Alumni Impact: Suzete Da Graça André
Alumni Impact is a social media campaign that recognizes the excellent work being done by FIUTS alumni all around the world. This week, meet Suzete!
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I’m Suzete Da Graça André, from Mozambique. I was part of the 2020 Study of the US Institute (SUSI) for Student Leaders on Civic Engagement. I study at Eduardo Mondlane University and I’m the founder of the project É Apenas Menina.
Through FIUTS, in addition to learning how to develop a community project, I had the opportunity to visit associations that work for the well-being of society. This inspired me and I learned that even with small actions we can create an impact on someone's life.
The aim of "É Apenas Menina" is to combat premature marriages in Mozambique, specifically in the province of Cabo Delgado, where I was born. In FIUTS training programs, I learnt how to organize projects and how to involve a team in order to achieve the same objective. Currently, "É Apenas Menina" is focused on disseminating a message to prevent premature marriages among displaced war girls in the city of the Pemba, Cabo Delgado province and their parents, due to the situation of vulnerability that they are facing. We disseminate messages in local languages with the help of community leaders — this idea that earned us the distinction of “most innovative idea to end premature marriages in Mozambique” by the United Nations Population Fund. Next year, in addition to raising awareness messages, will distribute hygiene material to the beneficiary girls in Pemba.
Suzete Da Graça André is a 2020 alum of the FIUTS SUSI on Civic Engagement. She studies Accounting and Finance at Eduardo Mondlane University and is the founder of É Apenas Menina, an initiative designed to combat premature marriages in Mozambique. For this project, she earned the distinction of “most innovative idea to end premature marriages in Mozambique” by the United Nations Population Fund.
SUSI programs promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among international students, teachers, and scholars. Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSIs) are short-term academic programs for groups of undergraduate leaders, educators, and scholars from around the world. Hosted by academic institutions throughout the United States, these 5- to 6-week Institutes include an intensive academic residency and an integrated educational study tour. Extracurricular cultural and community activities help to broaden the participants’ understanding of U.S. society. Learn more about SUSI programs here.
Guest posts on the FIUTS blog represent the experiences and views of individual writers. They do not necessarily reflect the views of FIUTS or any organizations or institutions affiliated with our programs.