Maputo, Mozambique — Following an agreement with the Lisbon charity "Casa Pia," the authorities in Maputo have allocated 20 hectares for the building of an orphanage to lodge some 700 destitute children and youths.

The project, which started in July 1999 with the signing of a letter of intent between the Mozambican Labour and Social Welfare ministries and the Portuguese Labour and Solidarity Ministry, seeks to reduce the vulnerability of children and young people living under conditions of poverty.

Lucilia Figueiredo, director general of the department of Cooperation in the Portuguese Labour and Solidarity ministry, currently visiting Mozambique, said the Mozambican Casa Pia "would be directly administered by Portugal for eight years, after which it shall be handed over to the local government."

"At the beginning we will make available about 4.4 million US dollars, which corresponds to a third of the project's overall costs, intended for the building of infrastructure, training of staff, and the secretariat," Figueiredo said.

Apart from housing children and youth aged between three and 20, the project would offer vocational courses in computers, painting and welding among others, to guarantee a means of self-employment for the beneficiaries.