Celebrating 10 Years of Impact and Growth: Kurandza's Journey

As we mark our 10th anniversary at Kurandza, we are filled with gratitude and excitement as we reflect on the journey that has brought us to this significant milestone. Over the past decade, our commitment to empowering communities through education, entrepreneurship, and holistic support has grown into a beacon of hope and transformation. Join us as we take a look at the impact we’ve created together over the years.

2014: Where we started

Our story began in 2014, when Kurandza was established as a sewing cooperative constructed from mud bricks. A group of 12 courageous HIV+ women embarked on a transformative journey, acquiring skills in financial literacy, health, and entrepreneurship. This initiative aimed to provide a sustainable income to cover essential hospital visits and medication, laying the foundation for what Kurandza would become.

2015: Seed Funds and Artisan Goods

In 2015, we leveraged the power of artisan goods to raise seed funds for our next phase of growth. This initiative not only showcased the incredible talents of our community members but also enabled us to expand our reach and impact.

2016: Rising to the Challenge

When a drought and hunger crisis hit our village in 2016, Kurandza stepped up with resilience and determination. Our first fundraising campaign was launched, providing crucial food aid to women, their families, and malnourished babies. This year also marked our achievement of 501c3 non-profit status, solidifying our commitment to sustainable change.

2017: A Focus on Education

2017 was a pivotal year as our focus pivoted to education. Inspired by the progress of Lindsey, a girl sponsored by Elisabetta, we launched the first #IStandForGirls campaign, sponsoring 100 girls. This campaign marked the beginning of our journey to empower girls through education.

2018: Doubling Our Impact

Building on our previous success, Kurandza's 2nd #IStandForGirls campaign in 2018 aimed even higher, doubling our goal to 200 educational scholarships. Together we funded and built a dormitory at our partner preschool. The renovated bathrooms, and new additions greatly impacted the children in our program. We also recognized how crucial safe transportation is and took action. With your support, we began providing transportation services, ensuring that students could travel safely to and from school every day.

2019: Holistic Education Approach

In 2019, Kurandza embraced a holistic approach to education, introducing tutoring, home visits, and social support. With 200 girls enrolled, we ensured that our educational programs addressed every aspect of their development and well-being.

2020: Adapting to Global Challenges

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic in 2020, our team and impact continued to grow. We adapted by offering distance learning and relief aid, ensuring our students remained supported during uncertain times. We delivered over 1,951 pounds of food aid.

2021: Literacy and Learning Recovery

We launched our literacy initiative in July 2021 which marked a significant step in helping girls make up for lost learning time due to the pandemic. This program has since delivered over 2,071 hours of literacy sessions, empowering children to meet national standards.

2022: Alumni and Leadership

In 2022, we launched our Alumni program, a testament to our commitment to local leadership and sustainability. Graduates like Neusia, Esmenia, and Tânia have acquired new skills, applying them in innovative ways. We also provided ID cards to students who lacked them to prevent them from trafficking. Having an identity card, they now have access to education, healthcare, and future employment. We had our first high school graduate, Felista. She was the first student in our program to enroll in college and be accepted into college. We also won the Archstorming competition and received floor plans for the learning center.

2023: Realigning and Restructuring

This year, Kurandza realigned our vision with the launch of EDUCATE, EQUIP, and EMPOWER, a program that returns to our roots of entrepreneurship and empowerment. We also obtained and legalized land for our learning center, paving the way for future expansion. Our student, Alda graduated from our program and joined the Alumni program, so she can save up to attend college. We sent filmmakers to Mozambique and that was funded through a Sown (storytelling for social good) grant. They captured beautiful photos and videos of our community in Mozambique. We secured land and completed phase three of the Learning Center. Once funds were secured, our team in Mozambique began tearing down existing structures, clearing and leveling the land in preparation for construction.

2024: Traveling to Mozambique

Supporters visited Mozambique and met the girls during our first impact trip. This journey allowed them to connect with the community firsthand and meet the students they support, strengthening the bond between our global family.

By the numbers...

Take a look at the impact you’ve helped create through out the years

Over 300

Children with educational sponsorships

12

Women employed

3,406+

Social support home visits

Over 2,071

Hours of literacy sessions

139,054+

Days of school funded

25,500+

Lives impacted in the community

500,483+

Miles of walking to school saved through transportation

Thank you!

Together, we have EDUCATED, EQUIPPED, and EMPOWERED hundreds of girls in Mozambique. This decade-long journey has been possible because of you—our supporters, volunteers, and partners. Thank you for sharing Kurandza’s message, for sponsoring girls, and for being with us on the transformative mission.

Celebrate with us!

We want to hear your favorite Kurandza moment of impact. Share with us on social media and tag @lovekurandza. We’re excited to see what you share!