Olga at the gate of the MSF warehouse in Nampula, where she carefully checks all the assets that are taken from or brought into.

Olga Sabonete is from the Nampula province in northern Mozambique and has worked with MSF since the beginning of 2022, as part of on MSF’s Planetary Health project in her province. She is the only woman working as a guard in the project, a job generally dominated by men. A determined mother, she has set out to prove women can work in this field.
She recounts that out of the 14 pre-screened candidates for the guard position, only two were women. "When they called to inform me I had been selected for the role of guard, I jumped with joy and satisfaction because it was what I had wanted the most. It wasn't easy," says Olga.
In her daily work, Olga is responsible for implementing safety guidelines for the staff and assets. She records all movements of staff and goods between the warehouse, office and medical sites.
"I am thrilled to work for MSF because I have had the opportunity to learn many things and interact with people from different corners of the world, each with unique cultures, who are always willing to share a bit about their backgrounds," she says. "One of the things that impresses me the most is the mutual respect among the staff, which is like the hallmark of the work environment within the project," she adds.
Olga says through her own efforts and discipline, she has earned respect and admiration from her coworkers.
The eldest of seven siblings, she once dreamed of becoming a nurse. While this dream has not yet materialized due to financial constraints – her family relied on small-scale farming and the sale of surplus as the main livelihood – Olga has shifted her strategy. She is now championing the dream of her eldest child, who is currently pursuing a degree in general medicine in Mozambique.