Mozambique Region consisists of four countries: Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Ananda Marga has centres in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Mozambique
Our centre in Mozambique is situated in the Gaza Province in the capital city of Xai-Xai. Since undertaking disaster relief operations after the severe floods of the year 2000, Ananda Marga has earned a very good name for its emergency relief and development work. Over a period of 7 years, we have built over 7000 toilets in 3 districts of Xai Xai province working under the sponsorship of UNICEF.
Currently two Dadas are working in Mozambique: Dada Mantrasiddhanandaji with assistance from Dada Sukalyana. They have built a demonstration centre on water and sanitation on the 40 ha. of donated land in Nguguleni village which is 20 kms. south of Xai-Xai city. We also provide free meals to 45 less fortunate children once per week on our Master Unit land. Another 23 children are fed daily at our office in Xai Xai town.
- Meeting with Village Chief and Secretary at Donated Land
With help from two European aid agencies, we have repaired 650 village water pumps since January, 2010. Our team has trained local water committees so that the people themselves can troubleshoot and solve any future difficulties with their pumps. On average each pump serves 500 people in a village. Each committee is elected by the villagers themselves at a specially convened village meeting facilitated by Ananda Marga.
Thus far our team has covered 3 districts in Gaza Province namely Xai Xai, Chibuto and Guija. The Dadas have a staff of nine people, three of whom are the main animators in the villages. Our team works with the district administration to identify the needy villages.
We intend to continue this activity at least until the end of 2012.
Our second activity in Mozambique is a hygiene promotion campaign which now operates in 28 primary schools in the Xai Xai Municipality. The school elects 15 students to form the cleaning committee. Their main responsibilities are to monitor the cleanliness of the school, guide students on proper hygiene in the toilets and teach a simple method of hand-washing. Our animators make unexpected visits to the targeted schools seven or eight times a year just to monitor their progress.
Our team now meets every Monday morning for collective meditation after one of the staff members requested Dada to incorporate this activity into the weekly work schedule. The staff has also recently begun a cooperative consisting initially of seven members, wherein they contribute 300 MT (about $11) per month to ensure a build up and rotation of capital to sell their product. The coop also meets on a weekly basis to review progress, discuss problems and plan for the future.
Zambia
We have been working in Zambia since 1978. Our present centre is in Emmasdale, Lusaka where we have been using the house and adjacent land as a pre and a primary school for the past 30 years. Currently our 8 classes have an enrollment of 93 children. We are planning to open Grade 5 next year as we attempt to roll out all 6 grades of Primary School in the coming years.
The school is now registered with the Lusaka City Council and recently opened its own bank account with a view to making our school financially transparent to attract serious donors that can help to build a new school.
Zimbabwe
Ananda Marga runs a Yoga/Meditation Centre at its headquarters of SDM (Seva Dharma Mission) in Hatfield, Harare.