Tânia Beque
Mozambique
Tell us about yourself: Hi, I’m Tânia Beque, I’m Mozambican and I’m passionate about nature. My interest in the environment made me follow the Environmental Education course because I always wanted to work for the preservation of the environment, especially because my country, which has a rich biodiversity, sees it being threatened by several factors, such as the climate change, deforestation, rapid population growth and the consequent increase in the exploitation of natural resources. Among the various initiatives in favor of the environment, I highlight my current work, where I manage the Tindzila Fund, a fund focused on supporting community projects for sustainable management of natural resources, environmental justice and the promotion of gender inclusion.
What did you do with the JWH grant? The JWH scholarship was used in 3 activities, namely: I took an advanced course in English, I attended an online course on basic principles of agroforestry systems and I could pay the tuition for the second year of my Master’s in Risk Management Disasters and Adaptation to Climate Change.
What has the leadership development program brought you? The scholarship has been of great value to me. I improved my communication in English a lot, which I use a lot not only at work, but also in my master’s degree. The agroforestry course allowed me to design projects, and improve organic farming practices. Finally, the master’s certainly opened up several opportunities for me, one of them to write a scientific article about my dissertation, as well as to work with the best professionals in Climate Change in Mozambique. I have participated and been part of discussion panels in some workshops and seminars within the scope of my master’s degree.
What is your dream? I want to create my own forest agriculture center: a place where you can learn about sustainable practices linked to organic agriculture, reproduction of native and endangered species, and promote courses related to waste management and environmental sustainability in general. Furthermore, I want to continue working in the area of climate change and I believe that my project will have a huge impact on raising awareness among Mozambicans and the world about this global problem.
