In the Natikiri neighbourhood, on the outskirts of the city of Nampula, the sound of hammers and electric saws accompanies a quiet but symbolic transformation. At 32, Adelaide Alfredo has become a face of courage and leadership by opening her own carpentry workshop — in a space traditionally reserved for men, she not only makes her presence felt but employs more than ten of them.
In an interview given to Jornal Ikweli, Adelaide says she grew up surrounded by the trade. From childhood, she watched woodwork closely, fascinated by the shapes and uses that a simple piece of board could take on. However, from an early age she also heard that “carpentry is a man’s job”. This prejudice, rooted in local culture, far from discouraging her, spurred her on.
Determined to follow her dream, she learned the techniques, defied expectations and created a space where much more than furniture is built today: inclusion, dignity and hope are built. The workshop, set up in Natikiri, has provided a livelihood for several families and made Adelaide an example for many women in the community.
Proud of the path she has trodden, she says that what she has built goes far beyond wood and nails: “I built something that many thought impossible”, she told Ikweli. Her story is, today, a living statement that talent and ambition have no gender.
