Apolinàrio Matlhombe
This is the success story of Danilo Bernardo, a 14-year-old teenager from the village of Mocuba, Mozambique, whose life was transformed by the support of the Kuyenda Collective.
Despite his youth, Danilo has always been hardworking, often taking on informal jobs to help support his family. The long hours spent working made it difficult for him to focus on his studies, and despite his efforts, he had struggled academically and had been unable to progress past grade 5.
A key obstacle was his lack of solid reading skills, which made learning increasingly challenging. His parents, who also faced financial hardship, were unable to provide the support he needed to overcome his educational barriers.
But Danilo’s story took a turn when a group of activists from Kuyenda Collective learned about his situation. Concerned about the difficult combination of work and study holding him back, the Kuyenda team took action.
They reached out to school leaders, speaking with principals and teachers to ensure that Danilo received the help he needed—not just to improve his reading skills, but also to find a way to study without the pressure of balancing both work and education.
With the support of Kuyenda Collective and school leaders, Danilo was gradually removed from child labor and began receiving personalised tutoring classes, as well as individual support to learn to read.
Although the path was difficult, Danilo showed an admirable effort, dedicating himself to studying and taking advantage of every learning opportunity. His progress was remarkable—within just a few weeks, Danilo had successfully completed grade 5, a significant achievement in his journey.
Today, Danilo is a living example of resilience and determination. While there is still much for him to learn, Danilo is determined to build a better future for himself. The support of the Kuyenda Collective, coupled with the involvement of school leaders, helped him leave child labor behind and focus on his education, giving him the opportunity to achieve his dreams.
