At sunrise on Zalala Beach in central Mozambique, Inácia Laquareta Abraão carefully plants rows of casuarina trees along the shoreline.
A few years ago, the 52-year-old grandmother struggled to feed the three grandchildren left in her care after the death of her daughter. The family relied on subsistence farming and irregular income, and food shortages were a recurring reality.
Today, the trees she helps plant protect the coast from erosion. The income she earned through Mozambique’s Productive Social Action Program (PASP) has also allowed her to invest in a small machamba (plot of land), where she grows tomatoes, rice, and beans. “The most important thing is that I created my machamba. I worked to overcome hunger and support the development of our children.”
For Inácia, tending seedlings and helping restore the coastline is about more than community work. It is part of a journey toward greater stability, food security and the ability to provide for her family.
Addressing Poverty, Climate Instability, and Economic Exclusion
Across Mozambique, poverty is often compounded by climate shocks, limited job opportunities, and economic vulnerability.
Since its launch in 2012, PASP has helped more than 300,000 people across all 11 provinces in Mozambique by combining cash transfers, skills development, and productive grants. Most participants are women living in some of the country’s most climate-exposed and economically marginalized communities.
Implemented by the Government of Mozambique, with support from the World Bank through the Social Protection for Economic Resilience Project and other development partners, the program helps families meet immediate needs while building skills, assets, and opportunities needed to earn a living long after support ends.
Participants receive income while contributing to projects that benefit their communities, including coastal protection, riverbank restoration, erosion control, and rural infrastructure improvements. Along the way, they gain practical skills and experience that can support future income generation.
