"Working in civil construction has been my dream since I was young. It flows in my blood."

With over twenty years of watching his father provide for his family with four children as a builder, Jose Joaquim (25) from Beira, Mozambique, decided to want to do the same for his own family.  

After failing to pass for his formal education, and being the eldest of his siblings, Jose had to quickly think of ways he could release his father with the burden of being the breadwinner of the family. He heard about Young Africa Beira and their courses on offer. 

Jose was one of the brightest students the course had. This allowed him to secure an internship at the centre after completing his course. He is currently leading a group of ten other students who have successfully reconstructed one of the houses hit by Cyclone Idai in Beira. “Working in civil construction has been my dream since I was young. With my father being a builder as well, I can say it flows in my blood. I am so excited to be part of Young Africa. I have a lot of fun in in sharing my knowledge with other young people,” he said.

Jose had the opportunity to receive capacity building in the management of Bill of Quantities and Budgets for Construction Contracts which is a bonus for him as he now can operate as a Civil Constructor full time.

He tells us that before coming to Young Africa, it was difficult for him to get access to job opportunities. Since he finished the course he is able to market himself much better. “This internship is an opportunity for me to apply what I have learned during my training. I am now able to work in teams and exchange ideas and skills with others. Exposing me to life skills classes and entrepreneurship training has helped me to look at life with more hope. It has equipped me with the right knowledge and skills and I now know how to run my own business, ” he said.