Fighting for gender equality

When Guilhermina became pregnant at age 16, her parents were mystified. It wasn’t a question of her age alone. Their daughter was born deaf and mute, and the father of her unborn child was nowhere to be found in their village in northeastern Mozambique. 

However, World Vision’s Access to Justice for Adolescent Girls Who are Hard of Hearing* project was available to provide support. The gender equality project helps hard of hearing adolescent girls and young women live free from sexual and gender-based violence and discrimination. Now 17, Guilhermina is one of 4,000 participants.

Although Mozambique has a very high rate of child marriage, Guilhermina’s parents do not support the practice. With the help of local government and World Vision, the father of Guilhermina’s child was tracked down. He has since been providing her with assistance. Guilhermina currently lives at home with her three-month-old son, her parents and six siblings.

She has faced other challenges as well.

A dramatic shift

Before the project began, Guilhermina was denied access to school and was often excluded by her peers from participating in local events. Today she is learning to read and write through literacy classes. Her goal is to reintegrate into traditional school and complete her education so that she can provide her son with a good life. The project additionally includes community education sensitizing people to issues concerning disability. While work remains to be done, community attitudes about disability are improving and she has become an integral, beloved member of her village.

Guilhermina is also one of 125 girls who have received agricultural resources and dignity kits through the project. The kits help women and girls maintain proper hygiene while reducing vulnerability. They include hygiene items like sanitary pads, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, nail trimmers and traditional fabrics called capulanas. These items are useful to the entire household. The agricultural seeds and tools have also helped produce a harvest that has helped feed her family and cover expenses such as diapers and school supplies.

These changes mark a dramatic shift in the trajectory of Guilhermina’s life. Her mother, Adelaide, is deeply thankful.

“When I look at my daughter, after everything she has been through and the difficulties she has faced, I can see that her greatest strength is persistence and resilience,” she says. “In the midst of adversity, she is still a happy, caring and kind girl.”

Check out our Annual Results Report and learn about the progress we’ve made in health, education, clean water and more.

*World Vision Canada and the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation provide support. Slated to conclude in March 2025, the project is integrated with the Every Girl Can project, which is funded by Global Affairs Canada.