Despite an impressive economic recovery, Mozambique is among the world's twenty poorest countries, ranking 168 out of 177 countries on the 2005 Human Development Index according to UNICEF. About half of the adult population lives in poverty.
Child poverty is a pervasive and deep-rooted problem, with about fifty-eight percent of children living below the poverty line. One of Mozambique's biggest challenges will be to translate its economic gains into improved child and maternal health and well-being over the medium and longer term.
Iris Ministries has been
ministering to orphans and at-risk
children for over ten years.
Approximately 700 children are in
orphanages while the remaining 2300
are cared for in foster homes managed
by local churches. Iris supports these
children by directly resourcing the churches that are administering the
foster care homes.
Despite an impressive economic recovery, Mozambique is among the world's twenty poorest countries, ranking 168 out of 177 countries on the 2005 Human Development Index according to UNICEF. About half of the adult population lives in poverty. 
