Some residents of the Mifungo neighborhood, in the northern part
of the Metangula Municipality, Lago District, in Niassa province in northern of
Mozambique engage in sand extraction from the banks of the Lunho River and view
this activity as an opportunity to support their families.
Joana Fabião, one of the people involved in sand extraction,
says, "The work is hard. We carry sand from the river to the road, where
we pile it up for customers to see and buy for construction. This results in body
aches, but it’s the only solution to fight hunger and buy school supplies for
our children. This activity helps us a lot; it’s where we get the money to feed
our children and buy school supplies. But it’s not easy, we’re carrying sand on
our heads, from the river to the road," Joana stated.
Jacobe Leonardo Ambali, who has been working in sand extraction
and transportation for 4 years, says he survives through this work. He mentions
that there are days when government authorities visit the site to demand a
license from those who pile sand on the riverbanks, but the workers refuse,
claiming that the sand is extracted from the riverbanks and placed on the road
for sale, so they don’t see any reason for the government to require payment of
any fees. "I’ve been doing this activity since 2020. Sometimes government
authorities show up and demand that we pay a fee and get a license, but we
don’t accept because we take the sand from the riverbanks and carry it on our
heads to the road," said Ambali.
In this context, the residents of Mifungo are asking the
authorities not to intervene in this activity, as it is how they support their
families, particularly in purchasing basic necessities such as school supplies
and household items. (Davide Muianga)
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