Angola

Angola: Rebuilding Childhood, One Story at a Time

Explore Angola:

Explore Angola: Learn how Angola’s children are rising from the shadows of conflict and inequality with courage, community, and hope.

The Situation for Children in Angola

Angola is a country of incredible resilience, rich in natural resources and healing from decades of civil war. But for many children, the scars of the past still shape their everyday lives. These are the most urgent challenges they face today:

Post-Conflict Poverty and Economic Instability

Although Angola has seen economic growth through its oil industry, many families still live in deep poverty. Children often lack access to basic necessities like food, clean water, and stable income at home.

High Rates of Child Malnutrition and Stunting

One in three children suffers from chronic malnutrition. Without consistent meals, safe drinking water, or access to healthcare, their development and futures are at risk.

Barriers to Education in Rural Areas

In many provinces, schools are damaged, under-resourced, or miles away from children’s homes. Girls in particular face early marriage and family responsibilities that pull them out of the classroom far too soon.

Despite these challenges, Angola’s children remain full of hope, dreaming of education, health, and opportunities for a better tomorrow.

Key Contributor #1: Roda da Alimentação Infantil

Child Nutrition In Rural Angola

From vaccinating infants under a tree canopy to teaching new mothers how to manage fevers, their work goes far beyond medicine — it builds trust, dignity, and hope. They also lead local health education workshops that empower families with knowledge about nutrition, hygiene, and disease prevention.

In places where medical centers may be hundreds of kilometers away, Santé Sud’s presence means the difference between silence and support — and for many children, the difference between surviving and thriving.

Key Contributor #2: Educar Angola

Restoring Education After Conflict

In towns and villages where classrooms were destroyed and teachers fled during the war, Educar Angola is working to bring learning back — and bring children with it. The organization focuses on rebuilding trust in education by providing mobile school kits, hiring and training local teachers, and rehabilitating old schools.

They start small: a chalkboard, a tarp for shade, backpacks with supplies. From there, they create safe learning spaces where children — many of whom have missed years of school — can catch up, feel welcomed, and begin again.

Their work goes beyond logistics. Educar staff mentor children struggling with trauma, offer night classes for working youth, and encourage girls to return to school after dropping out. In post-conflict communities where education once felt impossible, they are making it feel hopeful again.

Key Event #1: Village School Kit Drive – Bié Province

School Supplies for War-Affected Regions

In the central province of Bié, where many schools had been abandoned or damaged during the civil war, volunteers and teachers came together in 2023 for a powerful event: the Village School Kit Drive. Hundreds of children gathered in open fields as organizers distributed school supplies, chairs, writing tablets, and mobile chalkboards.

Some students clutched their first-ever notebooks. Others lined up excitedly to receive pencils, books, and uniforms. Teachers, many of whom had taught without materials for years, were moved to tears.

More than just supplies, the event sent a message — that education is returning, and that children in Bié matter. In communities still recovering from war, this drive became a symbol of revival.

Key Event #2: Community Kitchen Launch – Huambo Region

Hot Meals For Children In Need

In a quiet neighborhood on the outskirts of Huambo, a group of mothers launched a bold idea: a community-run kitchen that would serve free meals to children every day after school. With the support of local NGOs, donated rice and beans, and a few borrowed pots, the Community Kitchen Launch began in early 2024.

Each afternoon, over 200 children gather under shade trees to eat hot, nutritious food prepared by volunteers. Some come from homes where meals are inconsistent. Others come simply because they know someone cares.

For the women leading the effort, this isn’t just about food — it’s about dignity. It’s about helping children concentrate in school, grow stronger, and feel that they are not alone. The kitchen has now become a community hub, offering cooking classes for teens and nutrition workshops for parents.

Top Grassroot Nonprofits Across Angola