Stories

My name is Margarida Mussa (a pseudonym). I am 21 years old and live in the Inhamizua neighborhood with my husband and our two children. In 2021, I was diagnosed as HIV positive. At the time, we already had our first child, who was born healthy.

When I was first prescribed antiretroviral (ARV) medication, I refused to take it. Even during my second pregnancy, I resisted my husband’s encouragement to begin treatment. Unfortunately, this led to health complications, including painful skin rashes and constant fatigue. I was scared, confused, and unsure of what to do.

That’s when Cat Madalena, a community health activist, began visiting me regularly. She listened without judgment and gently encouraged me to start and adhere to treatment. Her support was consistent and compassionate, and it made a real difference in how I saw my situation.

To further motivate me, Cat Madalena brought Tia Fátima, the Project Manager of the Read+ program at Oasis Mozambique, to speak with me. Tia Fátima explained the risks my unborn baby was facing and the benefits of proper medical care. She invited me to take a PCR (Early Infant Diagnosis) test once my daughter was born — and I was overjoyed to learn that my baby was HIV negative.

That moment changed everything for me.

I committed fully to my treatment and have been taking my ARVs consistently ever since. Today, my daughter is healthy and continues to receive regular check-ups. I am deeply thankful that she was born HIV-free — a reality that wouldn’t have been possible without the encouragement and guidance from Cat Madalena and Tia Fátima.

Thanks to the support from Oasis Mozambique, I’m now part of a community savings group that has empowered me to become financially independent. Through this initiative, I saved enough money to start my own small business. I was also invited by Cat Madalena to attend a skills training program at Young Africa, even though I did not finish the 7th grade. This opportunity has given me hope and a renewed sense of purpose. I now plan to go back to school in the future.

I am incredibly grateful to Cat Madalena, Tia Fátima, the entire Oasis Mozambique team, and the dedicated nurses at the health center who have cared for me with kindness and professionalism.

Because of them, I am living positively as a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur, and a woman with hope.

Stories

My name is Gumbuizo Gurucuaro Fernando. I am 71 years old and a proud participant in the savings program in the community of Manga Loforte. Through this initiative, I have discovered a sense of independence that I never thought possible. It has brought a deep sense of peace into my life.

Several years ago, I faced a very difficult chapter. My wife left me after I had been unemployed for over six months. I live alone and was born with a physical disability that affects my lower limbs. Without family support, I relied solely on the kindness of neighbors and members of my church to survive. During this time, I often felt overwhelmed with sadness and hopelessness.

In 2018, everything began to change. I was introduced to Oasis Mozambique by a woman in the community a single mother who told me about the various programs they were running. The one that caught my attention the most was the savings group. She took time to learn about my life and asked about my skills. I told her that I had a background in tailoring and sewing. With that, she connected me with one of the community savings groups so I could begin to build a financial foundation.

At first, I wasn’t sure the group would accept men. But the women reassured me that Oasis promotes inclusive participation, and I was warmly welcomed.

In my first savings cycle, I was able to save 2,750 meticais. In the second cycle, I managed to save 5,000 meticais but it still wasn’t enough to buy the sewing machine I had been dreaming of. Finally, in the third cycle, I saved 6,000 meticais, plus an additional 3,000 meticais in profits I earned during the same period. With this combined amount, I was finally able to purchase my very own sewing machine a dream come true.

That moment marked a turning point in my life. With my machine, I began offering tailoring services from home. I continued participating in the savings group while now being able to provide for my basic needs through my own efforts. Today, I earn between 200 to 500 meticais per day. I no longer depend on my neighbors or the church for survival. I feel encouraged, empowered, and on the path to becoming the person I’ve always wanted to be.

I remain an active member of the savings group. Recently, I took a small loan to purchase 19 capulanas (traditional fabrics), which I now sell at my tailoring space. Clients come to me, choose their preferred fabric, and I create custom outfits based on their requests. This added service has expanded my business and helped attract more customers.

I thank God first and foremost, and then Oasis Mozambique for this life-changing initiative. This program helped me break through the barriers I once believed would define my life. Truly, savings are transforming our lives—mine included.

Thank you, Oasis Mozambique.

Stories

My name is Deolinda António Feijão. I am 43 years old, a proud mother of four children and a grandmother to two beautiful grandchildren. I live in Bairro 21 Cerâmica, in the Ngupa community, and I am a single mother. In 2021, I was given a life-changing opportunity to join a care group organized by Oasis Mozambique, an experience that has profoundly impacted both my life and the well-being of my family.

Before joining the group, my children frequently suffered from health issues such as malaria and diarrhea. These illnesses were often caused by a lack of knowledge about proper hygiene and sanitation practices. I didn’t know how to dispose of household waste correctly. I had no designated area for washing dishes, and I did not understand the importance of handwashing. At the time, I would leave our water containers uncovered and did not bury feces properly, practices that unknowingly put my family at serious risk.

Everything began to change when I started attending the care group sessions. With the help of Oasis Mozambique and their illustrated learning tool, the picture booklet series, I began to see the world through new eyes. I learned step by step how to implement simple, yet powerful changes in my daily routines that would drastically improve our hygiene and health.

Today, I can confidently say that I am a transformed woman. I now practice proper handwashing techniques, keep my yard clean, safely dispose of waste and feces, and prepare food in a hygienic way. I’ve also learned basic first aid and how to recognize early signs of illness like fever and diarrhea, enabling me to seek medical help promptly when needed.

I am deeply grateful to Oasis Mozambique for equipping me with the knowledge and confidence to care for my family in a healthier and more informed way. The change I see in my household fewer illnesses, a cleaner environment, and a stronger sense of responsibility is a direct result of the support and dedication I received from this program.

Being part of this journey has not only improved my life but has also allowed me to play a role in building a healthier, more aware community. I am honored to be a part of this transformation and hopeful for what lies ahead.

Stories

Maria António, a resilient 32-year-old woman and devoted mother of four, lives in the 21 Cerâmica neighborhood. Married for the past nine years, Maria’s life began to change in 2020 when she joined Amor de Deus, a community savings group supported by Oasis Mozambique. Her motivation to join came from observing the remarkable improvement in her neighbor’s quality of life, which had been made possible through the same group.

At the time, Maria was facing numerous challenges, limited financial opportunities, the responsibility of raising her children, and being the sole breadwinner, as her husband was unemployed. But she saw in the savings group a chance to rewrite her story.

Upon joining, Maria made a bold decision: to invest in her future. She took her first loan to boost her small business, selling fresh produce such as tomatoes, cassava, lettuce, and sweet potatoes. With great determination, she used the profits not only to repay the loan but also to reinvest in her business.

Recognizing the opportunity for greater impact, Maria later applied for a second loan. This time, her goal was even more ambitious to buy cement and concrete blocks to start building a stronger, more secure home for her family. Brick by brick, she began constructing a house that would offer dignity, comfort, and stability.

Today, Maria’s house is nearly complete. With the savings she continues to accumulate, she plans to finish the remaining construction work. But beyond the physical transformation, the impact of the savings group runs deeper. Maria has been transformed into a woman who is confident, empowered, and full of hope. She now walks with pride, respected by her community and valued by her family a striking contrast to the humiliation she once endured.

Maria credits Oasis Mozambique for playing a key role in this transformation. She is deeply grateful not only for the financial tools the organization has provided, but also for the inspiration, training, and encouragement that helped her see her own potential. Her story is a powerful testament to how community savings groups can spark real, lasting change one woman, one family, and one dream at a time.

Stories

Albertina Luciano, a 23 year old young woman, and Samira Daniel, 25 years old, both from the province of Zambézia, specifically from Morrumbala, lived in a rural community where opportunities were extremely limited, and living conditions were precarious.
Albertina and Samira (PVs), who shared the struggles of poverty, decided to join forces to find a way to improve their situation and support their families. Albertina comes from a humble family with six siblings and an elderly grandfather who is unable to meet basic needs.
In their search for work, they met a young man named Abdul (ST), who acted as a recruiter, offering them jobs as domestic workers in Maputo, with a monthly salary of 10,000 meticais per person. This amount is more than double the usual wage for this type of work, which ranges between 4,000 to 6,000 meticais.
Albertina, eager for a better life, convinced her friend Samira to accept the offer without considering the risks involved. The PVs lacked identification documents and had difficulty speaking Portuguese. They also couldn’t provide details about where exactly they would work, only that they would be in Maputo and that the details would be sorted upon arrival.
These vague promises, combined with the lack of documentation and an unrealistic salary, were clear signs of human trafficking.
On the day of departure, the ST sent Albertina some money, but the PVs already had a small amount saved. Abdul provided vague instructions on how to reach Maputo.
Before the PVs could be taken away, the intervention team managed to intercept them at Junta while they waited for someone to pick them up. When the team contacted the ST via phone to inquire about the job, he refused to provide details and became uncooperative.

The first step was to provide emotional support to the PVs, explaining the risks of human trafficking and how they were about to fall into a dangerous trap.
The team also sensitized them about modern slavery, explaining how traffickers use false promises to lure victims into inhumane conditions with no hope of escape.
We offered the necessary support to help the PVs return safely to their home village. Since they had some money saved but not enough to cover the full transportation costs, the team negotiated with the transport service to allow them to travel with the little they had.
We accompanied them to the transport point, ensuring their safety until they boarded the bus heading home.