Quirimbas National Park
The Quirimbas National Park (QNP) was established in June 2002 with the support of local communities and other stakeholders. It is a bottom-up initiative to address existing problems through sustainable development and natural resource management in the communities, the Cabo Delgado Province and the park in particular.
The park totals an area of 750,639ha, of which 152,237ha is marine (the ocean, islands and S. Lazaro Bank) and 598,402ha is terrestrial. This land has long been recognized for its beautiful and pristine nature, with a rich and outstanding biodiversity and historical heritage.However, fish stocks in the coastal area have been seriously decimated by overfishing and human settlements inside the wildlife habitats have led to human/wildlife conflict, which the park has started to address. The loss of soil fertility due to permanent shifting cultivation, soil erosion and diseases that seriously affect cashew nut and coconut trees, have all contributed to a negative trend in livelihoods for local people. According to Cabo Delgado Strategic Plan 2000-2005, life expectancy was 37.8 years, while infant mortality above 5 years old was 295 in 1,000.
The Scholarship Campaign
WWF has been active in the Quirimbas National Park area since 2001, and supports implementation of the park’s management plan. Recognizing an opportunity to combine human development and conservation efforts, the Environmental Fellows Association of Cabo Delgado (AMA) in partnership with QNP and WWF launched a scholarship programme for young girls in 2005.The campaign’s goal was to provide schooling opportunities for young girls in the Ibo Island. Tradition and poverty means that young girls aged 13 to 14, are forced to give up school to become housewives (in some cases marrying men 3 times their age).
One of the reasons why these girls are forced to give up school is that there are no secondary schools nearby where they can continue to study beyond 6th Grade. With these scholarships, they have now the opportunity to move to other villages to attend the secondary schools that exist there.
In its early stages the project ran awareness campaigns about gender issues, and about the benefits educated members, especially women, bring to a community. When the campaign began the outlook was bleak, but the project has been a success. The number of participants in the Ibo district rose from 8 in 2006 to 20 in 2007. The goal now is to increase this number to 30 girls. In the Macomia district of QNP the goal of 30 girls benefiting from the scholarships was achieved in 2006/07.
All sponsorship beneficiaries receive a monthly amount of 30,000 Meticals** (approx. USD 12.5) for accommodation, transport and education materials.
** Metical (Currency)
Based on this fantastic experience, WWF and QNP now intend to expand the number of young girls going to school in PNQ in the future. But we need your HELP!
