by Hayward Yaidoo

01 October 1999

Magude, Mozambique: Ignorance, disease and poverty are the three principal archenemies of man. So I have devoted myself to fighting against these all my life. I read economics at college, then studied banking and rural credit management.

Years of work experience (formal and informal) in banking and poverty alleviation programs dictated to me that health was an indispensable part in any development/ poverty alleviation package. So I went back to school and read health services administration. After further working experience with reputable organizations, I thought I should volunteer my services and experience for humanity elsewhere, meet new challenges and become more innovative in bringing relief to people who needed help to rid themselves of the grip of those enemies.

I am assigned to Magude and Moamba districts in Mozambique. These districts are probably the most devastated: the heart of the socio-economic problems. After almost two decades of war, Mozambique is now "picking up the pieces" so to speak. As a microproject development adviser, my job essentially is to train vulnerable women and youths in the villages and administer microcredit for them to acquire their own businesses. The population continues to return from neighbouring countries with practically nothing, save for those faithful archenemies of man. There is a very high rate of illiteracy, teenage pregnancies, physical disabilities, unemployment as well as a collapse of the socio-economic structure. In addition, families in this part of the country often live far apart from each other: there is hardly a town outside the district capitals, much unlike West Africa, for instance.

My project's tenure is two years. We are now about half way through the term, yet project vehicles for myself and motorcycles for my hard-working UNV field workers (all Mozambicans) have not arrived yet. How can we reach and train people? Must we wait for the means of transport? Certainly not! So, each day we wake up very early in the morning and walk several kilometres to reach the people, and return late. Now we have managed to form 21 groups consisting of 131 members. In some of the communities micro-enterprise training has begun. Soon there will be seamstresses, bakers, carpenters, etc. Planting season is about and more hope is returning, thanks to our small efforts and the huge enthusiasm of the people.

Government, on the other hand, is doing very fine. Within the short time I have been in the country I have seen rapid rehabilitation of schools and hospitals, as well as the construction of new ones in the two districts. The transport sector has also seen many improvements. Democracy is being consolidated and national elections are scheduled for December this year. While investors' confidence is rising.

Notwithstanding the immense challenges we face, our little efforts have added a great deal of hope to many people. That makes me proud. And that, I think, is what UNV stands for.