by Adriano Biza
Through an invitation of Professor Leila Harris, on behalf of the International Waters Research and Training Network I had the opportunity of participating in a “Workshop on Water Equity and Resilience in Southern Africa”, which was held between 24th and 26th August 2016, at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Studies, Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Continue reading
by Jay-el
My research topic is entitled “Life cycle analysis of the technical costs and social costs for the provision of sanitation services in Maputo, Mozambique”. In an overview, it is divided into three main parts, (1) developing of scenarios for the development of Maputo’s sanitation system in 2025; (2) quantifying the total costs, technical and social, of each of the scenario; and (3) providing insights for their improvement and its consequent implications on the perspective of stakeholders. Continue reading
by Iana
The last days in Maputo are to finalize our interviews meanwhile slowly saying goodbye to people we met and places we´ve been to. And a very last and wonderful expedition to the Savannah.
More Interviews Continue reading
by Jesper
After spending most of our last weekend inside or in close proximity of our residence we are receiving more and more comments from people urging us to explore more of Maputo and its surroundings. Of course we all agree, we are not visiting Mozambique to merely sit in a study room for two or three months. That is why this week we planned a visit to the agricultural zone of Maputo and the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Infulene. For the weekend we planned a travel to the nearby island of Inhaca, which is famous for its beautiful beaches and restaurants serving well-priced fresh lobster. Monday and Tuesday are regular days when we wake up around 7am after a rooster has been urging us to get up for some 2 hours. We visit the canteen for a bread to the side of either a cup of sweet tea or even sweeter milk. Followed by a cup of coffee sometimes accompanied with some shared pastry. Continue reading
by Iana
Good morning! Or “Lichile!” in Shangana, one of the local languages spoken in Mozambique. It has been three weeks in Maputo and, as time goes by, the taste of the unknown has become somehow familiar and enjoyable in our neighborhood. Simone, the Italian, early mornings, stops by the coffee place and updates us about the cultural activities in Maputo; José, the owner of the Café, Mozambican and son of Portuguese, talks about the most varied subjects, from pastry recipes to the Portuguese colonization. Fernando, who studies medicine and lives in the same building, is always around the residence, almost ubiquitously, unless at the end of the afternoon, when he goes to the mosque, because it is Ramadan. All the street vendors, who sell anything that you can imagine (expect for a laptop charger I really needed) are already part of our daily landscape. Greeting and recognizing people in public places are starting to be regular. Yes, we realize Maputo city is small and welcoming. Continue reading
By Jay-el
Our second week has simply been a study-filled week. The routine just goes back and forth from eating at SELF canteen or at our favorite ‘First Choice’ café, and studying at SELF study room. But of course, we still manage to discover new places, meet new people, and keep keep-up with new friends. Continue reading
by Jesper
Travel and arrival
On Friday 3rd of June we arrived happy and healthy after a long flight with very extensive meals served by our friends from Turkish Airlines. Our stops in Istanbul and Johannesburg had both been very smooth. We boarded our final plane and set foot on Mozambican ground for the first time. We are a group of three master students all working on our thesis. Our backgrounds however are very different. Iana recognized a lot of things from the place where she lived her childhood in Brazil and she can communicate very well with Mozambicans since she speaks Portuguese fluently. Jay-El also explained that the climate and general atmosphere reminded him of his home country the Philippines. For me, Jesper, as a Dutchman, everything about Maputo is very new and different from the cities and countries that I know. Continue reading
by Adriano, Celma, Joaquim and Noor
Through NWO we got the possibility of attending the 4th International Climate Change Adaptation Conference (10-13 May 2016) in Rotterdam. The conference has the watchword “Adaptation Futures 2016: Practices and Solutions”. The venue with different features included plenaries, round tables, science session, practice session and science-practice session. The themes covered included cities and infrastructures; food, forestry and rural livelihoods; fresh water availability and access; public health; ecosystems based ecosystem based adaptation; disaster risk reduction and the artic. Cross-cutting issues covered topics such as, risk assessment, adaption planning and evolution; institutions and governance and; finance, investment and business. The opening speech was done by Melanie Schultz van Haegen, Minister of Infrastructure and Environment of the Netherlands; Robert-Jan Smits, Director for Research and Innovation, representative of the European Commission; and Ibrahim Thiaw, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. Continue reading
by Nessia Fausta
1. The Candidates
I was a bit surprising when I realized that I have been in Maputo for a month. What have I obtained in a month? Have I met some ideas and willingness from other parties worth fighting for? For the whole first month I took my time investigating the construction companies; their locations, their monthly water consumption, their source of water and their future plans. At the end of my interviews, I always proposed to them for being our partners to build the pilot project of wastewater treatment plant for concrete production. Does it seem like I am searching for a spouse? It is analogically similar. I looked for their locations, asked them for a speed date, talked about their current conditions and finally showed them my intention by saying, “Will you ‘marry’ me?” Haha. Thus, perhaps it is the time for me to prepare the “lobolo”. Based on the information from my new friends here, lobolo is the term of traditional marriage proposal for the people in Southern Mozambique. In this event, the family of the groom should give some valuable gifts for the family of the bride. It usually includes a set of clothes, kapulanas (traditional cloth, usually used as a skirt or a headscarf), crops, cattle, some amount of money as a symbol of the gratitude for the bride’s parents for giving birth, educate and taking care of her, and some additional requirements which have been listed by the family of the bride. The event continues to a very big party, where people dance and celebrate the union of the couple. Continue reading
by Nessia Fausta
It has been two weeks since I arrived in Maputo, the capital of Mozambique. After being picked up by Delio Zandamela, the very friendly international mobilization staff, I arrived in Residence 1 of Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM), my dormitory for the next 2 months. Breathing the warm air after a long journey, I slowly absorbed my daily life experiences here; the country, the city, the people, and the project itself. Continue reading