Vanderful Mozambique 2022

After a new collaboration in Punta do Ouro, Vikki and Julie have returned to Tofo after 3 years since the implementation of the Vanderful project in the community. A lot has changed, but some familar faces and friends welcome them as if it was only yesterday they were last here.

Week 1

We arrived in Maputo after a long journey from Europe, This year, the team includes just 2 Vanderful Volunteers: Vikki & Julie. We quickly took a chapa to Ponta do Ouro to meet our new  collaborators Lwandi Surf.

There, we presented a “Natural Surf Wax” workshop. The workshop teaches young people how to make surf wax using natural ingredients: beeswax, coconut oil and tree resin. The participants were amazing and really receptive, they were so engaged and enthusiastic towards the activity. It was great to see their excitement and how they worked as a team. We are looking forward to collaborating with Lwandi more in the future.

Week 2

After the workshop we headed straight to Tofo. On the first day, we went to Manuel from Manu Shapes and gave him all the sponsored material which included: wood from Paulownia Italy, tools from Bessey and Stanley Black & Decker.

On Monday, we met with Gutsakisana our collaborators from 2019. We were invited to engage the children in their first session since the global pandemic, it was amazing that some of the children remembered us!

On Friday 15th July, we will facilitate a parade within the community with Gutsakisana. With a circus theme and an anthem sung in the local language of Gitonga, in Portuguese and in English, everyone is so excited about the parade and rehearsals next week!

♫..Gutsakisana is back…

Coming to make us happy..♫

This week’s main focus was meeting some local artisans Vanderful Volunteer Rahel has been engaging. She has hired some local tailors to create Vanderful products with capulana fabric sewn on some designer T-shirts that were sponsored by an Italian company G-White. Each T-shirt will be unique in colour, shape and style tailored by Fernandez and Rahel.

We also met Manuel, a young creative who recently qualified as a scuba dive instructor. He shared his story with us and told us about how he made bracelets before he studied diving and how he helped his parents support his eight siblings. His story is truly one of perseverance and we are looking forward to sharing more about him and other individuals soon.