The President of Mozambique expressed admiration today for “Grandma Cecília”, the woman who created a mobile library in Maputo, highlighting its positive impact on children and encouraging her to continue promoting a love of reading.
In a statement, the Mozambican Presidency said that President Daniel Chapo received Cecília Mate, known locally as Grandma Cecília, in an audience “to express his admiration for her work in promoting books and reading in the country.”
Grandma Cecília’s story, featuring her mobile library carried in a wheelbarrow, was highlighted in a report by Lusa. During today’s meeting, the President praised her dedication and the positive influence she has on children: “We are with you, Grandma Cecília.”
In the historic Mafalala neighborhood of Maputo, Grandma Cecília has created a mobile library offering more than 1,000 books, fostering a love of reading among children.
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“I see it as necessary because most children and young people have lost the taste for reading. So, I encourage children to develop a love for reading,” said Cecília Mate, 77, in a recent interview with Lusa.
The idea started in 2013, after she retired as a librarian at the National Library. She launched the mobile library in Mafalala, her birthplace and current residence, to encourage reading, especially among children.
“In 2013, I was working at a school, teaching technical library skills. I officially started the mobile library in 2015, going street to street with my cart and table. I would set up chairs and display my books, and the children would start reading,” she explained.
Now, due to her age and declining eyesight, Grandma Cecília can no longer push the cart through the neighborhood streets. Part of her collection is stored in her parents’ old room at home.
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Every day, she gathers children outdoors on Timor Street, in the heart of Mafalala, arranging chairs and benches for them to access her collection of more than 1,000 books, ranging from children’s literature to textbooks for grades 1–12.
Most books were donated by the National Library, the Ministry of Education, and other organizations. The Fernando Leite Couto Foundation also organized a donation campaign, though initially, the books were purchased by Grandma Cecília herself.
She believes it is crucial to encourage children to read because “it is from a young age that habits are formed” and “books help them understand themselves and the world through various stories.”
To engage children, she organizes reading contests where good readers receive small rewards like sweets or applause.
Grandma Cecília also stressed the need for a dedicated community library space, as many books in storage have been damaged by rain. She hopes to establish a library near a cultural center for broader community activities.
Support for her initiative comes from Eduardo Mondlane University’s School of Communication and Arts (ECA), the Utopia project, and local neighborhood organizations seeking funding.
