Biography

When I was tapped by the KSAL programme in 2007, I was working for the Instituto Superior Politecnico de Manica (ISPM) in the business incubator Centre. It was my first job. When I applied for the study grant, I was planning to organize my life around the construction of an adobe house, but because I had the opportunity to do my Master´s, I postponed the plan. The leadership workshops and the Master´s programme made a big difference in my life in the sense that it changed my principles and the way I approach my personal life, the family and community. I learned that as a leader it is important to have a vision and to achieve personal and collective goals. The workshops were very important in this change process. Not only did KSAL support me in terms of financial resources, the staff members were also very effective in motivating me during the program. It is also important to mention the good advice they gave regarding many aspects of my academic and personal life. Because most Mozambicans do not have adequate shelter, for my ploughback project and Master’s research, I trained local people to build sustainable housing of unfired adobe brick that could serve as a model for the Ndeguene community. The techniques updated customary methods so that adobe bricks are more durable, affordable and have less environmental impact than traditional or conventional construction. This is a technology that local people can understand and adopt quickly. After KSAL, I decided to start a small piggery business that will become bigger because my vision is to attain financial autonomy. In my work I make sure that everyone learns from what I have learnt. I have a farm just outside of Chimoio where I employ two caretakers. I have invested in a piggery that will later feed into a chorizo enterprise, for which I have already established a market.