It’s called Kaya and it wants to be a home for everyone. The first private social inclusion centre, which opened its doors on 21 September at Rua do Bagamoyo, will be much more than a social canteen, intending to be both a playful space for children and a technical-professional training space for young adults and adults in extreme vulnerability and poverty.
Kaya is the result of a partnership between the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC), the Makobo Platform and the Municipality of Maputo, with the objective of promoting the socio-economic inclusion of individuals. The facilities, provided and rehabilitated by MPDC, were transformed to house a social dining room, changing rooms and bathrooms and a hairdresser that will serve as a training school.
The project also includes rooms for primary health consultations, psychosocial support and referral of users to specialized health care. “It is imperative to restore dignity to our brothers and sisters. There are many people who, for different reasons, live on the street and off the street. It is a moral obligation of all of us to do everything in our power to remove them from this condition and promote their inclusion and sustainability”, explained Ruy dos Santos, founder of the Makobo Platform.
In an initial phase, Kaya will provide a daily meal to its users, from Monday to Saturday. Meanwhile, the logistics of operating the space will be improved and the various partnerships with the private sector that will guarantee its sustainability will be established. The Municipality of Maputo, through the department of social action, will guarantee the provision of professionals in the social production area, establishing several synergies so that the initiative achieves its objectives.
