Maria Joaquim is, 35 years old and lives in Vanduzi in Manica province.
In this remote area deeply affected by past wars, she is as poor as
her neighbors and like them lives by consuming and selling the crops
she is able to produce. From 1997 to 1999, Maria worked a few days a
month under a USAID-funded program with Africare as a community nutrition
activist, receiving some training and a small cash subsidy. She used
part of her subsidy to buy a small oil press and some basic animal traction
equipment. Although she stopped receiving the subsidy in 1999, Maria
remains extremely active in her community, voluntarily promoting nutrition
and health education as well as extolling the income benefits of oilseed
production and the nutritional benefits of oil consumption. Because
of her foresight in animal traction, she also has been able to help
others in her community increase the size of their farm fields-and,
therefore, their food security and income-while reducing their workload,
bringing particularly great benefits to women farmers. This is a striking
example of how development programs that empower Mozambicans through
new knowledge and access to technology can also motivate them to continue
development efforts after outside assistance ends. Today, asked why
she continues her volunteer activities, Maria says, "I give support
to families in need in my community because I feel an obligation to
continue helping others, as Africare helped me with knowledge and inputs
that improved my life."
One Rural Woman Extends Benefits to Others
