Mozambique: Playing, in a Chiúre school yard, helps erase memories of escaping on foot - photos
As World Youth Day was being celebrated last Sunday (12.08), many young people in the Mozambican province of Inhambane were lamenting the lack of opportunities both before and after school.
For lack of opportunities, the youth of Inhambane is seeking alternative means of subsistence, but, while professing itself aware of the problems, the government has for more than two years now failed to provide funds for initiatives aimed at this significant sector of society.
DW Africa talked to some young people and found that the difficulties are many, and differ according to gender. For example, some young women drop out of school and become prostitutes in order to make some money. This is the case of young V.M., a native of Maputo province who now lives in Inhambane with her older sister. They both left school and became prostitutes.
V.M. regrets the fact that many young people are in this situation. “There are some who have been able to save themselves, but most of them are lost in prostitution, drugs and liquor. Money is what drives us: that is why we are doing this. My sister is also a prostitute, and repentance will come the day we do not drink and smoke, because we think about the consequences and the future,” she reports.
Despite this, V.M. says there are solutions to such problems. “There should be someone with initiative, to encourage young people to form social clubs and do positive things,” she advises.
“Opportunities do not come, even after graduating”
Álvaro Joaquim graduated from technical college, but still has not found an opportunity which will guarantee his family a good life, and currently lives on the proceeds of small-scale fishing.
“Today I live by fishing at sea. I cannot get a break,” he says. “The government should think more about the fate of the youth.”
The government of Mozambique has offered reimbursable finance for youth projects in agriculture, livestock, poultry raising, lock-smithing, carpentry and other professions, but in two whole years the money has still not reached the districts.
Samuel Jeremias has a geography degree, but because of the lack of suitable employment opportunities, he is practicing sustainable agriculture. Due to lack of funding, nothing has progressed so far.
“I am selling of mobile phones recharges to buy sugar, rice, oil, soap and other things for my wife and children,” he explains. “The government should continue to help and not just say that young people should work without any incentive. I cannot progress because I’ve been waiting for funds for two years.”
Lack of housing
In addition to the lack of employment and finance, the youth in Inhambane province faces a chronic housing shortage. Only those with a formal job have access to bank financing for housing construction. The unemployed, who are the majority, continue to live in their parents’ homes along with their wives and children.
To solve this problem, the provincial government has distributed about five thousand Land Use Rights (DUAT) to young people since last year, but many of have found themselves stymied by the bureaucracy, unable to supply all the documents required by the authorities.
Celso Colege, spokesman for the Provincial Directorate for Youth and Sport in Inhambane, told the press that the government was aware of young people’s problems. The government had distributed land use rights, “but some have not been able to legalise their tenures and have ended up selling them to third parties to get some money”.
Leave a Reply
Be the First to Comment!
You must be logged in to post a comment.
You must be logged in to post a comment.