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Every week, more than 500 illiterate adults are learning to read and write in the Literacy for Life Project, which Bible Society Australia generously sponsors. A significant part of the project is the development of basic life skills in agriculture, health, hygiene and nutrition.

During August, many groups learned how to improve the productivity and quality of their vegetable gardens. Each person received vegetable seeds, a rake and a hoe and was taught how to fertilise, mulch and water their crops for better results. Even these basic practical concepts have yet to be discovered for many illiterate. The shame of illiteracy often prevents people from seeking advice to improve the quality of their lives.

Ivone is one of the participants, this is her story:

“The Literacy for Life Project came when I needed it so much.  From a very early age, I did not have an opportunity to attend school. Even after getting married, I saw my friends attending Government literacy centres in nearby schools, but I could not attend because of a lack of money to purchase school materials. 

Today, thanks to the Literacy for Life Project, I am in my 3rd year of study, and I say with great pride that I am realising my dreams of knowing how to read and write. I have faith that God will give me more grace to finish the literacy program, and then I want to continue with my studies until I finish Grade 12 and then go through professional training.

The Literacy for Life Project has brought another important package to our study. We are learning how to create better vegetable gardens to feed our families. I can sell surplus vegetables and help my husband with our expenses.”

My name is Rita.

“I am so grateful to attend the Mission Educate Technical Institute. It is giving me the opportunity to transform my life, my family’s life and the lives of people in our community. I have hope for my future.”

Emilio is just one of 3,000 people impacted weekly by Mission Educate’s education projects.

“My parents have no jobs. They get up at 5 am every day and walk to the markets hoping for casual work. I want to become an engineer. I want to bring hope and security to my family.”

He continued, “There are so many people here in Mozambique who, like my parents, have no education. They feel shame because of that. I want to give them pride because I will be an educated man. I will have hope for our future.”

The Mission Educate Technical Institute is a project in our Technical Education program. It provides diploma-level skills in Civil Construction and Agriculture. 

My name is Rosa. I am from Beira and live with my parents. It was always my dream to be trained in agriculture. In 2019, my cousin who studies at the Mission Educate Technical Institute, talked to me about the courses on offer. I had planned to go to an Agriculture Institute in another province, but I decided it was better to embrace Mission Educate.

I am a CV4 trainee. I am already serving my family with the skills I’ve learnt through the modules at my institute. I remember in the early days it was difficult to get used to the practical classes. It all seemed foreign to me, but I went on to see how we can transform the soil into a healthy environment. I was proud to then start implementing the techniques at home.

Since March this year, my family no longer buys greens or lettuce because I am producing at home. For this, I want to thank Mission Educate. For me, this is such a great success and the pride of my parents at home.

Many thought that I would not be able to grow anything when I started my production area at home. But now I’m even teaching my siblings to like agriculture. I have a lot of faith in my studies with Mission Educate. I know I will go far. I’m only in my second year, but I can see that I am already a different Rosa.

I have grown in my faith through Mission Educate, and this has motivated me a lot. Each day the level of my knowledge is growing.
My parents are already expanding my production area because they are seeing my success. They are believing in me.

It all started when my parents passed away. I was at a total loss because my extended family rejected me. This was in the year 2000 when I was just 5 years old. Life for me consisted of begging for food and washing people’s clothes at their house in the Munhava neighbourhood, a high density community in Beira. I did not go to school.

My name is Maria. I was born in the rural district of Buzi but now live in Munhava, the poorest neighbourhood in Beira. I have a daughter and have been divorced for 5 years. I never went to school because my father did not allow girls to study. I had to stay home and take care of the housework. Only boys were allowed to go to school. I got married early but the marriage didn’t work out. To survive, I started selling dried fish in a market stall. I did not earn very much due to the area where the stall was. There were no options for me or anyone to help. I just continued to try to survive.

Mussa dreams that one day he may become a builder and support his family. He learned to read and write in the Literacy for Life Project to achieve his dream.

He can now apply for a driver’s licence as he works towards his dream.

Mussa is a young man in his early 40s and grew up in a rural village during the civil war. Because of the fighting, schools were closed throughout his childhood. As a result, he never learned to read and write.

Zarta’s father passed away when she was young so her mother brought the family to Beira to be with other family. She is now on scholarship at King of King’s School.

In Year 11, Rosangela decided to drop out of school as her mum could not afford to send her to school. She is now a student at the King of King’s School.