Since our foundation, we have embraced the challenge of facilitating access to quality education in the south of Sofala Province communities, where we operate.
This challenge is a priority in our work, knowing that education is the basis of all development and the guarantee for a better future for everyone, for the communities, Mozambique and the world (education for development).
In our four development centers in the rural areas, we have:
Raising the level of education to grade 12 in Barada, Estaquinha, Mangunde and Machanga, was a great achievement that opens the door to further studies in disadvantaged, rural and vulnerable areas.
Also, as an education non profit organization, we have included parents and guardians, school councils and communities in the awareness raising and educational processes so that the impacts and improvement of the quality of education are greater.
Inclusive education and integrated education, including children and young people with disabilities in our schools, and promoting girls’ access to school, are also our priorities. We raise awareness among parents and communities to value sustainable educational development and access to education for ALL.
Boarding schools – key factor on education for development
Literacy Centres
Many of our literacy centres in remote rural communities are far from the main access roads, many hours from the first village, where, in fact, “no one has come before”. They are a new opportunity for everyone to access education, where the prevalence of illiteracy is still considerable.
The majority of pupils are adults, mostly women. However, in some centers we also find children of school age, who would have to walk several kilometers to reach a school. So, everyone has the opportunity to have access to education, a new chance to learn to read and write. Each center is open for at least a two-year cycle. At the end, students receive a diploma equivalent to the 5th grade.
In the literacy centres, as a transversal content, life skills such as agro-livestock, savings, knowledge to set up and run small businesses are also learnt and topics such as health, sexual and reproductive health are discussed. These centers have been operating since 1998.
Schools of agriculture - education for development
Cross cutting issues in education – education Mozambique
Importance of cross cutting issues in education, on education for development: in our project work in education, our target audiences are made aware of various health issues, such as hygiene and disease prevention. AIDS and tuberculosis, COVID-19 and malaria are among many others. Citizenship and life skills development issues are also frequently addressed such as gender-based violence, agriculture, children’s rights or disability.