Women's Leadership in Times of Crisis: Zura's Story and the First Restaurant in Her Community
This is the testimony of Zura Constantino, a 30-year-old woman from Ancuabe district — one of the regions most affected by the armed conflict in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique.
Since 2017, Cabo Delgado has been the epicenter of a humanitarian crisis caused by armed conflict, which has affected more than one million people, the majority of whom are women and children. The situation has been further worsened by successive natural disasters, such as cyclones and floods, which have had a deep impact on the lives of local communities.
In this context of vulnerability, UN Women — in partnership with Girls Child Rights (GCR) and with financial support from the Government of Norway — implemented the project 'Promoting Women's Participation and Leadership in Peace, Security and Recovery Processes in Mozambique.' The initiative aimed at ensuring that women and girls contribute to and to have greater influence in building sustainable peace and resilience, and to benefit equally from the prevention of conflicts and disasters in Mozambique.
Zura Constantino is a vibrant and determined young woman from a rural community in Mozambique, who always dreamed of creating something meaningful for herself and those around her. Facing limited economic opportunities and the hardship of being abandoned by her husband, Zura was left to raise her child alone. Her turning point came when, she participated in financial literacy training and joined a community savings and rotating credit group, promoted by GCR. With support from the group and by applying the knowledge she gained, she took a bold step: she applied for a collective loan of 2,000 MZN to invest in her small food business.
Through dedication and hard work, Zura transformed her reality. From selling basic goods like tomatoes and bread, earning less than 500 meticais a day, she expanded her offerings, began selling cooked meals, and now, on busy days, earns up to 2,000 meticais daily. With the profits she saved, she took a leap of faith and is now building the first restaurant in her community — a long-held dream made possible through access to information, credit, and collective support.
Today, Zura is an inspiring example of resilience and transformation. She is one of 6,365 women affected by the conflict, aged between 18 and 59, who have benefited from financial literacy training and support through 194 community savings and credit groups established in Cabo Delgado. Each group consists of an average of 25 members, who are encouraged to save a minimum of 72.8 meticais, with savings cycles occurring twice a year.
Stories like Zura's stand as a powerful example of how access to capital, capacity-building programmes, and social support can enable women to overcome adversity, lead with confidence, and become drivers of peace and development in their communities.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN Women - Africa.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
12 hours ago
- Zawya
Workshop on Documentation and Distribution of Vegetable Seeds
The Ministry of Agriculture organized a workshop to discuss a draft resolution aimed at documenting and distribution of vegetable seeds developed at agricultural research centers and those entering the country through various means. The seminar was attended by Ministry staff from all regions and agricultural experts. Mr. Tekleab Misgina, Director General of Regulatory Services at the Ministry of Agriculture, stated that the national committee established in 2024 to regulate the distribution and quality of various crops, cereals, and oil seeds has commenced its activities by developing a guideline to support its operations. In the first half of 2025, a guideline to regulate potato seed quality was prepared, and regulations for vegetable seed quality have been finalized. Mr. Tekleab added that both domestically improved and imported vegetable seeds will be assessed through specific quality measures, documented, and issued certificates before being distributed to farmers. At the workshop, participants discussed papers on the importance of documentation and regulation of vegetable seeds, and the significance of adhering to established guidelines and regulations. Extensive discussions followed the presentations. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Zawya
17 hours ago
- Zawya
President El-Sisi Follows Up on Latest Developments in Industrial Projects
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Transport and Industry, lieutenant General Kamel El-Wazir, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Engineer Hassan El-Khatib, Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Engineer Karim Badawi, and CEO of the Environmental Affairs Agency Dr. Ali Hamid. The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shenawy, said that during the meeting, the President reviewed the latest developments regarding the implementation of industrial projects, the provision of necessary raw materials for industrial operations, means for securing the required financing, and efforts to establish partnerships with major international specialized companies, in addition to plans for marketing the products both locally and globally. The President emphasized the importance of petrochemical and mining industries implemented by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources, given their role in maximizing the added value of Egypt's natural and mineral resources, meeting domestic market needs, exporting to international markets, and therefore contributing to the expansion of related industries. These efforts shall create job opportunities and boost returns for the national economy. President El-Sisi underscored the importance of accelerating the localization of related industries in Egypt and attracting investment to this vital sector. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Disclaimer: The contents of this press release was provided from an external third party provider. This website is not responsible for, and does not control, such external content. This content is provided on an 'as is' and 'as available' basis and has not been edited in any way. Neither this website nor our affiliates guarantee the accuracy of or endorse the views or opinions expressed in this press release. The press release is provided for informational purposes only. The content does not provide tax, legal or investment advice or opinion regarding the suitability, value or profitability of any particular security, portfolio or investment strategy. Neither this website nor our affiliates shall be liable for any errors or inaccuracies in the content, or for any actions taken by you in reliance thereon. You expressly agree that your use of the information within this article is at your sole risk. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, this website, its parent company, its subsidiaries, its affiliates and the respective shareholders, directors, officers, employees, agents, advertisers, content providers and licensors will not be liable (jointly or severally) to you for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages, including without limitation, lost profits, lost savings and lost revenues, whether in negligence, tort, contract or any other theory of liability, even if the parties have been advised of the possibility or could have foreseen any such damages.
Zawya
2 days ago
- Zawya
Egypt Participates in Drafting and Launching the G20 Development Working Group Ministerial Declaration
H.E. Dr. Rania A. Al-Mashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, represented the Arab Republic of Egypt at the G20 Development Working Group Ministerial Meeting held in South Africa. She also participated in drafting and launching the Ministerial Declaration at the conclusion of the meetings. The Ministerial Declaration, issued at the meetings, affirmed that development financing is at the core of shared priorities. It also highlighted the urgent need to enhance domestic resource mobilization, address illicit financial flows, and strengthen the role of multilateral and innovative financing mechanisms. The G20 reaffirmed its commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, its pledge to leave no one behind, and its enhanced shared responsibility in confronting global challenges and interconnected crises, from debt to global inequalities, climate change, and the SDG financing gap. During her participation, H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat highlighted Egypt's experience in launching the "Country Approaches for Financing Sustainable Development and Climate Action" initiative within the Seville Platform for Action, with the aim of advancing integrated financing frameworks globally. Egypt co-leads this initiative (alongside South Africa, the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, UNICEF, regional development banks, and others). Its objectives include 100 countries implementing integrated financing programs or country financing platforms funded by public, private, and philanthropic sources by 2030. Egypt has already begun joint work with Mexico to understand the mechanism for designing and implementing national platforms. Regarding stimulating large-scale investments, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat emphasized the importance of allowing the private sector to play an effective role in development financing, improving governance in international financial institutions, and strengthening the United Nations' role in setting global economic rules. She also stressed the significance of debt sustainability and updating the basis for calculating Debt Sustainability Analysis (DSA) to ensure a fairer assessment for developing countries, particularly in Africa, and to support these countries with incentive tools and mechanisms to overcome ongoing debt challenges. In line with the G20 ministers' declaration, which highlights the urgent need to bridge the $4.5 trillion annual SDG financing gap, H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat affirmed the pressing need to expand blended finance and public-private partnerships, and to implement debt-for-development swap programs. She pointed to Egypt's experience, particularly with Italy, Germany, and China, in providing fiscal space for investment in high-impact projects in food security, women's empowerment, environmental protection, and climate change, making it a successful and replicable model. Furthermore, between 2020 and May 2025, Egypt successfully mobilized approximately $15.6 billion for private sector financing from international partners, with $4 billion allocated to the private sector within the Country Platform – the "NWFE" program. Despite the absence of an internationally agreed definition for Global Public Goods, the G20 Ministerial Declaration stressed the urgent need to enable the provision of these goods, along with the importance of taking action to support low-income and developing countries in implementing the 2030 Agenda in accordance with their national priorities and contributing to global well-being. This is what the Development Working Group calls for: enhancing global consensus, research, and cooperation on the protection and provision of Global Public Goods. The Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation reiterated in her speech that development financing and investments in essential sectors represent the cornerstone of sustainable economic and social growth and have a direct impact on human well-being and long-term productivity. She confirmed the necessity of achieving a common vision in line with the G20 Ministerial Declaration, through mobilizing long-term and affordable financing and rethinking multilateral cooperation. With over $460 trillion in global assets, the potential to bridge SDG financing gaps is within reach – if countries redirect capital towards inclusive and sustainable priorities. H.E. Dr. Al-Mashat concluded her speech by stating that the outcomes of this Ministerial Meeting must represent the beginning of a practical phase – to translate commitments into tangible progress, moving from policies to practices with strong political will, while ensuring that no country is left behind in our pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable future for all. It is worth noting that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation and plays an important role in shaping and strengthening global architecture and governance on all major international economic issues. Its membership includes 19 countries plus the European Union and the African Union. South Africa assumed the G20 presidency from December 1, 2024, to November 2025, and is committed to leading the G20 by focusing on people, development, and solutions in a complex global geopolitical landscape. This comes against the backdrop of Egypt's pioneering experience – as a middle-income country – in balancing its national priorities. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Planning, Economic Development, and International Cooperation - Egypt.
