Amplifying the Voices of Returnee* Children in Macomia and Palma, Cabo Delgado: Their calls for now and the future

“Amplifying the Children’s Voices of Returned Children in Macomia and Palma, Cabo Delgado”, consulted 120 girls and boys who have returned to Palma and Macomia about the places they have returned to; the challenges they face in their every-day lives, their hopes and fears, and their recommendations for humanitarian assistance. These children had in some cases returned to their original communities before the conflict, while others have not especially in Macomia due to the continued high levels of insecurity nearby and remain in very challenging living conditions. The pattern of displaced people returning to their districts of origin pre-conflict in Cabo Delgado has been a growing trend this year, and there are now an estimated 571,468 returnees people, half of whom are children in the province. In total more than 1.4m people have been displaced by the conflict, and there remain 850,599 internally displaced people.

Save the Children’s survey found that children had witnessed extreme violence, and some had lost parents and family members, affecting their physical and psychological wellbeing. Children spoke about other children who had been abducted or escaped from armed groups. (* Note all children’s statements were not fact checked or verified).