Graça was about to be born in a small village in
Mozambique. The country was poor and the people
did not yet rule themselves. Children didn’t have good
schools and many couldn’t read. Graça’s mother
dreamed of giving her children better opportunities.
But without education there was little hope.
Baby Graça would be the sixth child. But with
this joyous event there was great sadness.
Their beloved father was dying. He dreamed
that his youngest daughter would go to a
good school. He knew that education would
give her opportunities he never had. His family
promised to make their dad’s dream come true.
Just weeks after their dad died, the new
baby was born. She was given a name to
match the beauty and blessing that she was
– Graça. As the years passed, Graça brought
much joy to her family and they kept the
promise made to their father. Graça would
have a good education
Graça worked hard at school and as a teenager she
received a gift that would change her life. It was a
scholarship to attend a rich city school.
She dreamed of becoming a teacher and using her
education to educate others. She wanted the children
of her beloved Mozambique to know reading and
learning. She dreamed of a time when all children
would go to school.
Graça did her best in that city school and
years later she was blessed again. It was
another scholarship to attend a university
in faraway Portugal. She met new friends,
learned new languages and read a bounty
of books. She realised her dream of becoming
a teacher.
All this made Graça very happy. There was
only one thing that still made her sad…
Back at home people were still not
free. But now Graça had an education,
skills, and hope. She also had friends
who felt as she did about children’s
right to learn. She would use her
knowledge and work with her friends.
Together they would bring change to
Mozambique.
Finally with the help of all her friends,
Mozambique was free!
The man chosen to lead the country was
Graça’s special friend, Samora Machel.
They fell in love and got married.
Graça was given the important job of making
sure that all children in Mozambique got a
good education. It was a hard job because
there were so many children in Mozambique
who couldn’t read.
She knew that they needed education and
she wanted to make real change in her
country. She started with primary schools
and getting boys and girls into classrooms.
Literacy was her focus and putting books into
children’s hands.
Graça and Samora had two children. They
shared a dream to create good lives for their
own family and for the Mozambican people.
They were happy and hopeful.
Then one terrible day, Samora died in an
aeroplane crash
Graça mourned Samora for many years, but
she found love again. She met a man who
had also spent his life dreaming of bringing
freedom, hope and education to his people.
Graça married Nelson Mandela and together
they worked to help Africa’s children.
Graça’s dreams had come true. She had
become a teacher. She had celebrated
freedom for her country. She made it possible
for more children to have education, and
opportunities to achieve great things too.
Here’s a book, my child.
What will it inspire you to do?
Graca's Dream (English)
