2020 Annual Report

Executive Summary:

ParCo did not slow down during the pandemic in 2020. Rather we were lucky to find purpose helping poor families and the local hospital respond to emerging challenges - and our team has remained healthy along the way. It was a surprisingly strong year for ParCo as our regular environmental conservation work reached new levels, and we settled into an office in town and hired more staff. We are now a team of fourteen full time employees. Unfortunately, our community preschool and environmental education projects were put on hold due to school closures.We appreciate your interest and support as we get caught up on communications after a period of adjusting to new demands. In this report you can find out about our work and impact over the year 2020 in more detail.

Partnerships:

In 2020, we rolled out new projects with support from XicoGaivota,3R Recycling Company, Sanctuario Bravio, Misereor, the US Embassy, Hooper & Louw Construction, and US PEPFAR. These partnerships enabled us to engage in waste valuing and seahorse research as well as respond to Covid-19 and launch a health rights project. The town government granted us use of a yard in the center of town for waste valuing and we rehabilitated the old building at the site for our offices. We are very appreciative to the town for helping us keep overhead costs low by letting us use the space and buildings rent-free. Finally, support from private donorsthis yearhelped us extend critical support to families and orphans in extreme poverty.  

Projects and Impacts:

SEAHORSES:

Since 2018, ParCo has worked intensively with the community of Mangalisse to prevent seahorse poaching. In 2019, with ParCo’s help, the community led over 40 snorkeling safaris for tourists to view seahorses in the bay. This brought thousands of dollars to the community as an alternative income to selling seahorses for the traditional Chinese medicine trade. In 2020, tourism completely dried-up due to Covid, but ParCo continued to work with the CCP (Village Fisheries Council). We installed a well and pump at the meeting space (with support from the US Embassy) as well as a bottle buy-back center where community members drop-off plastic litter for cash (with support from 3R). We also continued to support the ongoing efforts of the Mangalisse beach cleanup team to clear the entire Chibuene beach every Saturday (with support from Xico Gaivota).

In 2020, we started monitoring the seahorse population. In total, our research assistants Ilidio Cole and Amancio Huo performed 60 surveys of sites throughout the bay directed by Dr. Louw Claassens of South Africa (with support from Sanctuario Bravio). Ilidio and Amancio were also trained as PADI Divers to improve their underwater research capacity. In December of 2020, we launched a fundraiser on the GlobalGiving platform that will support the CCP’s efforts to establish protection zones in the bay for seahorses and other marine life to breed and thrive free of interference from local fishermen.

COVID-19 and SOCIAL PROTECTION:

ParCo was one of the first partners contacted by the local hospital to assist with the local response to Covid-19. Almost simultaneously, a German organization, Misereor, offered to fund ParCo’s efforts. We provided 8 experienced health volunteers at the public hospital to conduct temperature screening to patients at the entrances.We also trained another team of volunteers in Covid prevention communication, and how to build simple “tip-tap” hand washing devices. These taps make a huge difference in waterborne disease prevention in homes with no running water. In each neighborhood of Vilankulo, we identified the poorest families and visited them with Covid prevention lessons, tip-taps, and a kit with rice, beans, masks, soap and more. We reached over 80 families in a particularly desperate time as many had lost their usual sources of support due to Covid-19. For example, many working individuals who support their relatives lost income during the pandemic. With extra support from private donors, we were able to replenish food kits for over 30 of the most desperate families. During the course of our visits, we found families without shelter, and children living completely on their own. We were able to provide basic shelter to four families in 2020 (with support from Hooper and Louw), and boost care and support to two teenage orphans (with support from private donors).

CIRCULAR ECONOMY:

The term “circular economy” refers to waste being captured and reused instead of polluting the planet. ParCo works toward this vision in Vilankulo and the Bazaruto seascape. In 2020, we opened ParCo’s plastic center in the center of town and captured 26 tons of waste for recycling; mostly single use containers. We also acquired a pickup truck to transport waste (with support from Xico Gaivota). Over 200 “catadores” or self-employed trash collectors bring plastic bottles and other material to the center to earn cash (with support from 3R). The material is separate, washed, and sold on to recyclers. Our regular beach clean team brings waste from the beach every Saturday (with support from 3R). We also process material from the islands and local businesses. We are partnering with UpcycleMoz providing them with glass bottles that they transform into beautiful glasses and other home wares.

All in all, Vilankulo is looking noticeably cleaner. Although we couldn’t host crowded events this year, we did celebrate World Oceans Day and World Cleanup Day to keep the community motivated to protect the ocean, and to address informal dumping and littering in town.

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT:

Due to the pandemic, our community preschool closed along with all other preschools at the beginning of April 2020. Preschools are still restricted from operating due to Covid. Thanks to generous private donors, we took the opportunity to repair the playground black-top, add security, and paint a picto-alphabet on classroom walls. We really look forward to bringing the kids and teachers back to enjoy the improvements as soon as possible!

HEALTH RIGHTS:

In late 2020, we prepared to help Vilankulo residents report and address complaints about the quality of health services at local clinics such as waiting times, accurate prescriptions, confidentially, respect, and availability of medicines. The approach, which has successfully stimulated improvements at other sites in Mozambique, will be applied by ParCo in Vilankulo in 2021 (with support from PEPFAR).

SAKs (SCHOOL ACCESS KITS):

In 2020, we provided 11school access kits to orphans through private donations.Kits include backpacks, school supplies, uniforms and a small subsidy for fees charged at the public schools. This support makes education possible for families that tend to hold back some of the children in their care due to poverty. In 2021, we hope to reach over 100 orphans and vulnerable children through partnership with a service learning project at a private school in Saudi Arabia.

PROTECT BAZARUTO:

In 2020, we were informed of the success of our efforts - along with other partners - in the campaign to stop seismic testing and drilling in the Bazaruto Seascape. SASOL oil and gas company withdrew their application to the Ministry of the Environment to move forward with an Environmental Impact Study ahead of testing and drilling in blocks 16 and 19 - critical Dugong habitats not far from the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park. Aside from helping print opposition t-shirts just in time to flood the first listening session in Vilankulo, Juliet was able to attend the SASOL shareholder meeting in November 2018 and speak directly with the SASOL director responsible for projects in Mozambique to tell him that no ameliorative measures could possible make exploration off this coast okay for the people here. A number of lawyers and experts and other NGO’s joined and worked tirelessly on the cause. Who knows what ultimately influenced SASOL’s decision. Ours is not to question but just to celebrate.

6 Houses:

While identifying the most poor and vulnerable families in Vilankulo for food and hygiene assistance early in 2020, we discovered six families in desperate need of shelter. Hooper and Louw construction provided the funds to build simple reed huts that are typical of the area and help families stay same from the element. We completed four houses and will finish the other two next year.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION:

Because primary schools have yet to resume regular full-time in-person class schedules, our environmental education program remains on hold.

Conclusion:

We would like to thank all of the donors that supported us this year.