Sitting on the veranda of his home on the outskirts of Mozambique’s capital, João Vasco held a framed photo of his younger brother Pinto, who died by suicide this year after losing around $850 gambling.
“I helped him with school fees and everything I could,” João, 37, recalled, pausing to fight back tears.
Pinto, 21, was in his second year at university, studying to become a history teacher, when João learned he was gambling and confronted him. He thought he had gotten through to Pinto.
“Two months later, I found out that he was no longer going to university. He told me, embarrassed, that he had debts because he had lost the tuition money.”
One Sunday morning in May, Pinto hung himself at home.
“When I saw the boy…