My name is Yara Benedito Chidiamassamba. I was born in Maputo and I am the eldest of three sisters. I grew up hearing that, because there were no boys, I should be “the man of the family” and that my grandfather’s surname would end with us. Instead of holding me back, those words awakened in me a quiet determination: to prove that there is no fragility in being women — only strength, courage and vision.
I trained in Architecture and Physical Planning, but I discovered early on that my true mission went far beyond projects and drawing boards. Today, as Social Performance Manager at the Palma Development Foundation, I find myself daily in the field, side by side with communities that face immense challenges but carry extraordinary potential.
From an early age I believed that Mozambique’s progress depends on valuing its rural areas, educating girls, access to drinking water and improving health conditions. That is where I see a resilient, sustainable and just future being born. I am guided by values I inherited and cultivate: honesty, hard work, passion and freedom. They underpin my commitment to inspiring change and creating real opportunities.
For five years in Maputo, I worked in architecture, developing projects and supervising construction. It was during that period that I founded Maquetheia, a brand created to support architecture students and professionals with creative and learning tools. I organised workshops for children and young people, inviting them to rethink the city and discover their creative potential.
In 2020, I went to Nampula, determined to support young women who were dropping out of school. With them, I learned that persisting is also an act of resistance. It was on this journey that I collaborated with the Girl Move Academy, joining mentoring and capacity-building activities that broadened the impact on girls and young women, strengthening their academic and leadership paths. Later, I took over the coordination of a platform supporting communities displaced by the conflict in Cabo Delgado, leading efforts to distribute food and agricultural inputs and to support resettlement. Today, I run the Rovuma Bamboo Project, which turns bamboo into sustainable products and creates jobs for local farmers, building not only a green economy but also dignity and a future.
I carry with me one special achievement: I became World Champion in Tang Soo Do, raising Mozambique’s flag on international stages. At that moment, I realised that my surname would not end with me — it would be a symbol of resistance and identity.
Recently, I completed training in Humanitarian Architecture and Infrastructure, Housing for Crises, and Planning and Management of Social Development Projects. The next step is a master’s degree in Peace, Conflict and Development, to broaden my impact and deepen my ability to transform realities.
Along the way, I learned that true development is born of closeness: getting to know communities, listening to their stories and working shoulder to shoulder to build sustainable solutions. I keep in my memory the move from Maputo to Chimoio, the six years of simple living that allowed us to buy our first car, and the friendships I still cherish today.
I am the daughter of Etevaldo Boca and deeply marked by the strength of my mother and my godmother Edite. In sport, I found discipline and team spirit: I played volleyball, basketball and futsal, and I founded the first women’s volleyball team at the Faculty of Architecture.
My dream is to see a more peaceful Mozambique, with less unemployment and strong rural communities with access to essential social infrastructure. Because I believe that hope lies in knowledge, in participation and in the capacity to transform — even when the road is hard.
