A true story of transformation, hope, and agroforestry in the heart of the Gorongosa Mountains
Text – Larissa Sousa; Photos – Samo Jossefa
In 2019, Mr. Manuel Isaías Manejo, a coffee producer from the community of Dungama, in the district of Gorongosa, Sofala, took a step that would change his life and that of his family forever. Having never heard of coffee cultivation, he decided to accept the challenge. He did so driven by two simple but deeply powerful dreams: to provide for his family and to offer his children the opportunity to study beyond primary school.With technical support and seedlings provided by Gorongosa National Park, he began his journey into the world of coffee. “In 2019, when I first heard about coffee, I didn’t know what it was. But I accepted the challenge. I needed to support my family and educate my children. I started with just over 3,000 plants offered by the Park. Today, more than a producer, I am a coffee entrepreneur,” says Mr. Manuel with pride.
His journey is a living testimony to resilience and vision. From an income of 15,000 meticais in the first year, working on a small farm with the help of his family, he has progressed to around 150,000 meticais per year after several years of practice, dedication, and expansion. Last year, he earned around 280,000 meticais in cash, a milestone that confirms the growing success of his production. Today, he cultivates 4 hectares, working side by side with his wife, his eight children, and hired workers from the community itself—creating local jobs, strengthening the rural economy, and contributing to environmental conservation.
Mr. Manuel’s story represents exactly the impact that Gorongosa National Park aims to achieve: proving that it is possible to restore a rainforest, conserve biodiversity, and at the same time improve the lives of the families who depend on it. Through agroforestry and sustainable coffee production, entire communities are transforming their future.
Currently, the Park is supporting more than a thousand families, like Mr. Manuel’s, promoting a new generation of farmers who are both guardians of the forest and entrepreneurs of local development.
This is more than a story about coffee.
It is a story of courage, vision, and a better future planted in the fertile soil of Gorongosa.