ReliefWeb

ATLANTA (March 7, 2000) -- CARE today announced a grant of $350,000 from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help with the humanitarian crisis in Mozambique, where a cyclone and floodwaters have devastated much of the country and left it in dire need of food, drinking water and other supplies.
"This timely grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will strengthen CARE's efforts to immediately assist thousands of families and then jump-start our longer-term support for getting them back on their feet," said Peter D. Bell, CARE president and CEO.

In Mozambique, the Gates Foundation grant will support CARE-managed emergency centers, repair of water and sanitation systems and agricultural recovery. Currently, CARE is focusing its relief efforts in the capital of Maputo, and in the district of Guvoro in northern Inhambane Province, along the swollen Save River.

"This is a terrible natural disaster that has occurred in Mozambique," said Bill Gates, Sr., co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. "Bill and Melinda are proud to support CARE in its work to help the flood victims. We hope that by supporting CARE's initiative, our contribution will inspire others to help."

About CARE

CARE is one of the world's largest international private relief and development organizations, with projects in more than 60 countries. CARE began working in Mozambique in 1986 to help people affected by civil war. Since then, CARE has continued to distribute food and offer other emergency assistance. It also has expanded its work to include small economic activity development, agriculture and natural resources, health care and water and sanitation programs. With a staff of nearly 400 people, CARE operates in six of the 10 provinces in Mozambique.