As many African countries did, Mozambique began its fight for independence from the Portuguese colonialists in the 1960s. After a 13-year struggle, Mozambique– twice the landmass of California–became independent in 1975. Unfortunately the timing coincided with the Cold War’s pitting Constitutional Democracy against Socialism and Communism. The Mozambique government under Frelimo, its Revolutionary Liberation Front, ruled with a Marxist fist until 1989 when it agreed to become a free-market economy. In October 1992, Mozambique officially ended its 17-year civil war during which 600,000 people died to finally began the process of healing, with the first multi-party elections held in 1994. Mozambique is a lush, large and potentially
productive country that is still recovering from its failed political experiment. TechnoServe has been embedded in Mozambique since 1998, rejuvenating the poultry and cashew industry and establishing many new agricultural programs.
Rick and Wendy visited Maputo, Mozambique for a long weekend in August 2006 while living in Swaziland which was only a few hours’ drive from where they lived in Mbabane. Rick has since returned in 2009 and again in 2012 for TechnoServe meetings.
