Alice lives in the growing neighbourhood of Mumemo with her parents and two brothers. Her dream is bold: to become an electrical engineer - in a country where women in technical trades still face an uphill battle. In 2023, she enrolled in the Electrical Installation course at the Mumemo Secondary and Vocational Institute, as part of the Skills to Build project - implemented by Swisscontact.
She walked six kilometres each day to attend training—while juggling self-employment to cover her own expenses. Her parents couldn’t afford tuition.
After graduating, Alice interned with EDM (Electricidade de Moçambique) - Mozambique’s national power utility - gaining practical experience and teamwork skills.
But like many Mozambican youth, she faced a difficult truth: skills alone don’t guarantee formal employment. The World Bank estimates that only 25% of TVET graduates in Mozambique find formal jobs within a year of completing their training (World Bank, 2021).
So Alice adapted. She joined her brother, Anselmo, an informal electrician, and began taking on jobs.
Alice’s journey is part of the Skills to Build project, implemented by Swisscontact in collaboration with local vocational institutes and community stakeholders. Through this initiative, Swisscontact works to:
Today, Alice earns income, supports her family, and studies through distance learning - she’s now in Grade 12. Her goal ? University, and eventually, becoming an engineer.
In a country where youth potential is often dimmed by structural inequality, Alice is proof that with the right spark, the future can be brighter- and more inclusive - for everyone.
This project is financed by the Medicor Foundation, Happel Foundation, and Linsi-Foundation, among other donors. It is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA.