Mozambique have had a total of four athletes compete at the Paralympic Games, with all of them taking part in athletics.

Edmilsa Governo won the only medal for the nation, when she claimed bronze in the women's T12 400 metres at Rio 2016.

Muianga, a university student, is aiming to guide members of the team to reach the African Para Games, and then, eventually, the Paralympics itself.

"The first step is to go to the African Para Games with more than two athletes," said Muianga.

"I dream big, but I’m conscious that it’s not easy.

“Mozambique has to take more than two athletes. 

"It will be a good start and after this, the world will be ours.”

Muianga coaches three Para powerlifters in the the country's capital Maputo, as he detailed the transition he took to becoming a personal trainer and a coach.

"I used to say, I didn’t choose to be in this," Muianga said.

"The sport chose me. 

"I was going about my life, but the sport called me.

“Someone called me and said, ‘Athletes, they are this way, so if you want it, just go’, and I said, ‘I’m in’. 

"That’s why I’m here.”

“I don’t see disability. 

"I see someone who is different from me, from the others. 

"Disabilities is just a name.

“We’re all different so it’s not difficult for me. 

"Whether you have disability, you are a Para powerlifter or not, I adapt my training to you, to your situation."

Muianga has been particularly impressed with powerlifter Ilidio Arnaldo Chongo, who has shown great work ethic and travels 60 kilometres just to make it to training sessions.

The coach also mentioned that he receives help from the National Paralympic Committee (NPC), as things could sometimes get too expensive for him and his athletes to travel and support their families.

Muianga has taken supplementary courses at university, which help him with coaching.

There are other issues for the Mozambique Para powerlifting community, as their are more coaches than athletes, which the coaching group is trying to fix.

“It’s difficult to find athletes because they have to work, to feed themselves, and then they have to find time to train,” Muianga said. 

"I should be working, but I’m here because it’s about the value this gives me. 

"I can say, it makes me better. 

"It makes me better more than the money. 

"Working in Para powerlifting makes me better than earning money at the gym."

Muianga has made it a goal for himself to create inspiration for the Para community, as he is also inspired by them.

“In every country, it’s difficult to find a job and if you are born with a disability, it’s worse,” he said. 

“So this is a kind of salvation for us. 

"For people who are born with a disability, the sport is some kind of salvation. 

"What we teach, what we show individuals is to inspire them, to show that it’s possible.”

"This is what living means. 

"You have to give, donate yourself to others.

Wherever the religions, they will teach you, love the others. 

"Loving the others is this - sharing your time, sharing your abilities, sharing your love, sharing whatever you have. 

"I knew people who fell in love with the Paralympic Games and now I can see that I’m one of them."

The African Para Games is set to take place from September 3 to 12 later this year in Accra, despite the postponement of the African Games to 2024 due to delays in preparation.