2017 ICT4D Conference

Across the Southern Africa region, the effects of an El Niño-induced drought have ravaged crops and cattle, limiting food supplies and pushing millions further into hunger and malnutrition. Families have been forced to adopt negative coping strategies, such as school dropout and child labour.

Mozambique has an estimated 2.3 million in need of food assistance , with budgets struggling to keep pace . As such, the need for efficient, effective and accountable programmes are vital. In the provinces of Tete, Sofala and Gaza, the Consorcio Humanitario de Mocambique, consisting of World Vision, Master Card, Food for the Hungry and the Government, is leveraging e-vouchers to deliver life-saving support to the most vulnerable children, families and communities until March, 2017 . With funding from DFID, the project is targeting 13,007 drought-affected families with food security and resilience efforts.

The e-voucher programme, which has leveraged World Vision’s Last Mile Mobile Solutions and MCAid , has realised the following benefits:

1. Enriched beneficiary dignity and agency to purchase desired commodities
2. Boosted local economy where registered traders are guaranteed income
3. Expanded financial inclusion & literacy for beneficiaries engaging financial institutions
4. Enhanced logistical efficiencies in the distribution and redemption of e-vouchers
5. Improved real-time M&E to discern beneficiary needs, market trends and diet diversity
6. Strengthened private-sector partnerships with financial institutions and local traders

World Vision’s presentation will showcase better humanitarian practices in e-voucher programming, technology and private-sector partnerships, in order to encourage more efficient and effective responses to food security crises.