Training for Animadoras, bilingual children’s books and better infrastructure: after more than three years of work in six communities in Chibuto District, Phase 2 of the AIDGLOBAL-led project came to an end in July 2026. Its results open up new prospects and are a reminder of why it is worth investing in education from the earliest years of life.
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn, grow and discover the world from an early age. In Chibuto District, Gaza Province, Mozambique, that opportunity was strengthened by the project “Educators on the Move – Itinerant Education for Early Childhood – Phase 2”, implemented by AIDGLOBAL between March 2023 and July 2026, with main funding from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and co-funding from Camões – Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua, I.P.
The project supported six Community Preschools, in Bairro 25 de Junho (Units 2 and 4), Malehice, Chiconelane, Maivene and Chaimite. In 2026 alone, 312 children benefited from these activities. In total, since this work began with the pilot project in 2018, 1,230 children have had access to pre-school.
The Animadoras at the heart of the project
At the heart of the project were the Animadoras, affectionately known as “Educators on the Move”, who support children’s first learning experiences. Through two training programmes, around 50 women strengthened their early childhood education skills.
Five exchange meetings also gave the Animadoras the opportunity to share experiences, reflect on their practices and develop their own pedagogical plans.
Books in the children’s own language
Three new bilingual children’s books, in Portuguese and Xichangana, were produced for the Livros para Começar collection, an AIDGLOBAL publishing project. The project also distributed 352 books across the six preschools and delivered 214 additional educational resources to the Bairro 25 de Junho Preschool, Unit 4, which was created during Phase 2 of the project.
These materials enriched the learning spaces and gave children more contact with stories, play and activities designed for their language and culture.
Stronger preschools
In 2024, all six preschools obtained official operating authorisation and, in 2025, five formalised the land-use rights for the sites where they operate. New latrines, kitchens and support facilities were built, and a water borehole was opened in Chiconelane, which also supplies the surrounding community.
The benefits reach beyond the preschools. In the project’s final evaluation, 87% of the primary school teachers surveyed said that children who had attended the Community Preschools integrated better into primary school.
Challenges that remain
The end of the project does not mean that every challenge has been overcome. Families’ economic difficulties, political instability and extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, affected the preschools’ activities and their financial capacity.
In July 2026, external support was still needed to cover the Animadoras’ allowances and the children’s snacks. The long-term financial sustainability of the six preschools remains a challenge.
What stays
With the end of Phase 2, what stays are better-prepared Animadoras, new educational resources, improved infrastructure and stronger community institutions. These are lasting investments in people and communities that will continue to shape early childhood education in Chibuto.
AIDGLOBAL thanks the Animadoras, the Community Management Councils, families, local authorities, partners, funders and everyone who made this journey possible. Their dedication and belief in every child’s potential made all the difference.
The project has ended, but the commitment continues: to ensure that every child has access to quality early childhood education. After all, early childhood is not just the beginning of a child’s school journey. It is the beginning of a lifetime of possibilities.
