Breaking barriers: How Fabia Benedito’s dream is changing lives in Mozambique
30-year-old Fabia Benedito’s journey is one of resilience, determination, and hope. In Nacala Port District of Nampula province, Ontupaia area, where opportunities for women can be scarce, she refused to let obstacles define her future. Through the support of the International Labour Organization’s Government of Mozambique (MozGov) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) funded Decent Work for Youth in Mozambique Project, known as Projecta Jovem, Fabia turned her passion for catering into a thriving business—one that not only feeds her community but empowers young people with skills and jobs.
25 April 2025
NACALA, Mozambique (ILO News) – From baking thousands of cakes each week to mentoring others, her success is proof that dreams can rise, just like the bread she bakes. Her story is more than personal triumph – it is a beacon of possibility for women and youth across Mozambique, showing that with the right support, talent, and hard work, lasting change is possible.
“The Instituto Politécnico Comunitário Feminino de Nacala was looking for youths to enrol for the skills training course in catering. I was among 46 young people who were given an opportunity to acquire skills training through the ILO’s Projecta Jovem,” she says.
Fabia narrates that after the training she was given 5,000 meticas (about USD 80) as part of the start-up kit, including a microwave oven, to set up her enterprise.
“From that time, I started baking cakes, making buns and small breads. I sell cakes at five meticas and I bake 1,000 cakes per week, which gives me a profit of 5,000 meticas (about USD 80) every week. This has allowed me to employ other youths to help me sell the cakes at the market,” she explains.
Fabia adds that apart from creating employment opportunities for other youths, she provides basic catering skills training to young people in the community.
“I also used the profits to construct an underground 10,000-litre water storage tank, which uses harvested rainwater during the rainy season and water browser supply. This has helped to cushion water shortages as I sell the water to the neighbourhood community at a subsidised price,” she relates.
Fabia commends the ILO through Projecta Jovem for the support and hopes that the sponsorship programme will be extended to other youths in the area. She also hopes to expand her business by setting up a takeaway fast-food shop in town, further contributing positively to the community.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) is implementing the Government of Mozambique (GovMZ) and IFAD-funded Decent Work for Youth in Mozambique project (DW4YM), commonly known as Projecta Jovem project.
Implemented from February 2022 to September 2025, Projecta Jovem aims to create decent work opportunities for vulnerable youth in Cabo Delgado, Niassa, and Nampula provinces through technical and vocational skills development, youth entrepreneurship, agribusiness development, and employment-intensive infrastructure investments, thereby enhancing youth participation in the socio-economic development of Northern Mozambique.
