The coffins produced in this downtown funeral parlour are cheaper than others on the market, a service for residents buckling under hikes in the cost of living which have made dealing with death more expensive too. — AFP
BEIRA: In a dilapidated building in Mozambique’s Indian Ocean city of Beira, a dozen young men work away at handcrafting humble coffins from wooden pallets discarded by cargo ships that dock at its huge port.
Sawdust floats in the air and the sound of hammering fills the workshop where the only electric equipment – a makeshift saw and a drill – buzz intermittently as the pallets are repurposed with basic carpentry techniques.
The coffins produced in this downtown funeral parlour are cheaper than others on the market, a service for residents buckling under hikes in the cost of living which have made dealing with death more expensive too.
An old, rusted sawmill stands unused in the corner, covered in dust and cobwebs, a relic of a time when the economy of the city 700 km northeast of the capital Maputo was more robust.
The building – worn and weathered – dates back to before independence from Portugal in 1975, standing as a testament to the resilience of its owner, 56-year-old Amelia Armando Machava.
Machava started the funeral parlour in 1998 with the help of a single municipal carpenter who came in only when she could afford to pay.
“In 1998, I transitioned from baking to fashion design,” Amelia said. But there was not much money in tailoring as so many women had turned to their sewing machines to make a living.
So, “I saved what I could from sewing, and that’s how I began making coffins.”
Initially, business was slow and Machava made only one or two coffins a week. But as locals grew familiar with her work, demand increased. Today, her team produces dozens of coffins for a city often in need.
A bustling marketplace has emerged in the dimly lit workshop. Women carrying baskets of snacks weave between the busy carpenters, offering quick refreshments.
Young boys arrive with bundles of recycled plastic and Styrofoam that will be shaped into delicate flowers to adorn the finished coffins.
Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world with around 75% of its 33 million people living on less than a US dollar a day.
Beira, one of its largest cities, has seen particularly tough times: Cyclone Idai made landfall here five years ago and went on to claim more than 600 lives, wrecking homes, businesses and crops.
About 90% of the city was destroyed, according to some estimates.
The cost of an ordinary funeral for most Mozambicans can reach US$3,130, which is unattainable for many.
Just a coffin, even the ones Machava’s team makes from scrap wood, can cost between around US$90 and US$1,500. — AFP
