Mozambique

Craft courses for young people in rural areas

The level of education in Chimoio is low, denying many young people access to qualified training and a regular income. With our local partner organisation Centro Aberto de Jesus, we help young people to develop literacy skills, train them in skilled trades and teach them entrepreneurial and personal skills.

Hear from the people on the ground

“I trained as a metalworker and am now my own boss. I was even able to take on an employee. With my income, I can provide well for myself and my two children.”
Junge Metallbauerin Mosambik, - terre des homme schweiz

Zulmira José from Chimoio
21 years old

Background

Almost half of Mozambique’s population is under the age of 15, but there is a lack of training and job opportunities. Every year, 500,000 young people enter the labour market, but many remain unemployed or develop social problems. After leaving school, high fees, poor school quality and a lack of start-up capital are obstacles to training. Vocational training opportunities are few and far between. Girls and women are also particularly affected by gender-based violence (GBV). One in ten girls becomes pregnant before the age of 16.

Project goals

The aim is to improve the economic prospects of the neediest young people in Chimoio by providing them with qualified training.

Project activities

  • Training. We train young people in professions such as tailoring, carpentry and locksmithing to give them a state-recognised qualification.
  • Entrepreneurial skills. We give young people the entrepreneurial knowledge they need to set up their own business. We make reference to local income opportunities.
  • Personal skills. We strengthen personal values such as self-esteem, a sense of responsibility and respect.
  • Promoting reading and writing skills. We help to develop young people’s reading and writing skills through group activities in eight different youth clubs.
  • Awareness-raising. We carry out activities in the community to raise awareness of topics such as education, gender-based violence (GBV) and youth development.
Junge Metallbauer Mosambik - terre des hommes schweiz
Zulmira José hat sich eine hoffnungsvolle Zukunft geschaffen. Ihr Wissen gibt sie an andere Jugendliche weiter. Foto: Hafid Derbal

Beneficiaries

In the last project phase, 330 young people between the ages of 13 and 25 and 6,500 families benefitted from our work.

Our partner organisation

Associaçao Centro Aberto de Jesus in Chimoio is a charitableassociation that has been fighting poverty since 1999. terre des hommes schweiz has been funding the organisation’s youth work since 2008.

Project location and phase

Chimoio is located in western Mozambique and is the capital of the province of Manica. We are active in eight districts in the surrounding area. The current project phase covers the years 2024–2026 with an annual budget of CHF 65,000.