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The Kapasseni Project is dedicated to assisting in the regeneration of Mozambique by providing children and their families with educational opportunities, clean water, health care and spiritual support. Joseph and Perpetua Alfazema came to Canada to escape a 30 year war in their homeland of Mozambique. When the war was finally over, Joseph and Perpetua returned to Joseph's home village, Kapasseni, for a visit. The situation touched their souls.

 

The civil war in Mozambique had destroyed much of the infrastructure, leaving the country without crops, schools, churches, hospitals, or roads. Many people were suffering. People were handicapped from the land mines that are still spread over much of the countryside. Children had no educational opportunities, preventing them from gaining the knowledge and skills they need for a better future. Medical treatment was scarce; many people suffered from easily treatable illnesses, and HIV/AIDS was starting to take a terrible toll on the population.

 

As Joseph recounts in the film Journey to Kapasseni, "The chief said, "Could you go and ask friends in Canada to help us to have a school here, because we need a school for kids. Kids without a school - there's no life in the future." Chief Francisco Semente gave them a letter to take home, asking for help with the school, healthcare, water wells, and spiritual support. Neither Joseph nor Perpetua had any idea how to honour the chief's requests, they only knew they had to try. At the outset, they had nothing but their faith that it might be possible and their determination to do their best to make it happen.

 

When they returned to Canada, Perpetua and Joseph discussed the situation with their friends at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Their church community were eager to help, and formed the Kapasseni Project Committee, who meet every month, overseeing the Canadian end of the project.

 

More support came with a fortunate meeting at the Victoria Folkfest intercultural festival in 1998. Joseph and Perpetua were performing with their Mozambican Choir on the same stage as the Gettin' Higher Choir, a large community choir directed by Shivon Robinsong. Perpetua and Shivon started an enduring friendship, and when Perpetua related stories about the suffering in Mozambique, Shivon and GHC members were moved to become partners in the Kapasseni Project. In 1999, the GHC was joined by Ann Mortifee in a benefit concert that sold out St. Andrew's Cathedral and raised almost $11,000 - enough to launch the project.  

 

 Six volunteers from Victoria travelled to Kapasseni, arriving at the village with tools, building materials and school supplies. The night they arrived, a drum sent out the message for a gathering, and the next day people came from all over the area. In two days they cleared land and built a temporary school building. Three teachers were hired, 150 children and 30 adults were enrolled, and school uniforms and bags were supplied. Building the school rejuvenated the villagers' spirit of community, much to the joy of Chief Francisco Simente, who said: "Kapasseni was once a dead village, but now it has come back to life".

 

                      

 

The Gettin' Higher Choir and special guests have held annual fundraising concerts (over $200,000 raised so far!) and volunteers have made annual journeys to Kapasseni. To date, the accomplishments include:

-Building a permanent brick school (Escola Primaria de Kapasseni), which has expanded to Grade 5 and teaches Portuguese, arithmetic, reading and writing. There is also a breakfast program, a traditional music program, soccer, and a scholarship program to assist further studies for graduates. A school garden and orchard have been planted.

-Installation of wells with hand pumps, to provide clean water.

-A health centre has been built, giving people an opportunity to learn about preventing illness and receive medical care. Traditional medicines are incorporated with modern health care. The health centre is staffed by a nurse and two midwives. An eye care program has also been developed. HIV/AIDS education and prevention work is ongoing.

-Improvements and education in forestry and agriculture.

-A corn grinding mill has been installed, for community development. The mill has freed the women from many hours of arduous manual labour, and enabled the village girls to spend more time at school.

 

In June 2006, Joseph and Perpetua returned to Mozambique, and began to work in Sena Township, near to Kapasseni. Joseph has followed his dream and become a Lutheran minister, and moved to Mozambique for 5 years to bring a message of love to people in Sena and Kapasseni with his mission work. Perpetua also followed her dream to be a community health worker, and started the Kuwangisana home-based care program, bringing comfort and help to families and orphans who have been ravaged by HIV/AIDS. They built the first library in Caia district, to continue providing education and opportunities for the local people. The Kuwangisana Organization has expanded services to Chemba and the nearby town of Caia.  And in Kapasseni, the health, education, and community development work in the village continues with the local committees for the Kapasseni Society.

The Project

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