This booklet brings together accounts of young women whose lives reveal the daily realities behind Mozambique’s SRHR landscape.
These stories reflect what Marcia Mandlate emphasizes in her foreword: that empowerment is not theory, it is visible in the lives of women who push back against harmful labels, inaccessible services, and the structural barriers that shape their choices.
You will meet Helena Matule, once dismissed as “spirit-possessed,” whose decision to marry and build the life she wanted quietly challenged years of stigma. You will also follow Suzana Célia Djedje, who turned uncertainty about her sexuality and employability into an opportunity for growth, becoming a valued intern in a workplace that chose inclusion over judgement. And you will encounter the powerful journey of Elisa Manuel Pascoal, who survived domestic violence that restricted her access to HIV treatment and emerged as a leader in her own right.
This booklet is also a reflection of the collective effort behind these transformations, the Community of Action, activists, organizations, and rightsholders who worked together to confront exclusion in schools, health facilities, and communities. Their work exposes the real issue: not the young women themselves, but the attitudes, communication gaps, and inaccessible systems that stand in their way. These stories invite readers to look closely at the changes already taking shape and the ones still urgently needed. They highlight a Mozambique where young women are stepping forward, challenging expectations, and influencing decisions that impact their lives, not by asking for sympathy, but by asserting their rights with clarity and conviction.
