From displacement to opportunity: Bashira’s path to a better future

Palma, Cabo Delgado -  At just 22 years old, Bashira has already faced challenges that many people experience over a lifetime. A young mother of a two-year-old child, she left school in Grade 5 because of poverty, limited opportunities and a lack of support to continue her education. Over time, her dream of learning gradually faded.

In 2021, conflict forced Bashira and her family to leave their home, Farol community, in Palma district, the northern province of Cabo Delgado to Quionga Administrative post, located near the Tanzania Border, 25 kilometers from her original community. For two years, she lived away from her community, uncertain about what the future would bring. When she returned home in 2025, she had no job, no income and few prospects for building a better life for herself and her child.

Then Bashira heard about the Skills Development Programme, delivered through the MAZA platform. Seeing an opportunity to gain new knowledge and improve her future, she immediately enrolled.

“I want a better future,” she says. “What I am learning and the skills I am acquiring will help me get a job.”

For Bashira, one of the most exciting moments was receiving a tablet for the first time. Holding the device in her hands, she felt excited and hopeful.

“I am very happy to be part of the programme,” she says. “Technology can open our minds.”

Through the programme, Bashira is gaining foundational, 21st-century and technical skills for life and work. The training is helping her build confidence, explore new opportunities and take practical steps towards her goals.

For Bashira, the programme represents much more than training. It is a pathway to independence and a chance to create a better future for her family. Her dreams are simple but powerful: to secure a job, build a house and provide a stable life for her child.

Today, Bashira is taking the first step towards turning those dreams into reality. With new skills, access to technology and renewed hope, she is proving that even after years of hardship and displacement, a brighter future is possible.

UNICEF is supporting the Skills Development Programme through the MAZA platform, with generous funding from the Government of Sweden. The programme helps adolescents and young people gain the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to prepare for work, pursue their aspirations and build better futures.