Children and teenagers studying at the AEA Matene centre
In the administrative post of Estaquinha, the Matene Adult Education and Literacy Centre (AEA) stands as the sole opportunity for 88 children and adolescents to learn reading, writing, and basic arithmetic. The nearest primary schools, Machemedje and Riconde, are approximately 15 km away, making access to formal education challenging due to long distances and deteriorated roads, especially during the rainy season. The roads are very rocky and steep characterised by streams and craters. This situation hinders regular school attendance for children aged 6 to 14, a barrier that the Matene centre strives to overcome.
Dedication of Educators and Community Support
Coordinator and educators at the Matene AEA centre
António Filipe Zaba, the third-year literacy teacher, leads a class of 31 children aged seven and above. “Here at the Matene centre, we welcome children from surrounding communities. Some walk up to 7 km to attend classes here; compared to the distance to a primary school [up to 15 km], parents prefer their children to study here,” António explains.
Although designed for adults, the literacy centres in Matene exclusively serve children and adolescents. “Parents understand that the centre aims to assist adults who missed the chance to attend school in the past, but in Matene, the situation differs. Many children lack study opportunities due to the distances, and parents prefer prioritising the children, despite the difficulty of continuing after completing the 4th year of literacy education,” explains Samuel Chissequeira, AEA coordinator in Estaquinha.
Samuel Chissequeira – Estaquinha literacy centre coordinator
Educators face significant challenges, commuting from Estaquinha and Madjimba 2, a journey of about two hours by bicycle in a very difficult road. To alleviate this effort, the community constructed simple huts for the educators to reside from Monday to Thursday, the days when classes are held. This guarantees the teachers attendance even in more extreme weather heat or rain.
Road to Matene literacy centre
Stories of determination and hope
Sara Américo, 36, is the mother of Pedro Jacob, 10, and Maria Jacob, 8, both students at the centre. She highlights the centre’s importance: “I didn’t have the opportunity to attend school, didn’t learn to read or write in childhood, and I don’t want the same for my children. I want them to learn and have a profession in the future and make their dreams come true.” Despite the centre being attended by children, Sara also decided to study, becoming the only adult student: “Today I can sign my name and count, which helps me a lot when I buy or sell something.”
Sara Américo – student and guardian
Beyond the challenges of accessing education, Sara is concerned about limited agricultural production, affecting children’s nutrition and, consequently, their motivation to study. “So far, I can have two meals at home, but if the rain doesn’t fall, the current crops will also dry up, like the previous three [from previous sowings], and we won’t have food,” she laments. This uncertainty impacts student attendance rates.
Carla Nelinho, 14, fictitious name, completed the 4th year of literacy, equivalent to primary education level. However, due to the lack of conditions to attend the distant primary school, she decided, along with her parents, to return to the 3rd year at the centre. “Here at the centre, I learned to write my name and the name of my family members’, read and count, and learned more about historical facts of Mozambique, but I don’t have the means to go to primary school because it’s too far,” Carla reports. “My older brother also attended AEA and continued studying at primary school but dropped out due to the distance and his bicycle breaking down,” she adds.
Educator’s house
In many AEA centers across the communities, it is common to find more children than adults. Challenging living conditions often force adults to prioritize working on their farms over their education. Similarly, some children are discouraged from attending formal schools due to long distances. They must walk sometimes between 1 to 3 hours each way. For them, AEA centers offer an alternative path to education that is more accessible. However, despite their eagerness to learn, the primary concern for both adults and children remains the same: ensuring there is food on the table at the end of the day.
Adult Education: transforming lives
At the Estaquinha-Sede AEA centre, the reality differs, being attended by adults who lacked the opportunity to study in the past due to financial conditions or cultural norms that prioritised boys’ education. Today, women aged from 28 to 60 report the benefits of literacy.
Literacy as a pillar of community development
Old and new classroom
Speaking with Eufrázio Rafael Vilanculos, a literacy and adult education technician at the District Service of Education, Youth, and Technology in Chibabava, the relevance of Adult Education and Literacy (AEA) centres supported by Sei So Frei OÖ and ESMABAMA through the Literacy Project becomes clear. According to Eufrázio, the support provided by the project is one of the main pillars sustaining these centres and, by extension, the communities themselves. “The ESMABAMA AEA project plays an important role in ensuring that educational activities in the centres are carried out effectively. This is achieved through the construction of literacy classrooms in strategic locations, the provision of teaching and learning materials, and the payment of salaries for some literacy facilitators.” Explained Eufrázio Vilanculos. He added that: “The project is of great importance, not only to the communities but also as a valuable support mechanism for the government’s efforts in promoting adult education”.
The Literacy Centres exemplify how education can transform lives and communities. By providing access to education for children and adults in remote areas, the centres not only combat illiteracy but also open doors to future opportunities, promoting sustainable development. Can you imagine not having access to a school? Or the opportunity of studying being taken from you?
With the support of Sei So Frei OÖ, ESMABAMA manages 31 literacy centres, reinforcing the commitment to education and community empowerment.
