In the heart of Sambo Commune, Angola, a quiet but powerful transformation is reshaping how housing and land rights are understood and who gets to claim them. Once known for enforcing deeply rooted patriarchal customs, one traditional leader has become a symbol of change, as a result of the work of Rooftops Canada and our partners through the Women’s Spaces project.

For years, Regedor Candido played a central role in resolving land conflicts, often ruling in favour of male relatives and upholding traditions that left widows and female heirs without protection and, at times, without a home. His decisions reflected long-standing social norms that marginalized women and maintained their unequal status in families and communities.

But change began when he took part in Rooftops Canada-supported forums and trainings designed to build awareness on women’s housing and land rights. Through these learning spaces, this traditional leader engaged with new perspectives on gender equality, the harmful impacts of exclusionary practices, and the value of fair, inclusive conflict resolution.

The result was a remarkable shift.

Today, Regedor Candido has become a vocal advocate for justice. “My rulings prioritize fairness, not tradition. Equality strengthens our community,” he now says. His decisions are guided by equity, not inherited bias. He actively discourages the dispossession of widows and has taken his advocacy beyond his own seat of influence, encouraging other traditional leaders in Sambo Commune to adopt gender-inclusive practices to strengthen their communities.

With support from the project, he now hosts village dialogues to challenge discriminatory norms, promote women’s inheritance rights, and build community consensus around the need for reform.

This is more than a personal transformation - it’s a cultural shift. It demonstrates the deep, lasting impact that can happen when leaders are provided access to knowledge and communities are supported to reflect, grow, and change together.