In Mozambique, where violence and displacement have upended countless lives, a new initiative is harnessing the power of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to foster peace and social cohesion.
Cabo Delgado, Mozambique (ILO News) – As violence and displacement continue to disrupt lives in northern Mozambique, a new effort is taking shape to turn technical and vocational education and training (TVET) into catalysts for peace. Working in a fragile context, the International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the National Directorate for Local Economic Development (DNDEL) and with funding from Sida (Swedish cooperation) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has launched a process to adapt its global guide "Promoting Social Cohesion and Peaceful Coexistence in Fragile Contexts through TVET" to the Mozambican reality.
The project comes in response to the ongoing insurgency that has gripped Cabo Delgado since 2017, displacing over one million people, many of whom are now living in precarious conditions in neighbouring provinces like Nampula, Niassa, and safer districts within Cabo Delgado. Youth and women among the internally displaced populations (IDPs) are particularly vulnerable—facing not only limited access to livelihoods but also trauma, discrimination and social exclusion.
The adaptation of the guide is rooted in the urgent need to respond to the consequences of displacement and social fragmentation in northern Mozambique. As IDPs settle in new communities, tensions can arise from competition over resources, cultural misunderstandings, and lack of integration mechanisms. Without targeted interventions, these tensions risk undermining social fabric and stability.
Turning TVET into a tool for healing
Regional TVET institutions are at the heart of this initiative. Once seen purely as centres for skills development, these schools are now being reimagined as safe learning spaces where inclusion, resilience and peacebuilding can be integrated in the teaching.
“The guide is more than a document—it’s a tool for action,” said one workshop participant. “It helps vulnerable youth, especially displaced and traumatized individuals, to gain skills, confidence and a sense of belonging.”
The adaptation process has engaged a wide array of stakeholders, including representatives from TVET centres across Nampula, Cabo Delgado, and Niassa, government agencies, UNHCR, international partners like the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and grassroots organizations working directly with displaced youth.
The adapted guide offers actionable tools for TVET trainers and institutional leaders. It encourages trauma-informed teaching methods, integration of peacebuilding principles into curricula, and strategies for fostering mutual understanding among learners from diverse backgrounds. Special attention is given to challenges faced by displaced students, including the psychological toll of violence and barriers to economic inclusion.
During interactive workshops, participants reviewed and tailored the guide’s five core modules, offering feedback grounded in on-the-ground realities: conflict sensitivity, the emotional needs of learners, gender dynamics and labour market context.
“We knew about coexistence, but not how to bring it into our classrooms. Now we see how vital our role is in promoting peace”, said a trainer.
Recommendations included incorporating local case studies, addressing cultural tensions, and emphasizing self-employment, community-based learning models and self-employment pathways.
Building more than skills: A pathway to peace
This initiative aims to do more than just improve education—it seeks to rebuild the social fabric of a fractured region. By positioning TVET institutions as hubs for both skills development and social healing, the program contributes directly to Mozambique’s broader goals of inclusive recovery and long-term peacebuilding.
As the adaptation of the ILO guide nears completion, its implementation promises to ripple far beyond the classroom. It represents a scalable model for using education as a bridge between displacement and stability, between loss and opportunity.
In a region marked by displacement and disruption, this process demonstrates that education—when inclusive and context-aware—is a powerful tool for cohesion, as it promises to become not just a resource for trainers, but a roadmap for rebuilding lives and communities across northern Mozambique.