My name is Braiton Godwell Fernando Mutisse, I was born on April 22, 2005, in Espungabera, Mossurize District, Manica Province. Since childhood, I have grown up selling vegetables and some cereals to help support my family. I began my studies in 2011, attending Escola Primária do 1.º e 2.º Grau de Mupingo, where I completed 1st to 7th grade by 2017. At first, my school life was relatively easy, but in 2013, my mother divorced my father, and our situation became very difficult. Despite being pregnant, my mother never gave up on us. With great effort, she continued to guide us and encourage us to study.
In 2017, after completing 7th grade, we faced another challenge: there was no secondary school in our area. Faced with this situation, my mother decided to find a place where I could continue my studies, and fortunately, she succeeded. However, in 2018, my younger brother became seriously ill, and my mother had to travel in search of traditional treatments, staying away for about a month. During that time, I had to drop out of school to take care of household expenses. When she returned, she was unhappy with the situation, but it was already too late for me to go back, and I lost that academic year.
In 2019, my mother became seriously ill, and once again, I had to stop studying to care for her and support our home. By the time she recovered, it was too late for me to return to school, and I lost another year of studies. Despite these struggles, I never lost hope. In 2020, I resumed my studies at Escola Secundária Joaquim Alberto Chissano, where I attended from 8th to 10th grade until 2022. Later, in 2023 and 2024, I continued my academic journey at Escola Secundária Teresa Amuli – Espungabera, where I completed 12th grade. My educational journey was not easy, but by the grace of God, my mother’s efforts, and my determination, I was able to overcome every obstacle and complete my secondary education in 2024.
This is my story—one of challenges, hardships, and resilience, but also of hope and perseverance.