Six women have taken the controls of locomotives at Grindrod, becoming the logistics operator’s first female train drivers in Mozambique. After a year of training and numerous challenges overcome, the group represents a landmark moment for gender inclusion in the country’s rail sector.
For decades, locomotive driving was regarded as a profession reserved for men. In the rail sector, the presence of women was rare and, more often than not, confined to administrative roles. That reality is changing. At Grindrod, one of Mozambique’s largest logistics and port terminal operators, a group of women is challenging stereotypes and writing a new chapter by becoming the company’s first female driving crew in the country. The initiative forms part of Grindrod’s inclusion policy, which has been promoting female participation in areas traditionally dominated by men. Six professionals — Rosa Bela, Malda Maquil, Imaculada Fonseca, Ivete Chile, Isaura Bazima and Helena Salomão — now drive locomotives, move cargo, and demonstrate that competence and dedication are not determined by gender.
Isaura Bazima, 32, has been with Grindrod for three years. She joined the company as a machine operator, and her career took a new direction when she was selected to enrol in the locomotive driver training course. ‘It was not easy,’ she admits. The training, conducted at the facilities of Caminhos-de-Ferro de Moçambique (CFM), lasted approximately one year. The beginning was marked by uncertainty and apprehension. ‘Everything was new. We did not know what we were going to find, or what the training would be like. The first semester was difficult, but then we adapted and, in the end, it was a success,’ she told E&M. Isaura has been performing the role for several months, driving locomotives responsible for transporting materials for the company’s operations.
A mother of two, she acknowledges that balancing family life with the demands of the profession remains a daily challenge. ‘I do my best to make sure they want for nothing. I play the role of both mother and father.’ Her principal message is directed at other women. ‘They should not feel inferior. What men can do, women can do too.’
The group has broken barriers in Mozambique’s rail sector, and their greatest contribution may yet lie in shifting mind-sets.
Another member of this first generation of locomotive drivers is Malda Maquil, 26. She joined Grindrod in 2023 as a shunting operator and embraced the training opportunity when it arose. ‘It was a profession I never imagined myself pursuing,’ she admits. Even so, she decided to accept the challenge and prove to herself that she was capable of going further. ‘This training showed me that we do not depend on gender for certain types of profession. I learned that there is no profession a woman cannot pursue.’
Throughout her journey, she faced moments of doubt and the difficulties inherent in entering unfamiliar territory. Nevertheless, she found motivation in her daily progress and in the discovery of her own capabilities. ‘With each day I was developing and realising that I had a great deal of potential.’
Ivete Chile, 37, a mother of two daughters, also forms part of this pioneering group. Like her colleagues, she joined the company three years ago and began her career with no prior experience in the rail sector. ‘I arrived knowing nothing about the field. I learned everything here, from operations to training as a locomotive driver,’ she recalls. The course represented an enormous challenge, particularly because it required mastering technical knowledge related to locomotive driving and the safe movement of cargo. For Ivete, family support was fundamental. ‘I have the help of my husband. That made balancing professional and family life much easier.’ As for the future, her ambitions extend beyond her current role. ‘I want to continue to grow within the company, undertake further training, and develop myself even more.’
The journey of these women has been closely observed by Isabel Carlos, Grindrod’s rail operations coordinator. With nearly 15 years at the company and five in operational coordination, she has witnessed the gradual transformation brought about by the female presence. ‘When I arrived, I was the only woman in the rail area,’ she recalls. Today, in addition to the locomotive drivers, the company has women working as shunting operators and rail rolling stock inspectors. ‘I cannot distinguish between an operation carried out by a man or a woman. It is all the same.’ There was a period when the female professionals felt the constant need to prove their capability. Today, that battle has been won. The working environment has become more inclusive, and their performance has helped to eliminate prejudice.
During the presentation ceremony for the new locomotive drivers, Grindrod representative Pedro Poh-Quong described the initiative as a historic moment for the company and for the national rail sector. He stated that the project symbolises the opening of new opportunities for women in areas traditionally considered inaccessible. ‘Today we are not merely celebrating a project. We are opening pathways,’ he declared. For the executive, the entry of women into rail driving demonstrates that gender-related barriers can be overcome when there are opportunities, adequate training, and confidence in people’s abilities. ‘Progress happens when traditional models are challenged and spaces are created for new professional profiles to emerge,’ he added. ‘What we celebrate today is the affirmation that gender places no limits on dreams.’
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=528078
