In July of this year, Sara had the privilege of being on the ground again, revisiting projects which impact so deeply the lives of children in Mozambique. During one of those special days, by chance, she ran into José, a former sponsored child under UPG Portugal Sponsoring Program. She was immensely happy to see him again, but the true reward was to witness the remarkable transformation of this youngster into a successful man! “Mana Sara, Mamã Anabela, welcome to Mozambique, I’m José from Banhine, and I would like to thank you”. This magical moment unleashed a chain of emotions, filled with warm hugs and the opportunity of listening to José’s inspiring story.
In 2015, José left the UPG Portugal Sponsoring Program, after completing the 10th grade, since the place where he lived did not have any other academic opportunities. Nevertheless, the willingness to continue studying persisted. Determined, he moved to Xai-Xai, and managed to complete the 12th grade. But he didn’t stop there. After two years of attempting to enter university, he’s dream came true and he’s now completing the International Relations Course, while working at a restaurant to be able to provide for himself.
Currently aged 22-years-old, José expressed a deep gratitude for all the support provided during his childhood, which was fundamental to keep the study flame alight. José doesn’t have children yet (uncommon at his age), because he wants to make sure that when he does, he can provide them a promising future. His commitment, of course, is to prioritize education for his future children.
It is hard to put down in words all the emotion which came out of this moment. Thrilled with José’s words, Sara was profoundly proud by witnessing how a generational change is taking place, reinforcing the belief that each Little Gesture counts to build a brighter future!