In an interview to the Mozambican newspaper “Domingo”, Ana Flávia Azinheira (Vice-Minister of Youth and Sports) stated that we need to “educate women and offer them the right conditions for them to be able to produce and generate their own income”if we’re to overcome some of the social and economic issues that still, to this day, impair women in rural Mozambique, namely illiteracy, teenage pregnancy, and discrimination.
In Mozambique, 60% of adults cannot read or write – and most are women. This is the reason why ALG runs adult education and literacy courses for women (mostly mothers) from underprivileged communities. Apart from improving their education, these literacy and numeracy classes also have a significant impact on their children lives. If mums value and prioritise education, so will their children.
In addition, ALG offers income generation programmes that support entrepreneurial mothers in developing small businesses like farming plots or street stands. We provide the resources and training for them to start managing their own businesses, and then follow up with the activities.
Our aim is to encourage them to become self-sufficient and at the same time promote local commerce. It is our belief that these initiatives have the potential to improve the quality of life of these women and their families in deprived rural areas of Mozambique.