Durban, 8 June 2023 (#cocreateMYCITY Conference) – Ms. Cecilia Francisco Chamutote, vice minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources of Mozambique has been inaugurated as Ambassador for Wetskills in Durban. For the first time a Wetskills Alumni join the Wetskills Ambassadors team. She is also the first Ambassador from Southern Africa, the area where Wetskills is cocreating a lot of activities, including the ambition to organise a second event in Mozambique later this year or beginning of next year.
Cecilia participated in two Wetskills editions in 2013. During the programme in Mozambique (Aug-Sep), with the finals and awarding at the launch of the PLAMA platform in Maputo, she was part of the winning team developing a concept that combined the Room for River strategy with multipurpose dams in the Zambezi River. As winner, her team was invited to join the Wetskills Challenge in The Netherlands later that year. The finals of this event was aligned to Industrial Leaders Forum of the Amsterdam International Water Week.
In her inauguration speech Cecilia thanked the President of Mozambique for his vision to provide her as young professional the opportunity to become vice minister of her country at the age of 28 years. She also mentioned her memories of her two Wetskills participations and especially the skills trainings of to-the-point communication. Cecilia still have contact with some members of her Wetskills groups as well.
Johan Oost, managing director Wetskills Foundation and also supervisors during the two events that Ceclia participated, welcomed her as Wetskills Ambassador. He introduced the Wetskills programme and its Pool of Ambassadors to the 120 attendees of the #cocreateMYCITY Conference, where the Wetskills Finals of the 8th South African event would happen later that day. On behalf of Department of Water & Sanitation of South Africa, DDG Ms. Fundakubi complimented Cecilia for her contributions as role model for young people.
More information: Johan Oost (johan.oost@wetskills.com)
