Reflections and aspirations: the voices of DELPAZ beneficiaries in the provinces of Tete, Sofala and Manica

While the political scene in Maputo is fervently discussing the possibility of a National Reintegration Plan, stimulating an in-depth dialogue between the authorities and civil society, a path towards tangible change is already being taken in the provinces of Manica, Tete and Sofala. These steps, taken with determination, have already produced results that deserve to be supported and can constitute a solid starting point. However, the solution lies not only in policies and action plans, but above all in the direct experience and authentic voices of the protagonists of this transformation.

On 21 and 22 March, the International Conference on Post-Conflict Reintegration was held in Maputo, promoted by the Institute for Multiparty Democracy (IMD), under the high patronage of the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Combatants and the Secretariat for Peace (PPS). Among the participants, from the provinces of Tete, Sofala and Manica, the vibrant voices of Florinda, Rita, Mário, Graça, Anita, Isabel, Carménia and Carlota stood out.

For many of them, it was their first time in Maputo and they brought with them a message full of hope and urgency: “We want peace,” they declared emphatically. “We want to work the land, we are peasants. We want to grow our own food, send our children to school. We want to live in peace and for that we need your help.” Their words resonate with a palpable urgency, as they reflect essential needs: access to water, infrastructure, roads, markets, hospitals and schools.

The experiences recounted during the conference were moving and enlightening. Anita, her eyes still incredulous, commented on the sight of the abundance of water in Maputo’s hotels, contrasting it with the reality of her community, where water is a precious commodity that can only be reached after long journeys. Mário, impressed by the grandeur and vibrancy of the capital, thanked DELPAZ for bringing the borehole to his community and new agricultural practices, along with seeds and tools, expressing the importance of extending this type of project to all communities in need.

Florinda shared a feeling of gratitude and recognition: “We were nothing, but now we’re here talking and you’re listening to us. DELPAZ has made us visible.” These testimonies are a tangible reflection of the work done by DELPAZ, also evidenced by the distribution of the Declaration of Inhanzónia, a symbol of solidarity and inclusion promoted through the organisation of the solidarity camp in November last year in the Báruè district.

The role of women as local actors and leaders was particularly emphasised, with Carlota Inhamussua, an active DELPAZ Programme collaborator in Sofala Province, sharing significant experiences such as the savings project and the dream box. These activities aim not only to make tangible resources available, but also to stimulate the dreams and objectives of the communities involved, strengthening trust and people’s sense of belonging to their communities.

The road to peace and prosperity requires a collective and sustained commitment. When these communities begin to take the first steps towards change, it is crucial that they are not left on their own. They need time, support and resources to grow and continue to cultivate peace in their territories. Only through a shared commitment and lasting solidarity can a future of hope and prosperity be guaranteed for all Mozambican communities.

All of them demanded loudly not to be left alone, now that they are starting to ‘crawl’ and need more time and support so that they can ‘grow up’ and continue to cultivate peace in their communities.

DELPAZ, in partnership with the IMD, implemented by the AICS in Manica and Tete, and by the ADA in Sofala, with the support of the UNCFD, also contributes to this. In addition to water, infrastructure, access roads, seeds and new agricultural practices, it has stimulated the dreams of the communities most affected by armed violence, where DDR beneficiaries have returned to live together with their families.

As repeatedly expressed by the EU Ambassador to Mozambique, Antonino Maggiore, “As Mozambique’s partners, we are fully aware of the challenges we face in terms of reintegration and reconciliation; […] Peace and reconciliation can only be achieved through a thriving democracy and prosperity for the benefit of all Mozambican citizens.”

Provincial coordination committee wants extension of DELPAZ to ensure sustainability of projects in Manica

The DELPAZ provincial coordination committee in Manica has recommended extending the programme by one year, until 2025, to ensure that all the investments already made, in personnel and social infrastructure, become sustainable and continue to benefit the communities at the end of their implementation.

The coordinating body, which met in hybrid (face-to-face and remote) at the 5th Manica provincial committee on 29 May in the district headquarters of Macossa, whose debate was dominated by the extension of the programme, applauded the gains and social impact achieved so far with the implementation of DELPAZ in the five districts and suggested speeding up the implementation of the plans to catch up.

The committee members argue that the communities need more time to take ownership of the ongoing investments, which are improving their incomes and living conditions through livelihoods, as well as having a direct impact on agricultural activities and public infrastructure, such as water sources, markets, warehouses and others.

‘Everything is happening at the end, and in order to have all the gains we wanted with DELPAZ it was important to re-plan,’ to ensure that there is an exit strategy and sustainability, and that it must be integrated into the plans of the districts, emphasised Adelaide Charles, Permanent Secretary of the host district.

“We’re halfway there. Now things are looking up because they’re being done, and we need to guarantee sustainability, because our experience is that many projects have discontinued with their exit, and that won’t do any good if we want to contribute to consolidating peace,” emphasised Ernesto Lopes, Manica’s provincial director of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), which implements DELPAZ in Manica and Tete, in partnership with a consortium of civil society organisations led by the Italian NGO Helpcode, noted that the extension of the programme is on the table and remains open, having already been discussed at the National Committee meeting on 24 May in Maputo.

In all five districts of Manica province, DELPAZ is implementing projects in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure and entrepreneurship to ensure the economic and social reintegration of all ex-combatants, their families and rural communities affected by the conflict in order to achieve lasting peace in Mozambique.

Meanwhile, the Manica provincial coordinating committee gave a positive assessment of the progress of DELPAZ’s activities between November 2023 and April 2024, highlighting the construction, rehabilitation, extension and equipping of public infrastructure, as well as the training of 64 public service technicians and 77 community members to improve local governance and community livelihoods.

Access to water

In the period in question, AICS notes that six hydraulic infrastructures were built, eight hydraulic infrastructures were rehabilitated and a manual pumping system was converted to solar, benefiting more than 19,000 people, including former guerrillas under the DDR. Of all the beneficiaries, 60 per cent are women.

In the Barué district, two water supplies were built, directly affecting more than 3,800 people in two communities, where 12 former guerrillas under the DDR also live.

In Gondola, two water supplies were built, benefiting more than 1,200 people from two communities, where a former guerrilla is based.

In Macossa, eight water supply sources were rehabilitated, which has a direct impact on the lives of more than 11,600 people, including eight demobilised soldiers, while in Guro, a water supply source was built, benefiting more than 600 people in the community.

In the district of Tambara, a water supply source was built and a manual pumping system was converted to photovoltaic pumping, benefiting 2,700 members of two communities and five members of the DDR.

Furthermore, out of a total of 13 communities in the five districts that should benefit from solar-powered multi-purpose boreholes, geophysical surveys have been carried out in Macossa, while two boreholes have already been successfully drilled in two communities in Gondola, one positive and one negative borehole in Barué, two boreholes in Guro, and drilling has been completed in the three communities in Tambara.

Agriculture

In agriculture, AICS continued, there was an increase in the adoption of intelligent agricultural technologies and practices to increase production and productivity, with the assistance of local institutions to be ‘green incubators’, with 51 agricultural associations benefiting.

In addition, 47 demonstration fields were set up for maize, mapira, beans, nhemba and peanuts, and certified seeds were delivered. Certified vegetable and common bean seeds were also delivered, along with the distribution of production materials. In addition, 18 multiplication plants were installed.

Five green points were also set up, one in each district, where in addition to irrigation infrastructure and incubators (shade trees), regular technical assistance is provided for production and marketing.

Also in the agricultural sector, animal treatment corridors were built, a carracicide tank was rehabilitated in Guro and Macossa, and a market and district warehouse in Macossa were rehabilitated to make agricultural production viable.

An irrigation system was set up in Guro, and a drip irrigation system and a gravity irrigation system were installed in Tambara.

Training

Training was given in associations and leadership. As part of improving service provision for public, private and civil society actors, 64 public service technicians from the 5 districts were trained in human rights, citizenship, financial literacy, participatory governance and protection from sexual abuse.

77 people were also trained in human rights, gender equality, leadership, climate change, economic empowerment and business and savings management, as part of local capacity building.

Seven savings groups were also set up in producers’ associations to support women’s empowerment and social inclusion at district and community level.

Two cycles of training were also completed, covering 131 young small farmers from the districts of Barué and Guro (20% of whom are relatives of former guerrillas under the DDR) in the areas of agricultural and animal production techniques and the conservation of agricultural products, in partnership with the Chimoio Agrarian Institute (IAC), the oldest institution in the field in Mozambique and Africa.

FACIM 2024: AICS and the Private Sector Contributing to Mozambique’s Sustainable Development

The Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) took part in the 59th edition of the Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Fair of Mozambique (FACIM), held under the slogan ‘Industrialisation: Innovation and Diversification of the National Economy’, in Marracuene from 26 August to 1 September.

FACIM, the largest private sector trade fair in Mozambique, aims to promote trade, stimulate production and consumption, and attract investment to the country. In this edition, more than 3,000 exhibitors from 26 countries were present, including 2,300 Mozambican companies and 750 foreign economic operators. The AICS stand was in the Italian pavilion, where 17 Italian companies presented the excellence of ‘Made in Italy’.

During the event, AICS organised a cultural programme. As part of the project to prevent and control non-communicable diseases, more than 40 visitors had their blood pressure and glycaemia measured. Those with high blood glucose and blood pressure levels received recommendations for preventing diseases such as diabetes.

In addition, the green and resilient urban infrastructure project was presented, through which the first Municipal Composting Unit will be built in Maputo, with the involvement of private sector partners.

The INCLU.DE project presented its partnership with REMOTELINE, a Mozambican company that offers sign language interpretation to facilitate communication with hearing-impaired people via WhatsApp calls.

The visitors also had the opportunity to meet various cooperatives and companies supported by AICS, such as the Kuvanga company, which sells dehydrated fruit such as mango, pineapple and coconut in Inhambane, the Barué fruit cooperative, which specialises in selling litchi, and the Ibo Coffee Producers Association, which sells Ibo coffee as part of the MAIS VALOR 1 project. The farmers from the DELPAZ Programme stressed their joy and satisfaction at taking part in the international fair in Maputo, where they were able to exhibit and sell their products, maize, beans, onions, peanuts, mapira, etc. and, above all, to showcase good practices and network, as highlighted by the report dedicated to them by the international television channel RTP, in Repórter África on 29 August.

The AICS stand attracted many visitors, including businesspeople, journalists and partners interested in Italian cooperation and in AICS’s work with the private sector in Mozambique. Among the visitors was the President of the Republic of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi, accompanied by Osvaldo Petersburgo, Secretary of State for Youth and Employment. Both had the opportunity to dialogue with the Job Creation Team Leader, Alberto Tanganelli, about AICS’s new strategy to promote innovation in employment in partnership with local entities.

 

Marcos Augusto: personal transformation and creating opportunities for the youth of his community

Marcos Augusto, with a trajectory like that of many young people in his village of Mudima, in the northwestern interior of Gondola, Manica province, finished 10th grade and spent many years waiting for a job opportunity in the public sector.

He only had one year left of ‘hope’ for his dream job in the state – as the age limit for admission is 35 – when, earlier this year, he applied for a carpentry training position under DELPAZ, a Mozambican government programme implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), which pays special attention to creating opportunities for young people, women, ex-combatants and their families.

‘I applied and was selected in the two phases before the training and, together with other trainees, we were admitted to a training course that started on 15 May 2024, and I chose the area of carpentry,’ explained Marcos Augusto, who is doing a one-month internship.

He emphasised that training in carpentry was the push he needed to take the lead in his career. Since then, he has started to ‘write’ his own story,’ says Marcos Augusto, ’embracing with dedication the opportunity to train in carpentry, a trade with which he intends to create self-employment and help his remote community.

‘From where I live to the town of Gondola is 18 kilometres, and for those who need coffins for burials, or to have windows, doors and other items built, getting there is quite expensive. That is why I thought of becoming a local carpenter,’ he said.

Learning the trade, he said, was essential for him to think about building a successful career, one that will focus on helping many young people in his village get out of unemployment, taking refuge in crime and drug use.

‘There are young people who are not working, so if I bet on self-employment, with the kit they will give me in this training and some money, I will take young people and employ them in my carpentry workshop. That way, these young people won’t steal, and they won’t have dependencies. They will work in my company, which I want to grow,’ he said.

This training was quite advantageous for him. It would have taken him a lot longer to become a carpenter, a desire, however, that he had also long had to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, a carpenter.

‘I would like the project to provide me with manual and electronic equipment, because electrical equipment produces furniture faster than manual equipment, which would really help me achieve my goal of employing many young people in my area who are not working,’ he said.

Thanks to the development of skills and confidence, Marcos Augusto is grateful for the opportunity provided by DELPAZ and hopes that the programme will reach other young people in the provinces affected by the armed conflict.
A total of 100 young people have already benefited from vocational training in carpentry, blacksmithing, construction, mechanics and tailoring in the five districts where DELPAZ is implemented in Manica province.

Eneida, the young electrician who wants to transform her quiet village with smart lighting

Driven by her love of electricity, Eneida Piedade Domingos, 24, was inspired to transform her quiet village in the interior of the Guro district with smart lighting, after having benefited from the electrical installation course promoted within the DELPAZ programme.

The daughter of a former Renamo guerrilla fighter, she says that the armed conflict in her district has slowed development, but also the form of lighting, which is not in tune with the harmony of light compared to developed cities in the country and the world.

‘This was the opportunity I found to take a course,’ she says, emphasising that this gave her the knowledge she needed to realise her dream of seeing her village use technology to light its houses and streets. Eneida points out that although this technique is already applied in other parts of the world, it is still little used in her district.

‘The example of using photocells in houses makes it possible to flip the switch at a certain time and light up a room without the need for human presence,’ as well as the use of app-controlled smart bulbs to save energy consumption in homes, he explains enthusiastically.

She emphasised that ‘the course helped me to come up with ideas for changes in my district, such as the use of objects that many people already use’ in advanced cities.

Eneida finished compulsory schooling without having had the opportunity for vocational training, especially in the field of electricity, her passion since childhood, and sees this opportunity as a window of change for her social life as well.

‘I am a woman and I was able to take the electricity course; therefore, I encourage other women to take this type of training and find a job,’ to achieve economic independence and “not just wait for men to work”.

She insists that women should be able to support the family on their own and ‘not just wait for the man, wait for money from someone, so having an education is important to be able to support one’s family,’ she notes, thanking DELPAZ for its efforts in providing training opportunities for young people.

‘I am very happy that the DELPAZ programme has given us this opportunity to study, I am really grateful, because even though not all the young people in my district were able to take the course, I will reach out to other young people to teach and together transform our district,’ says Eneida Piedade Domingos.

A total of 100 young people has already benefited from vocational training in carpentry, metallurgy, construction, mechanics and tailoring in the five districts where DELPAZ is implemented in the province of Manica.

The DELPAZ programme pays special attention to creating opportunities for young people, women, ex-combatants and their families.

In all five districts of Manica Province, thousands of people have already benefited from DELPAZ, which is implementing projects in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure and entrepreneurship to ensure the economic and social reintegration of all ex-combatants, their families and rural communities affected by the conflict, in order to achieve lasting peace in Mozambique.

The Mozambican government’s programme is funded by the European Union, and together with UNCDF is implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), which implements DELPAZ in the provinces of Manica and Tete, and by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in Sofala.

Evelina, Afonso Dhlakama’s former cook who used certified seeds for the first time

By family tradition, Evelina Zacarias had stored some of the maize kernels from her harvest in the barn to use them as seed for the next farming season in 2023, but climate change, which has caused drought in her village, has called this practice into question.

“We always kept the kernels that looked healthier. It’s a tradition that goes back to my grandparents, but as the rainy season waned, the seeds sprouted and withered immediately due to the sun at this stage, and so we lost most of the production, with one ear or the other surviving” in the field, which was then harvested and stored for planting, she explains.

The former guerrilla of the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) was reintegrated after her recent demobilisation in the village of Zivale, a locality in the interior of Muda Serração, in the district of Gondola, in the province of Manica, where, in addition to her family, she cultivates to support herself.

She joined a farmers’ association as part of the disarmament, demobilisation and social reintegration (DDR) process and received certified seed for the first time thanks to a DELPAZ support line.

“We received the certified seeds and I planted them in the field for the first time. Wary, I set aside a plot where I sowed traditional seeds, but everything that sprouted died because of the sun. All the food I have today comes from certified seed,” she explained.

“The certified seeds have greatly improved my income from field production. I had no idea that the drought was caused by climate change and that we had to react with new farming techniques and improved seeds that DELPAZ technicians are teaching us,” she remarks, as she rearranges the bundles of hay that will cover a new barn.

Evelina Zacarias, 50, reintegrated in Zivale, fought for the Mozambican National Resistance (Renamo) guerrillas for 18 years, serving as a carer for the historical leader’s children and then as Afonso Dhlakama’s cook, and has been demobilised twice, most recently in June 2020.

Evelina was recruited into guerrilla warfare at the age of seven in 1981, during the 16-year civil war, and was demobilised a first time in 1994 by the UN peacekeeping mission in Mozambique (Onumoz). After 18 years of civilian life, she rejoined the guerrillas to ‘fight for democracy’ in 2012, when Afonso Dhlakama summoned and regrouped former guerrillas in the Gorongosa mountain range in Sofala.

“I was recruited with my father in Mpunga and from there with General Ossufo (Momade) we left for Gorongosa, then for a base in Maringue and then for Massala,” a journey that took months on foot, the woman recounts, pointing out that it was in Massala that she was first demobilised.

Now the mother of eight children, all born during the intervals of the conflicts, she initially received military training for combat but was then assigned to look after the children of President Afonso Dhlakama, who later also served as cook.

“There were houses where the leader’s wives and children were and we looked after them. We washed their clothes in the rivers and cooked for them until the end of the war. President Dhlakama always came there where the wives and children were and assured us that one day the war would end, and this went on until we were demobilised for the first time in 1992,” she says with an enviable energy in her gestures.

The former guerrilla recalls that on her first demobilisation she returned to her home village of Búzi with a machete, an axe, a hoe and a bank cheque, which she never cashed because it burnt down in the hut where she lived during a fire.

She was demobilised again as part of the Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) process – which stems from the peace agreement signed in 2019 – and is now devoting her life to her family and farming.

“We are learning to overcome the drought with new production methods and this will improve our income, so we can take care of our family,” says Evelina, her usual discreet smile highlighting the dark features that cross her face.

She hopes to one day mechanise farming and abandon the hoe he uses to cultivate his two hectares of land, dedicated exclusively to growing maize and sesame.

The ex-guerrillas are among the thousands of beneficiaries of the DELPAZ Programme, which ensures the economic and social reintegration of all ex-combatants, their families and rural communities affected by the conflict, in order to achieve lasting peace in Mozambique.

 

 

Stories from Mozambique that dismantle hate speech

International Day of Education 2024

Wars and wounds inflicted by armed violence have left an indelible mark on the communities of Mozambique. In this challenging context, Helder and Ana, two children from the province of Tete, represent the strength and hope of those who dream of a better future. Their story, symbolized by a pencil, a sheet of paper, and a wooden stool, reflects the determination to overcome adversities and build an educational path despite the challenges.

The escape to Malawi was the only option for many families in the area, forced to leave their homes due to war. Schools in the area were closed, depriving children of the right to education. “When they signed the peace agreement, we could finally go back home and to school,” they told us, smiling.

The signing of peace in 2019 marked a crucial moment, allowing Helder and Ana to return home, go back to school, and resume their education. This event underscores the crucial importance of resolving armed conflicts to ensure the right to education for all, especially children whose future is often threatened by violence.

 

Stories of rebirth are not only individual but also reflect the broader social fabric. Rita Saimon’s testimony, a mother in the Bárué district, Manica province, speaks of hope in the future that her children’s education can bring. “You see, today we can cultivate without fear, we can feed our children enough before they go to school every morning,” Mrs. Rita told us.

Peace has made it possible to cultivate without fear, ensuring adequate sustenance before children go to school every morning. “This gives me confidence that their future will be different from mine, and they will take care of me in my old age if they study and find a good job,” commented Mrs. Rita, who knows neither the word hatred nor revenge. “All this is possible because there is peace, and we work as one community, and that’s what we teach our children.”

Since the signing of the Maputo Peace Agreement on August 6, 2019, for peacebuilding and national reconciliation, progress has also been made through the DELPAZ program – funded by the European Union, implemented by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in the provinces of Manica and Tete; by the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) in the Sofala province, with the participation of UNCDF – to strengthen peace consolidation. The program is committed to supporting local communities in building peaceful and sustainable societies, allowing them to develop their problem-solving skills calmly and reflectively.

The premise that all this can be achieved is to equip communities with adequate knowledge and, above all, ensure that children grow up in safe environments and receive proper education.

With the establishment of peace, human rights can be exercised more effectively, including the right to education.

 

On this day dedicated to education and the fight against hate speech, the testimony of Helder, Ana, and Mrs. Rita reminds us that education is a transformative force capable of illuminating the path to a better future, free from hatred and conflict. It is an appeal to building a future based on understanding, tolerance, and awareness of diversity. Only through education can we hope to break the cycle of poverty and contribute to building a peaceful and prosperous society.

Tuning in to change: the transformative impact of community radio in Mozambique on World Radio Day

Since the Indipendence, Radio Mozambique has expanded to all provinces and is now estimated to reach about 95 per cent of the national population. The liberalisation of the media market in the 1990s opened up space for the emergence of community radio stations, increasing their level of expansion and territorial reach.

Community radios – of the Institute of Social Communication (ICS) and FORCOM – are an important source of information in rural Mozambique: about two-thirds of Mozambicans, especially those in rural communities, receive their information through community radios. Through programme production, community radios play an important role in community mobilisation, influencing behavioural change on issues related to health, education, agriculture and climate warning.

Donato Maguere (32) is a young man from the district of Macossa, in the province of Manica, who has been joining forces with other radio producers since 2021 – the year Macossa Community Radio (ICS) was born – and explains the importance of radio for local development.

“I have always liked radio, especially Radio Mozambique’s news bulletins, and when I had the opportunity to be part of the community radio team I was really happy because I firmly believe in the role radio plays in informing listeners and helping to maintain peace.”

“Macossa is a very small area and with the entry of radio we are seeing growth, progress, especially in terms of behaviour change,” says Donato. “We have programmes on climate change, for example, or malaria.”

“I can also say that our radio station played a very important role during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was us, with our messages, who helped the population to control the disease, and our radio reaches the last listener in the most remote community, even where there is no telephone network,” he says proudly. “It is thanks to radio that our communities are better able to fight malaria and deal effectively with the crises caused by climate change.”

Radio is a key medium for maintaining peace. “Through the production of news and commercials, the radio daily conveys the message of the importance of the inclusion of the DRDs, the people demobilised by the war, in society,” says Donato, “with DELPAZ –  the programme of the Government of Mozambique, financed by the European Union with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and its partners such as the NGO HELPCODE in our province, and in Tete – we continue our work for the inclusion of everyone in society and for the tranquility of our communities.

“People believe in us because our news is credible and we do not fall into the trap of fake news often spread through social media,” adds Narcísia Kupa (34), also from Macossa Community Radio.

“I have been working in radio for three years,” says Narcísia. “In addition to broadcasting news about what’s happening in the district, we convey educational messages about health, such as the importance of mosquito nets in the fight against malaria.”

But there is also entertainment. “We play music and take phone calls from listeners: it’s a way of establishing an even stronger bond between us and in this way our credibility also grows.”

Encouraging other girls to work in radio is one of Narcísia’s missions. “I really enjoy what I do because I feel it is relevant to our communities, so I invite other women to get involved in radio work”.

 

A Water Revolution: Malimanao Community Celebrates the Restoration of the Water Pump

In the heart of the Malimanao community, in the administrative area of Nhamagua, an extraordinary celebration took place yesterday, marked by the official delivery of the restored water pump into the hands of António Dinis, the district administrator of Macossa, in Manica province. The event represented a significant step towards ensuring sustainable access to clean water for all members of the community.

António Dinis expressed deep gratitude to the DELPAZ Program, which actively supported the rehabilitation process of the water pumps. “We are very grateful to the DELPAZ Program for providing valuable support in the rehabilitation of our pumps. This will significantly contribute to the well-being of our communities,” stated the administrator. He also emphasized the importance of the community now taking responsibility for the maintenance and wise use of this vital resource.

The ceremony witnessed the delivery of an Afridev-type water pump, one of the seven recently restored by the DELPAZ Program. Rosita Panazache, representing the Malimanao community, shared her joy in finally seeing water easily accessible. “Now we can save time as it will no longer be necessary to travel long distances to fetch water from traditional wells,” she exclaimed.

Pedro Paunde, the community spokesperson, highlighted the importance of the pump not only in facilitating water access but also in disease prevention. “Water not only nourishes us but protects us from diseases. I appeal to all communities to enjoy the privilege of having their own water pump,” he declared.

The event was made even more special by the presence of Carlos Mairoce, representative of the Italian component of the DELPAZ Program, and Paolo Gomiero, representative of the NGO Helpcode. Sofrimento João Francisco, director of the Serviço Distrital de Planeamento e Infra-estruturas (SDPI), emphasized the commitment to sustainable development and the importance of infrastructure for community progress.

This celebration not only marks a significant step forward in providing safe and accessible water but also serves as a tangible example of how collaboration between organizations and communities can bring meaningful change for the benefit of all. A testament to hope and progress for the people of the Malimanao community and an inspiration for many other communities to pursue a better life through access to clean water.

 

Beyond the Challenges: The Story of Berta Arlindo, a Courageous Entrepreneur in Remote Mozambique

In a remote district of Mozambique, in the province of Manica, 24-year-old Berta Arlindo stands out as a true entrepreneur, defying local adversities to carve out her own destiny. Residing in Macossa and holding a degree in accounting and auditing from the University of Chimoio, Berta decided to confront unemployment head-on and initiated a business of breeding and selling chickens last year.

For Berta, unemployment served as the catalyst that propelled her to find solutions to meet expenses. Despite efforts to secure employment after her studies, she was unsuccessful. Even with her husband employed, the desire to be self-sufficient and independent motivated her to venture into entrepreneurship.

Being an entrepreneur in Macossa is no easy task. The success of her chicken business heavily relies on market peaks, such as during Christmas and New Year, when demand increases. However, she faces slower months, making it challenging to sell her products. Berta encounters additional challenges due to the lack of access to poultry-related products and medications for treating chicken diseases, as there is no specialized store in Macossa.

The lack of access to these resources forces her to travel for five hours to Chimoio whenever she encounters health issues in her chickens. Despite these obstacles, Berta remains optimistic, acknowledging the country’s constraints but smiling in the face of difficulties.

Berta decided to start the chicken business for two main reasons. Firstly, she noticed the absence of direct competition in chicken breeding in Macossa, presenting a unique business opportunity. Secondly, she recognized the important nutritional value of chicken, especially in a region where access to animal protein sources may be limited.

The entrepreneur highlights the significant role of the DELPAZ program in the community, mentioning the distribution of seeds for agricultural practices. Additionally, Berta hopes to benefit from the training provided by the program in microcredit or marketing, aiming to attract new customers and improve the structure of her business.

Berta Arlindo acknowledges the additional challenges that women entrepreneurs face in Macossa due to the lack of opportunities, but her resilience and determination serve as sources of inspiration. Her story not only emphasizes the difficulties faced but also underscores the importance of programs like DELPAZ in empowering and supporting local communities in the pursuit of economic self-sufficiency.