The first monitoring exercise of the Gender Action Learning System (GALS), implemented by WCS Mozambique in the Niassa Special Reserve with support from the Rob Walton Foundation (RWF), has revealed encouraging signs of social and economic transformation in the communities of Cuchiranga, Lisongole, Ntimbo 1, Lichengue, Guebuza and Macalange, located in Block L4E.
Through the Vision Journey tool, families are being supported to reflect on their future, define concrete goals and identify the steps required to achieve them. The process is helping households transform aspirations into practical objectives related to agricultural production, savings, small businesses, children's education, improved housing and overall family well-being.
In Cuchiranga, the Vision Journey has encouraged families to establish shared goals and work together towards achieving them. In Lisongole, discussions on livelihoods are helping participants identify opportunities to increase income and strengthen economic resilience.
In Ntimbo 1, women are gaining greater space to express their aspirations and participate actively in household decision-making. In Lichengue, families are strengthening saving practices and planning for the sustainable use of available resources.
Meanwhile, in Guebuza, households are increasingly linking their vision for the future with shared responsibilities among family members. In Macalange, participants are turning aspirations for improved living conditions into practical and achievable actions, demonstrating stronger planning and organizational skills.
For the participants, the experience demonstrates that meaningful change begins at home through dialogue, joint planning, and collective commitment to achieving common goals.
According to Eusébio Celestino, Social Safeguards and Gender Coordinator for WCS in the Niassa Special Reserve, the initial monitoring results show that GALS is strengthening families' capacity to plan their own development while promoting more inclusive and collaborative relationships.
“I would like to leave a message of confidence to all families participating in GALS: believe in your abilities and never be afraid to dream. The Vision Journey teaches us that a dream can become a goal, and a goal can become action. We do not need to wait for major changes to begin. Every decision made together, every responsibility shared, and every step taken towards a family's vision represents progress. Continue talking, learning from one another, and moving forward together. The change we want to see in our communities, and particularly in this Reserve, begins within each family.”
The monitoring findings confirm that GALS is contributing not only to stronger livelihoods but also to greater gender equality, shared decision-making and the development of more resilient families and communities, reinforcing the role of local people as drivers of their own development. The implementation of GALS in the Niassa Special Reserve is led by WCS Mozambique and is made possible through the valuable support of the European Union and the World Bank, through the MozNorte Project implemented by BioFund,as well with additional support of the Rob Walton Foundation (RWF).