Family Assistance
The IMAGINE Family Assistance Programme
commenced in KaTembe in 2005
The programme is based on the belief that, wherever possible,
families should live together, in a healthy way within their own homes.
The mission of IMAGINE is to assist a family in need, to continue to look after the ill, elderly or young people within their own household.
The IMAGINE Family Assistance Programme (FAP) is run
in partnership with the Dept. of Women & Social Action
There are currently 126 families or elderly individuals registered for support. This is a fluid list which is continuously reassessed
by IMAGINE's community coordinators and Social Action
to ensure that dependency is not bred and that the families
most in need are prioritised for support.
The Programme has a number of elements
dependent on the specific needs of each household:
Food Distribution
House Building
Agricultural Sustainability Support
Health and Medical Support
Education Support
Funeral Support
Distribution of donated Clothing and Household materials
Food Distribution Programme
The IMAGINE Food Distribution Programme provides essential
food support every month to all families registered on the FAP.
At each district office, the Families registered on the programme,
meet with IMAGINE, the district administrator and a member of Social Action, to receive this practical assistance.
Each month the distributed parcels contain
flour, rice, sugar, salt, soap and a live chicken.
This food package supplements the food grown by families in KaTembe
and enables households who have taken in
orphaned nieces, nephews, grandchildren or ill relatives,
and meet the increasing demands put on their household resources.
IMAGINE believe that providing food assistance
does not breed dependency,
but enables families to be better able to progress to a position,
in which they can again, support themselves.
It is a step on the ladder in a time of strife.
The Food Distribution Programme shows the people of KaTembe that,
when they need it most, there are people who care.
House Building
IMAGINE in conjunction with the Dept. of Women and Social Action, identify families who are living in desperate conditions
and require a new home.
Many families are living in informal unstable structures that have become overcrowded as orphaned children and sick relatives enter the household for care.
IMAGINE also aim to assist families who lose their homes
to fire, floods, extreme winds...
IMAGINE construct two room brick houses with electricity connection and external brick latrine,
on land that is formally licensed to the family.
The register for families awaiting this assistance is
sadly much longer than IMAGINE would like.
Financial sponsorship is required to complete a new home
which means that IMAGINE only re-house families
when specific funding becomes available.
In cases of emergency, IMAGINE funds can be used to build a reed home,
which is much quicker and less expensive to construct.
Other Elements of Assistance
IMAGINE provide school uniforms, bags and classroom materials to the school aged children in households registered for assistance.
Seasonally IMAGINE distribute seeds to all families for planting so that they may develop their own agricultural areas and self-sustainability.
IMAGINE have also given goats, for the same purpose.
IMAGINE aim to regularly supply mosquito nets through the FAP,
to protect against malaria.
Specific support for medical issues is provided on a needs basis
and IMAGINE assist families to attend the hospital or clinic when required.
IMAGINE provide assistance to families who have suffered a bereavement. This usually involves practical support and the provision of a coffin,
with the aim of reducing additional stresses at such a difficult time.
IMAGINE are very lucky to have generous individual and corporate supporters
who make donations of clothing, towels, linens and other household items for distribution to families in KaTembe.
IMAGINE are overjoyed to be the medium
through which these gifts are delivered to those in need.
Old People's Village
The Old People's Village is a centre in KaTembe set up by INAS,
the Mozambique Development Department,
to care for elderly individuals living without the support of family.
The centre consists of 16 reed built houses and is currently home to
18 elderly individuals, who receive the equivalent of, ~$3 per month,
in state pension from INAS.
IMAGINE were asked by INAS to assist them in the care
of the elderly at the Old Peoples Village.
IMAGINE provide the same package of support as to those on the FAP.
They each receive a monthly food parcel and in addition
are given a monthly supply of paraffin.
They are also offered health, medical and funeral assistance,
given seeds and donated clothes, bedding and towels.
INAS approached IMAGINE at the end of 2010, to discuss their hope
to improve and expand the village, with IMAGINE's support.
The dream is to provide 30 brick houses with electricity and water supply, and a community centre on site.
IMAGINE are happy to share in a vision to enable more elderly people
to live comfortably in their old age. Keen to support the house building,
IMAGINE are currently looking for funders to sponsor the project.