Investing in youth: MAZA transforms digital skills into employment opportunities at FACIM 2026

Maputo, Mozambique - At FACIM 2026, among some of the country’s largest corporate exhibitors, inspiring energy came from the UNICEF stand, where adolescents and young people took centre stage. Through MAZA, a free digital platform built around the Learning-to-Earning approach and designed by young people for young people, UNICEF demonstrated how youth leadership and inclusion can help prepare Mozambique’s next generation for the workforce.

In an increasingly competitive labour market, young Mozambicans need practical skills, not just promises. Yet for many young people, including those who have completed their education or are out of school, there remains a gap between learning and accessing decent employment.

At the heart of the initiative were champions such as Leonardo Daniel Jorge, 32, who lives with a visual impairment, and Malia Serra, just 14 years old. Rather than waiting for visitors to approach the stand, Leonardo actively engaged them, demonstrating that disability need not be a barrier to leadership. Malia reversed the traditional script and became the educator, guiding visitors through her own learning journey on the MAZA platform.

“MAZA is helping me gain new skills that make a real difference and prepare me for life, work and the future,” Malia said.

To expand the platform’s reach, the youth team introduced a creative referral system, challenging young participants to bring three friends to register and complete courses.

Leonardo highlighted one of MAZA’s greatest strengths: its inclusivity, enabling adolescents and young people with disabilities to access and benefit from digital learning independently and free of charge.

The results were significant. The leadership and enthusiasm of the young people attracted more than 1,000 visitors to the stand and generated 432 new registrations, bringing MAZA’s user base to more than 840. Many participants left with digital certificates as tangible proof of their newly acquired skills.

During her visit to the stand, Minister of Education and Culture Samaria Tovela met with the young people leading the initiative. She praised MAZA as an inclusive and transformative tool and encouraged partners to expand the platform nationwide so that no young person is left behind. Young visitors, in turn, called on UNICEF to introduce even more courses and learning pathways.

For young people like Leonardo and Malia, MAZA is far more than a digital platform. It is a bridge between learning and economic opportunity, helping equip young people with the skills and confidence they need to shape their own futures and succeed in an increasingly competitive job market.