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Interview with Mana Tina

Today we bring to you an interview with Mana Tina!  
It is our heart to share the stories of the women & men here at Galeria Dos Sonhos.  
They work hard to create products YOU love and are empowered to provide for themselves 
at the same time.  They each have a unique history that we would love for you to see!

-What is your name and how old are you? 

I am Tina and I am 27 years old.

-Where were you born? 

Chieure

-Did you grow up with a father in your house?

Yes, but my mum died. 

-What happened to her?

She was sick - something wrong with her leg.

-Did your father have a job?

Yes. He is a farmer.

-Did you have brothers and sisters?

4 brothers

-Do you still live with them?

No

-What do your brothers do now?

The oldest are farmers and the youngest study.

-Did your mother and father work?

My mother did not work & my father was a farmer.

-Do you remember going hungry or without food when you were growing up?

Sometimes we had money to eat, sometimes not.

-What about clothes?

We didn't have as much of a problem with clothes.

-What kind of house did you grow up in/what was it made out of?

It was a wooden stick house. A circular, bungalow.

-Did you ever feel in danger in the village that you grew up in?

Yes, because we were living in the bush bush.

-What is dangerous about the bush?

There were animals that were dangerous, including lions that lived in the big mountain.
They can attack and eat people.

-Did you ever know of anyone that was attacked by a lion?

1 man name Gabrielle; the lion ate him...

-Among your people did you ever feel scared of violence or attack or anything?

Yes, I was scared. I was scared to be attacked by people.

-Why would people attack you in your village?

Because it was in the bush and they would try and to hurt other people.

-Did any of your family members or you ever get attacked by other people?

My Auntie, her name is Christina. She was murdered.

-Why was she murdered?

They raped her and they beat her up and then she died

-Is rape common where you grew up?

Yes, very common

-Were the men who attacked your aunt - were they arrested?

Yep they arrested them and put them in jail for a long time.

-What is the house like you live in now?

I live in bamboo baracas. It is a stick house. I live in the Baraca with my sister (friend)
who it belongs to.

-Does your sister use it as a shop in the day?

Yeah, but she doesn’t have anything much to sell.

-What did you do with your time before coming to Iris?

I was working cleaning job - washing, clothes etc.

-What does your friend do during the day?

She is a nurse.

-Did you go to school? What did you learn?

Yes; Portuguese and math and science

-Do you have any children? 

No.

-Did you always have a job to provide for yourself?

Yes, most of the time.

-Before coming to Iris, had you heard of God?

I was Muslim and went to a Mosque with my family.

-What did you think about him when you were a Muslim? 

I just went there because of my family - I did not have relationship with God.

-When did you hear about Jesus?

He’s the one who loves me and defends me

-How long have you known Jesus?

This year will be two years.

-How has he changed your life?

My life is changed, now it is good, I enjoy having Jesus.

-Now you have come to Iris has your opinion of God changed at all?

Yes. Now, he’s ok.

-Do you go to church at Iris or any discipleship groups?

Yes at Iris.

-How do those help you?

I loved it, I enjoy being at the iris church.

-Why?

Because he defends me. The old things He takes away.

-Like sin and troubles?

Ya, troubles and problems.

-How long have you been working for the vocational school?

I have been working since June or may 2013.

-How did you come to hear about Iris and the vocational school?

Andrea and Grace went to Rahab ministries and they invited us to come and do sewing stuff.

-How has your life changed since training in and working for Galeria dos Sonhos?

It changed because now I can buy food and my own plates. I can provide for herself properly.

-When you were doing the cleaning it was not enough to provide for yourself?

No, it wasn’t enough. I could not pay for everything i needed.

-How does working for Galeria dos Sonhos make you feel.

She’s happy and enjoys it, likes it

-What do you enjoy about working here?

I enjoy doing the job. In the future i wants to build my own house. 

-Is the money you are earning now going towards saving to buy your own house?

I'm saving money, a little bit. The friend who I stay with has a kid,
so I get charged rent to stay there.

-How much rent do you get charged?

500 mt - per week (approximately $17 USD/ week)

-What skills have you learned by being trained here?

I know how to sew the flowers, cut the material .

-What have you made here?

Napkins, Flowers, and tied things

-Do you enjoy working in a classroom with lots of other people?

Yes..

-What is your favourite things about working in the vocational school?

If one of us doesn't know something, we teach one another.

-Are the people kind and patient with you?

Yeah, they are patient.

-Is working here different to what most of the other women in your village do?

Yes, different because the village people the bosses insult them and say
‘you cannot do this, you have to do that’ etc

-What dreams and ambitions do you now have for the future?

I have a dream to stay with my family and take them to go to school.