build schools, too, so that children can learn no matter what the weather is doing!
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| AMURT is digging bore holes at some of the schools to provide clean drinking water for the children. | |