In Chimoio, a bustling town in central Mozambique, the hum of daily life is punctuated by the quiet determination of a new generation. These are not politicians or CEOs, but young leaders who believe that change begins in classrooms, community halls, and village squares. They are the tutors of T4NA – Together for a New Africa – a Pan-African initiative that has taken root in unexpected places, nurturing a philosophy of ethical leadership where it is needed most.
At the heart of this story lies not just ambition, but survival. Local communities, battered by poverty, unemployment, and the lingering shadows of inequality, are learning to dream again – led by young people who refuse to be spectators in their country’s story.
Tércio José Viola: “Balancing scarcity with an abundance of dreams”
Tércio speaks with the gravity of someone who has seen hope falter, but never collapse. Born in Chimoio, trained as a journalist, and deeply rooted in youth advocacy, he now coordinates AEFUM – an association of 10,000 Mozambican university students at home and abroad.
When he first encountered T4NA in 2021, it wasn’t just another program. It was, he recalls, “a rare opportunity to join a Pan-African platform that combines intellectual excellence with a clear moral purpose: to shape a new generation of ethical African leaders.”
For him, being a tutor is not about titles or recognition. It is about creating “spaces where ideas, talents, and transformative action can flourish,” even when material resources are scarce. The hardest challenge, he admits, has been sustaining motivation among youth who often expect financial incentives in a country plagued by unemployment.
But scarcity taught him resilience: “I learned how to balance the scarcity of resources with an abundance of dreams.” His words carry the weight of someone who has buried colleagues and friends along the way, yet insists that the mission must go on.
Marques António: “Not everything in life is about money”
If Tércio embodies the voice of conviction, Marques offers the voice of persistence. A teacher of English, his career meandered from hotels to NGOs, before finally landing him in Mozambique’s police force. His path is a reminder that survival, for many young Mozambicans, is not linear but improvised.
When he heard about T4NA from Tércio, he admits he knew little. But the promise of learning and giving back was enough to pull him in. For Marques, the challenge is stark: convincing youth to embrace leadership and service without immediate financial gain.
“In a country where unemployment is high, it’s difficult to convince youth to join a non-profit initiative,” he says. Yet through T4NA, he has discovered that leadership is not always rewarded in money. “Not everything in life is about making money. Many of the great leaders we admire today gave their all to help others without asking for anything in return.”
Marques, the teacher, is still teaching – but now it is not just English. It is the lesson of Ubuntu, the African philosophy that “we are all connected and grow together.”
Emilia Emilio Navaia: “An opportunity to lead, inspire, and support”
Where Tércio offers a journalist’s analysis and Marques speaks with a teacher’s pragmatism, Emilia radiates quiet resolve. Trained in rural construction engineering, now a master’s student in biodiversity conservation, she has woven leadership into her academic journey.
Her first encounter with T4NA sparked both curiosity and determination. “I saw the potential to make a difference in the lives of young people,” she recalls. Today, she describes being a tutor as “an opportunity to lead, inspire, and support young people on their journeys.”
The challenge for her has been navigating different personalities and expectations. “It taught me empathy, patience, and flexibility,” she says, listing the values she believes leadership must embody. For Emilia, leadership is not abstract; it is the everyday choice to commit, to listen, to adapt.
Her passion is clear: helping others and promoting positive change. T4NA, she says, “reinforced this passion because it showed me the impact that conscious and dedicated leadership can have.”
A journey Rooted in Survival
Taken together, the stories of Tércio, Marques, and Emilia sketch a portrait of leadership that is not about power, but about presence. It is about surviving the fractures of society while building bridges strong enough to hold communities together.
Their voices echo a philosophy familiar across Africa: Ubuntu – “I am because we are.” But in Mozambique, where youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, political institutions weak, and social inequalities entrenched like in many African countries, this philosophy is not just a moral compass; it is a survival strategy.
T4NA has become more than a program. It is a mirror reflecting back to young Africans the possibility of leading differently: through service, co-leadership, and ethical vision. For these tutors, the question is not whether change will come, but whether they will be strong enough, together, to carry it through.
As Tércio reminds us: “The true legacy is seeing other young people step forward to lead, transform, and serve.”
And in that legacy lies the promise of Mozambique’s tomorrow – fragile, determined, and carried by the hands of those who refuse to stand still.
