To be included in the next 'Reflections' Journal


Previous journal entries in this series:
Vilanculos - Poverty & Paradise [link]
The Face of Africa [link]






"Mozambique was a colony of Portugal until 1975, when an 11 year war of independence ended with the establishment of an independent, Marxist government. A 17 year civil war started soon after independence, with an internal military uprising that was supported by some foreign governments. The civil war affected Mozambicans severely, especially in rural areas. By the late 1980s Mozambique had one of the lowest per-capita caloric intakes in the world."

Another alarming statistic was the displacement of local communities. Families were literally ripped apart & scattered across the country. Many of them refugees, but also fugitives on the run from bandits of war.
With the later establishment of orphanages it became apparent to how many children had lost both homes & family.
It was a frequent sight to see young girls, barely old enough to look after themselves, some of the as young as five & seven, taking on the mantle of motherhood. Young toddlers strapped to their backs in true African style, accepting their fate in life, without even the willpower to complain.

I will always have the deepest respect for the inner strength of African women.




Nampula, Mozambique February 1990
35 mm Negative











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