Ivete Augusto is a 25-year-old resident of the Manhiça district in Mozambique’s Maputo province. Today, she lives with her widowed mother and eight-year-old daughter. They sustain themselves through subsistence farming, which provides limited income and financial security.
Ivete’s life took a turn when she became pregnant at 17 due to promises of marriage and lobola (dowry) payments from her partner. This forced her to abandon her education, as her husband insisted that women prioritise taking care of their children and household duties over schooling. She told Ester Novela, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer, that financial constraints and restrictions that were imposed at that time on pregnant school-going girls made it impossible for her to continue with her studies. She became a mother herself when she was still a child and had to take care of a home and her in-laws’ many demands , causing great hardship for her and her family.
After facing violence and infidelity in her marriage, Ivete returned home to help her mother with farming. She attended a community sensitisation event conducted by the COL Empowering Women and Girls partner, ADPP, in Palmeira, Manhiça District. She joined the project and has since attended sexual and reproductive health classes, where she gained new information about preventing unwanted pregnancies, negotiating safe sex and avoiding sexually transmitted infections. This newfound knowledge has motivated her to rebuild her life by joining a support group for women that aims to combat the stigma surrounding pregnancy at a young age.
Ivete is participating in sessions on preventing gender-based violence, and the 16 Days of Activism campaign further equipped her with information about her human and women’s rights. She was also furnished with knowledge about what constitutes gender stereotypes, bias and discrimination and how she can challenge gender norms and enjoy equality in her relationships. Ivete has enrolled in the project’s three-month tailoring course to improve her family’s financial situation.
Enrolling in this course signifies Ivete’s determination to improve her family’s financial status and create a brighter future. She says she is grateful to ADPP and COL for the opportunity to transform her life and hopes that more girls can benefit from similar opportunities.
