wfn.org | UMNS# 200-Society saving women, children living on the edges

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Society saving women, children living on the edges

Apr. 6, 2005

NOTE: This story is part of a six-week Close Up series, "Mozambique: A
Land of Contrasts." Related reports, photographs and audio are available
at http://umns.umc.org.

By Kathy L. Gilbert*

MAPUTO, Mozambique (UMNS)-"Witch daughters," orphans, unemployed women
and uneducated children all have places to go and resources to seek a
better life thanks to the United Methodist Women's Society in
Mozambique.

The Women's Society is the equivalent of United Methodist Women in the
United States. The society is funded through Advance Special projects,
the Women's Division of the Board of Global Ministries and other sources
such as the Mozambique Initiative in Missouri.

The Women's Society oversees projects designed primarily to help women
become self-sufficient, such as:
Tsalala Training Center and primary school
Janene Pennel Primary School
Chimedza Training Center
Cabo Delgado Training Center
Pastor's Wives Training Center
Teles Orphanage
Hanhane Women's Shelter
Public Health Center, Maputo

At the Tsalala Center, on the outskirts of Maputo, 32 women learn to dye
cloth, design clothing and sew. The six-month course teaches skills so
women can earn a living for themselves, says Judite Gemo, coordinator of
the center, which also operates an elementary school for children from
the first to fourth grades.

"In the beginning, the objective was to teach adult women," says Ester
David Afumo, president of the Women's Society. "But when the women would
come, we noticed lots of children just sitting in the trees waiting for
them. That's when we thought to introduce the elementary school because
we knew it would help so many."

Afumo says many children are not allowed to attend school either because
their parents cannot afford to send them or they are needed to work in
the fields and at home.

All of the training centers give women tools to help them escape poverty
and to address problems about health care, HIV/AIDS and literacy, Gemo
says. Classes in districts and churches teach women to write and read
Portuguese and Xitswa. Since 1991, the classes have taught more than 500
women to read and write.

Concerned about child abuse, the Women's Society conducts seminars and
lectures in churches and organizations to teach children about their
roles and rights.

"Because of various factors, mostly the high cost of living and
misplacement due to the war, lots of children see themselves with no
other choice but to sell their bodies for survival," says Ilda Suzana
Guambe, secretary of the society. War and poverty also force many
children to work to care for younger brothers and sisters when their
parents have died.

"As women, we are concerned with our children, both inside and outside
the church," Guambe says.

The society believes its literacy program can be a source of empowerment
for women who mostly live in rural areas. Once educated and trained,
women have skills to create sources of income for themselves, fight
discrimination, protect their children and care for the elderly.

"The United Methodist Women's Society in Mozambique has been engaged in
promoting actions to minimize or eliminate social evil against women,"
Guambe says. Even though much has been done, she says the human and
financial resources are limited and "almost insufficient."

"We thank the Almighty God for life and encouragement to save the
society."

Contributions to the Tsalala Training Center may be sent through a local
United Methodist church or annual conference, or by mailing a check to
Advance GCFA, P.O. Box 9068, GPO, New York, NY 10087-9068. Write the
check out to "Advance GCFA" and include Tsalala Training Center (Advance
Special #14508N, provides supplies for vocational education, and #14509A
is a ministry to help young women increase skills and self-suffiency) on
the check memo line. Call (888) 252-6174 to give by credit card. For
more information, visit the Advance Web site,
http://gbgm-umc.org/advance.

*Gilbert is a United Methodist News Service news writer in Nashville,
Tenn. Some information for this report was provided by a report written
by Ilda Suzana Guambe, secretary of the society.

News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470
or newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org