2. CONNECTED CHURCH
Kubatsirana

3. A WIDOW’S LIFE CHANGED BY ADVOCACY
June 2016

4. What does advocacy mean to you?
Notes to leader: You could ask people to discuss the question in groups and then feedback. Then say: ‘today we’re going to meet a woman in Mozambique, whose life has changed thanks to advocacy work by the local church’

5. Celina Tembo is a widow living in Mozambique.
One day she was talking to her neighbour about her problems - her house was falling down, and she had no money to buy food. Often she went hungry.
Notes to leader: Celina is 62, and describes herself as ‘elderly’ - something most 62 year olds would not say in the UK! But in Mozambique, the life expectancy is 54, so in her community she really is an elder.

6. Her neighbour told her about a group of Christians who were visiting vulnerable people like her in the community. The next day, they turned up at Celina’s door!

7. The group had been trained by Kubatsirana to advocate for people in their community.
They told Celina she was eligible for an allowance from the government. They helped her apply for it.
Notes to leader: Celina is 62, and describes herself as ‘elderly’ - something most 62 year olds would not say in the UK! But in Mozambique, the life expectancy is 54, so in her community she really is an elder.

8. The money has helped Celina a lot
The money has helped Celina a lot! She bought seeds to plant in her field, so now she has regular crops.
She also bought materials for her house and the volunteers helped her to rebuild it.
Notes to leader. Celina has also been able to employ people to work in her field during harvest time, and she has joined a Savings Group so she can build up some money for investing or for paying for costs like health insurance.
Pictures: top - Celina in front of her new house, bottom - with her friends from her savings group

9. ‘I thank the volunteers from the Christian group, Kubatsirana for training them, and my church, who have supported me. I thank my Lord God for all you have done for me.’
Celina Tembo

10. PRAYER Thank God for this change in Celina’s life
Pray for women like her, that they would also receive support from the church
Pray for Mozambique - for peace and prosperity
Notes to leader: You could lead the group in prayer, or ask people to pray in 2s and 3s.