LocationsAn initiative that promotes resilient techniques and gender equality in the construction sector in Mozambique
Building with Equality: Safe Construction Training Bridges Knowledge and Generations in Lumbo
May 14, 2025
In one of Mozambique’s oldest and most culturally rich regions, a new generation of builders is emerging — and many of those hands are female. In the Lumbo neighborhood, located in the Ilha de Moçambique district, tradition met innovation in an intensive training on resilient housing construction techniques, organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UN-Habitat, in collaboration with the Mozambican Government.
Over two days of practical and theoretical work, 40 trainees — including 11 women — learned techniques ranging from foundation reinforcement to roofing adapted to climate change. The initiative stood out for integrating local knowledge with modern technical expertise, focusing on resilience and promoting gender equality in the construction sector.
Among the participants are the inspiring stories of Hatia Jorge Ali Saide, 49, a domestic worker and mother of five, and her daughter Ancha Molde Abacar, 21, who has completed 12th grade and is the mother of a five-year-old boy. Mother and daughter participated side by side in the training, and their stories reflect the urgency and hope that shape the lives of many women in vulnerable areas of the country.
“I’m very happy to be part of this training because I see it as an open door to find a job and support my family,” said Ancha with enthusiasm. Unemployed and responsible for her child, she believes the knowledge gained could be the key to breaking the cycle of dependency and access to new opportunities.
Hatia, with a more seasoned perspective, saw the training as a concrete tool to face the recurring climate challenges that affect the region.
“I came to this training to learn everything. In my district, there are always cyclones. I need to know what to do when cyclone warnings come — what to do with the roof and the walls. I can’t just wait for a man. Sometimes they’re not at home. We women must have the skills to fix what needs fixing, whether it's the roof or the walls. I’m happy with what I’ve learned and with the certificate I received,” she declared, diploma in hand and pride in her eyes.
Hatia Jorge Ali Saide
UNDP Mozambique/Celina Henriques
Building to Protect Lives
In a country like Mozambique, cyclically hit by tropical cyclones and floods, building resilient structures is not just a technical skill — it’s a vital necessity. The training focused on housing safety and disaster risk reduction, equipping participants to build more durable homes using local materials and climate-adapted techniques.
The training was also an exercise in inclusion. A sector historically dominated by men opened its doors to women who, like Hatia and Ancha, proved to be just as capable and resilient. The training also involved technical staff from the Municipal Council of Ilha de Moçambique, the District Services for Planning and Infrastructure, the Provincial Directorate of Public Works and Housing, INGD, and the organization Kulima, ensuring alignment with public policies and the sustainability of the initiative.
A group of trainees engaged in practical work on resilient roofing, as part of technical training for climate-adapted infrastructure.
Celina Henriques
Official Recognition and a Vision for the Future
At the closing of the training, the Permanent Secretary of the District of Ilha de Moçambique gave an motivational speech, highlighting the strategic importance of capacity building in resilient construction:
“Today we celebrate not just the end of a training program, but the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of our communities. A chapter where knowledge, technique, and resilience become essential tools to ensure a safer, more dignified, and more sustainable future,” he said.
“Each well-built wall, each reinforced roof, each secure foundation represents a protected life, a family with renewed hope. May this initiative not end here, but continue on the construction sites, in the homes, and in community meetings. May the spirit of collaboration we’ve experienced here grow even stronger,” he added, addressing words of encouragement to the trainees.
Permanent Secretary of the district of Ilha de Mocambique
Celina Henriques
Women at the Forefront of Reconstruction
For Hatia and Ancha, this training is just the beginning. Mother and daughter returned home with more than just new knowledge — they returned with the awareness that they can lead the transformation of their lives and their community. The initiative “Building with Equality” is more than a one-off training event: it’s a concrete proposal for social and economic transformation. In a country where climate change presents increasing challenges, the technical empowerment of local communities — particularly of women — is a necessary and urgent response. Lumbo has set an example. And with it, the hope has risen that with every well-built wall, a fairer, stronger, and more resilient future is being constructed.
Women in training are learning from experienced carpenters and artisans how to build resilient roofs, gaining practical skills for safe and climate-adapted infrastructure.
Celina Henriques
More Than Houses: Foundations for a More Resilient Society
With every house built following the new principles learned, participants are not just improving the safety of their communities they are also redefining the role of construction as a tool for social transformation.
“Building with Equality” is no longer just the name of a training program. It’s a vision of the future where men and women build side by side — with dignity, safety, and hope. And it all started in Lumbo.