Strengthening women's associations

Mozambique

Gender Equality

Sustainable Livelihoods

Problem & Solution

The community of Chipavo belonged to one of the most vulnerable and marginalised areas of the country and villages receive little or no support. Vulnerability in Chipavo had been high for some time due to recurrent extreme weather events and was further exacerbated by the destruction following Cyclone Idai. Gender-based violence (GBV) remained high, especially due to a lack of sensitisation.

The solution was to strengthen an association in the Chiconjo community, made up of 30 members (28 women and 2 men) and led by a woman, in the areas of sustainable agriculture, legal rights and GBV.

Photos by Rosa Nordeste De Jongh

The experience

In November 2015, the "Badja Mponesse" Association was founded and Deolinda Joaquim was elected president (pictured above). The members had no “technical” knowledge of agricultural production, relying on the knowledge passed down from generation to generation in their families.

As part of the RECOMOSA project, implemented by ESMABAMA, the association benefited from training on sustainable farming techniques in the face of changing climate.

A major highlight was the implementation of "Aquaculture", which has resulted in a major economic advantage. Members also took part in sensitisations against GBV, which promoted group debates on the same subject, and were informed about their rights.

01

Challenges

01

Delays in processing legal documents.
Association members' resistance to performing physical labour.
Excessive financial dependence on the association for occasional needs.

02

Impact

02

The 2022-2023 campaign resulted in greater agricultural production, enabling 71% of women to cover their nutritional needs and there was a financial return.
Women have high rates of self-esteem and are empowered by their independent activity and the sources of income they can now obtain.

03

Lessons Learned

03

Favour associations made up mostly of women.
Identify women and men affected by gender discrimination and exclusion early on.
Participation of "model" couples in gender focus group discussions, which allows them to understand how traditional stereotypes can be broken down.

Realisation period since 2021

Location Beira, Mosambik

Contact Edson Elídio Balata

Partner organisation - Associação ESMABAMA

ESMABAMA promotes the improvement of the quality of life in the rural and vulnerable communities of 4 missions in the south of Sofala Province, Mozambique.