Women Lead the Journey to Solve Sanitation Issues in Southern Mozambique

By Álvaro Malamba, Communication and Advocacy Coordinator 

For generations in the southern Mozambican province of Gaza, in Mabalane district, women were limited to the boundaries of the house and the food production fields. The southern region of Mozambique is a deeply patriarchal and traditional society where construction works, or sanitation projects were never associated with women. But the introduction of Community-Led Sanitation Marketing by World Vision just a year ago is rewriting the narrative.

Women are stepping into roles once considered a no-go and are leading this wave of transformation. Gilda Chaúque and Lúcia Ponja are live examples of this transformation, they are no longer confined to the patriarchal boundaries, today, they are the architects of change in their communities.

“When I first started, they said this wasn’t women’s work. Now, I’m the one teaching men how to build latrines,” Gilda says, her eyes gleaming with pride. “I can support my family doing something I love.”

These women are not only helping solve a major public health issue, open defecation, but are also carving out new roles for themselves within their communities. Their work in constructing improved latrines has placed them at the heart of efforts to improve sanitation and restore dignity to rural households

Economic dependence has long kept many women silent in the face of domestic violence and household inequality. But for women like Gilda and Lúcia, earning their own income has changed everything.

“Before, I couldn’t say "no", I didn’t have the means,” Lúcia shares. “Now I work, I earn, I educate my children, and I make decisions in my family.”

With financial independence comes voice, confidence, and the power to choose. What was once unthinkable, women building, leading, and earning in a space dominated by men, has become not just possible, but increasingly normal.

And the ripple effect is undeniable. These women have become symbols of resilience and transformation, inspiring others in their communities to dream bigger and challenge what society has long dictated as their place.

“Girls watch us working and say they want to be like us,” Gilda says with a soft smile. “That’s the most beautiful part, knowing we’re paving the way.”

In the dust and heat of Mabalane, dressed in blue overalls and armed with spades, these women are not just breaking ground—they are breaking stereotypes, one barrier at a time. 

Since 2023, a total of 85 women have been trained by World Vision in Sanitation Marketing. As a result, 223 improved latrines have already been constructed. This progress is contributing significantly to better sanitation in these communities, where open defecation remains a pressing reality.