Interview with AAI Graduate Prudencio: the Mining Industry in Mozambique
Prudencio is an AAI Graduate from Mozambique who graduated with a Mining and Geotechnical Engineering degree from Queensland University in Australia. As the first person from his family to graduate from university, this is a significant achievement for Prudencio, his family, and the entire Ashinaga community.
Throughout his time at university, Prudencio excelled in his studies. His keen interest in learning about the mining industry inspired him to jump at every available opportunity to learn and think of ways to improve the mining industry in his home country. His hard work was rewarded by receiving the Dr. Peter Golledge Prize for Mine Safety Research Excellence. This award is given to the most outstanding undergraduate or postgraduate mining engineering thesis.
To further immerse himself in the world of mining, Prudencio completed an internship with Glencore, a mining company in Australia. His eagerness to learn and relentless pursuit of excellence led to an offer to join the company full-time after graduation.
According to Prudencio, Ashinaga’s emphasis on developing leadership skills helped him develop a “pay it forward” mindset. Prudencio recalled his visit to Rakai village in Uganda, during Preparation Camp, as a life-changing experience. His exposure to the extreme poverty and struggles residents of Rakai go through made him realize that he wants to contribute to improving people’s lives on the continent as a whole and not solely in Mozambique.
After this, Prudencio took it upon himself to deliberately work on his leadership skills and take up roles that can help him be of service to other people. Prudencio served as part of the executive committee of the African Association in his university to create a community of African changemakers who support each other.
Ashinaga Proposal
In his recent Ashinaga Proposal, the AAI Graduate described his aim to set up an irrigation system in his home country using windmills. He plans to start the project as a nonprofit and support communities living near rivers in Mozambique. Prudencio’s kokorozashi revolves around increasing Mozambique’s self-sufficiency when it comes to food. He hopes to leverage the underutilized resources the country has to offer while creating jobs in the agriculture sector.
During his Ashinaga Proposal presentation, Prudencio noted, “working on my proposal was a rich learning experience. I had to conduct extensive research on farming and renewable energy in Mozambique. I talked to experts in the field, which allowed me to develop my critical thinking and learn more about project management. “He hopes to bring this project to life in the short term and aims to continue contributing positively to his community.
Prudencio is excited about his new adventure as an engineer with Glencore. He hopes to expand his skillset and dive into the mining world to go back home and be at the frontier of changing the mining landscape in Mozambique.