The story of Sara Jacussemba Francisco from Beira, Mozambique

“My name is Sara, I am 21, from Beira, Mozambique. Here in Beira, I live with both my mother and grandmother. My mother lives with a mental disorder. Growing up my grandmother and I take turns caring for her while at the same time we tried to have an income to meet her medical needs. These difficulties at times have limited my dreams and motivation as a young woman. I started working at an early age helping my grandmother with her small businesses, which conditions my performance in secondary school studies. I finished my secondary school education late, in 2016.

After secondary school, I couldn’t continue with my studies because the costs were already very high. However, I managed through another organization to get a scholarship to study at Young Africa Agri-Tech in Dondo. I conducted and completed a 12-months vocational training course in Agriculture. I decided to do this vocational course because I knew that once I graduate I could guarantee employment as a self-employed and with it facilitate an easy passage for me to help my mother.

I graduated from YA Agri-Tech in December 2017 and the year after I started to produce vegetables on small scale. At the same time, I received an invitation to a short incubation program with GIZ. With my knowledge from my vocational training and this additional program, I was assigned to the administrative post of Cafumpe in the Manica Province, as an agrarian extensionist. I am still working there up to now. With the income that I make today, I can support both my mother and my grandmother with monthly expenses and medical care. One day I hope to continue my studies to become an Agricultural Engineer.