Author: ActionAid Zambia

Impact: 2,405 fishers

Have you ever wondered what tomorrow is made of? Even if you do not know what the future holds, you can surely try building it in the best way possible. It is with this mindset that Inocência Fazbem now plans hers.

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Born and raised in the Province of Tete in Mozambique, Inocência is a dynamic and hardworking 32 year old mother of four. For 10 years now, she has been part of the Caie community.

For the longest time, members of the community only cared about fishing… It was their main economic basis for subsistence, regardless of how it was done and how unsustainable these practices were. Fortunately, thanks to the ECOFISH program and the promotion of small-scale sustainable fishing, they were able to get a better understanding of the big picture.

“Prior to the ECOFISH program, we only depended on fishing, which usually occurs between May and August. During the cold period, we would always register a low fish catch and would not have alternatives to earn a living”, highlights Inocência.”

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Since she joined the fishermen’s club in June 2020 – which is part of the ECOFISH program – Inocência, like many others, was able to learn another means of resilience and subsistence. Now, from May to August (during the fish scarcity period) she gets to thrive in diversified production, growing tomatoes, okra, pasta, cucumber, onions, beetroot, green beans and lettuce, to make sure she has enough for her family’s diet, as well as for sale to other neighboring communities. She concludes:

“I am very grateful to ADPP – the fishermen’s club. They introduced us to a sustainable livelihood, and I can now stop depending solely on fishing! The vegetable garden has brought great value to my family and the club, and even when the project ends, we will make sure to perpetuate the production since we have water and know where to buy the inputs.”

Given the keys to a brighter future, Inocência is now determined to be a shining example for her community!