First Lady Mrs. Isaura Nyusi received the Award from Zuriel, and her Foundations citation. It recognised not just the First Lady’s girls education development work in Mozambique, but specifically her fight against the cultural institution of girl marriages in her country Mozambique, and spreading this fight to other countries in the SADC region, starting with Zambia.
The ceremony was accompanied by Government Ministers to the presentation event and attended by business leaders as well as Ambassadors representing several countries.
The DUSUSU Award since 2014 has recognised the work and practical development programs of an African First Lady and an African Gender Minister in specific areas of girl’s development. So far, the First Ladies of Senegal, Tanzania, Kenya and Namibia have received the Award in that category, for its annual recognition.
As part of events leading to the formal presentation of the 2018 African First Lady’s category for the annual DUSUSU Awards, 15 year old girl education advocate and film maker Zuriel Oduwole paid a weeklong visit to Mozambique.
Visiting An Orphanages, Music Academy
For her programs in other areas of the country as part of the 5th Anniversary of the DUSUSU Awards, Zuriel was formally welcomed by Sister Maria Jesus to the Sao Jose de Lhanguene ‘girls only’ Orphanage, where she spoke about the importance of having dreams, in any circumstance.
The Maputo Jazz Academy for Boys was her next stop, by special invitation. The mostly teenage class wanted to show her that despite being boys, they were inspired by her work for girl’s education around the world, and her leadership voice in areas of youth development. Zuriel who plays music instruments herself was honored to spend an afternoon in the academy.
She would visit more traditional schools next week, and meet with Mozambique President, H.E. Filipe Nyusi, on issues relating to Education, and also Climate Change as a UNFCC Climate Neutral Ambassador, before departing for Ethiopia.