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Dreaming of becoming a bricklayer or electrician
Before coming to Goodwill, Alírio lived in Bairro Central with his mother, siblings, and grandparents. In 2019, he left home because, in his own words, “there was nothing to eat.” At first, he sometimes returned home, but the hunger remained, and little by little the street became the place where he stayed.
He remembers that on his first day in town, someone asked him to help carry a few things and gave him some coins. He used them to buy something to eat. From then on, he survived however he could, doing what was necessary to get by.
Everything began to change in 2023, when he met someone who bought him food and a soft drink and told him about a place that welcomes vulnerable children. He was also told that some of the boys he had lived with on the streets were already there, with proper food and a good place to sleep. As Alírio says, “I did not think twice.”
When he arrived at Goodwill, he was very ill and suffering badly from scabies, to the point that he could hardly sleep. With care, treatment, and support, his health improved and his life began to change.
Today, Alírio is in 4th grade. He loves Uno and futebol, and he continues to grow in a safe and caring environment where he is learning, healing, and building a brighter future.
With your help, Alírio can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as he works toward his dream of becoming a bricklayer or electrician.
[09:58, 03/04/2026] Mia Caratelli: António, 13 years old
Dreaming of becoming a pilot
António lived with his parents and cousins, and he remembers that before everything changed, he was in “a very healthy environment.” But when he was 10 years old, he lost his mother to illness. Later, when his father became sick and was transferred to the hospital in Inhambane, António and his siblings were left alone, with no one to care for them.
As he says, “we began to go hungry.” His brother had to work in the gardens doing small jobs to earn money to buy food for the house, while António stayed behind and helped where he could. Then, to their great misfortune, his father also passed away, and the children were left without anyone to look after them.
After the funeral, their uncle brought them to the centre so that they could finally “have a home.” Since then, António has been growing in a safer and more supportive environment, with the care and stability every child deserves.
Today, António is in 7th grade. He loves Uno and is very good at it, and he is also very good at chess. He dreams of becoming a pilot because he wants to make people fly.
With your help, António can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as he works toward his dream of becoming a pilot.
António lived with his parents and cousins, and he remembers that before everything changed, he was in “a very healthy environment.” But when he was 10 years old, he lost his mother to illness. Later, when his father became sick and was transferred to the hospital in Inhambane, António and his siblings were left alone, with no one to care for them.
As he says, “we began to go hungry.” His brother had to work in the gardens doing small jobs to earn money to buy food for the house, while António stayed behind and helped where he could. Then, to their great misfortune, his father also passed away, and the children were left without anyone to look after them.
After the funeral, their uncle brought them to the centre so that they could finally “have a home.” Since then, António has been growing in a safer and more supportive environment, with the care and stability every child deserves.
Today, António is in 7th grade. He loves Uno and is very good at it, and he is also very good at chess. He dreams of becoming a pilot because he wants to make people fly.
With your help, António can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as he works toward his dream of becoming a pilot.
Tomás came from a deeply vulnerable home environment and, before arriving at Goodwill, faced many challenges no child should ever have to endure. He lived with family members who were themselves struggling greatly and were unable to provide the stable care and protection he needed. Because of this, Tomás was not attending school and would often go to the market in search of leftover food to eat.
Recognising the risks he was exposed to and the absence of a secure family structure, it became clear that Tomás needed a safe and nurturing place where he could be cared for, protected, and given the opportunity to grow. Coming to Goodwill gave him that chance, offering him stability, dignity, and the support every child deserves.
Today, Tomás is growing in a more loving and structured environment. He is particularly good at running, especially sprints, and he loves baseball. He also understands all the basic rules of the game, which makes it one of his favourite activities.
With your help, Tomás can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as he builds a brighter future.
Vasco grew up in very difficult circumstances, living with his grandmother and surviving through small jobs like washing clothes and climbing coconut trees to help earn money for food. There were days when they went to sleep without eating anything, and because of hunger and a lack of opportunity, he eventually left school and began spending time on the streets, doing small jobs for people and helping carry their things just to survive.
In his own words, “It was not easy at all, but because of hunger I had to endure everything.”
While living on the streets, Vasco met other boys in similar situations, and together they tried to survive, often sleeping wherever they could find a place. His life changed when he came to the centre, where he found care, stability, and a family.
Today, Vasco is in 3rd grade. He is one of the top chess players at the orphanage and has strong swimming skills. He dreams of becoming a pilot and building a brighter future for himself.
With your help, Vasco can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as he works toward his dream of becoming a pilot.
Sozinho lived with his mother and siblings, and together they survived through small jobs, selling firewood, and working in the machambas so they could have food at home. Life was very difficult and, in his own words, “life was pressing us very hard.” There were times when they ate sweet potato on its own, simply because they did not always manage to earn money.
Everything changed when he came to Goodwill, where he found a place of greater care, stability, and support. Today, he feels better and is grateful for the chance to grow up in a safer and more hopeful environment.
Sozinho is now in 4th grade and loves futebol. He dreams of becoming a bricklayer so that one day he can build houses.
With your help, Sozinho can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as he works toward his dream of becoming a bricklayer.
Before coming to Goodwill, Marcélia lived with her mother and siblings. Life was very difficult and, in her own words, they had almost nothing. Even so, she continued going to school every day, holding on to the importance of learning and the hope of a better future.
Marcélia never knew her father, and one day her mother told her that he had already passed away. Later, when she was asked whether she would like to live in a place where children like her are cared for and supported, she said yes.
That was how Marcélia came to Goodwill Mozambique. Since then, she has been surrounded by love and care. As she says, the mamãs there look after the children with all their hearts, and they also make it possible for them to visit their families. At times, they even help her mother and siblings at home.
Today, Marcélia is in 8th grade and can say with certainty that Goodwill is her home. She is growing in a safer and more supportive environment where she can continue to learn, dream, and build a brighter future.
Marcélia dreams of becoming a doctor so that she can heal both children and adults.
With your help, Marcélia can continue to grow in safety, confidence, and hope as she works toward her dream of becoming a doctor.
