In a globalized world, the Mozambican diaspora has been a vital bridge between cultures through their professional activities. Many Mozambicans living abroad explore new business opportunities and develop innovative solutions that benefit both those who emigrated and those who stayed in the country. One success story is that of Sirilo Lourenço, a young entrepreneur who left Mozambique in 2019 for Brazil and went on to found Brazil Mz Store, a company that facilitates the import and export of goods between the two countries.
Inspired by His Mother
Sirilo’s journey began in Maputo, in southern Mozambique, where he was born and raised in a large family. From an early age, he was inspired by his mother, who worked independently:
“I’m the youngest of five siblings. My mother always worked on her own. We grew up and learned from that: she taught me a lot about resilience and creativity,” he told E&M.
With a strong desire to learn more, Sirilo enrolled at Eduardo Mondlane University (UEM) in 2018, in the English Teaching degree at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. However, he always dreamed of expanding his academic horizons and experiencing new realities:
“I had the dream of studying abroad, preferably in an English-speaking country, to grow both personally and professionally.”
That opportunity came when he secured a place to study Public Administration at a university in Brazil. But the transition was not easy. He went through a long selection and documentation process, facing a lot of bureaucracy:
“There was no scholarship — I applied for the spot and got it,” he recalls.
Adapting to Brazil
The first major challenge upon arriving in Brazil was adapting to the local culture. Despite sharing Portuguese as a common language, the linguistic and cultural differences were striking:
“Brazilian Portuguese has very different expressions and meanings compared to Mozambican Portuguese. So you always have to be careful not to offend or say something unintentionally,” Sirilo explains.
Despite these challenges, he drew strength from the similarities between the two countries to make the adjustment easier:
“Brazil has many features typical of Africa, Mozambique in particular. The climate doesn’t surprise us, especially for those in the northeastern regions. And Brazilian food has a lot of African influence.”
The Initial Need
After graduating, Sirilo pursued a master’s degree in Education at a federal university in São Paulo, one of Latin America’s largest cities, where he settled — close to airport infrastructure and logistics hubs, and also near the Brás commercial district, one of the largest in the region. It was during this time, in 2022, that his company, Envio Moz-Bra, was born.
The business emerged from a personal need and growing demand among friends and family:
“Many people asked me to buy products in Brazil and send them to Mozambique, but I didn’t even know how to do it efficiently.”
The first shipment, from Brazil to Mozambique, was a gift for his family:
“I thought about the possibility of doing deliveries not just for my family, but also for people who were asking.”
Sirilo began calculating the time he spent shopping and handling all the logistics himself, until finally sending the package.
“I thought about generating some income from this. Then came the need to bring products from Mozambique to Brazil, because I’m surrounded by Mozambican communities here. That’s when I started working on the import-export process,” he told E&M.
No Bureaucracy
At first, the business only handled occasional orders for friends and acquaintances, but demand quickly grew. Some clients referred him to others, and orders increased rapidly. This led him to formalize the business and invest in a professional structure.
In Brazil, there’s no bureaucracy or barriers to opening a business, Sirilo says:
“On the contrary, there are public policies that support entrepreneurs, whether local or foreign.”
As for funding, that wasn’t an obstacle — he built the business with what he had:
“I didn’t have to go to a bank or ask for a loan. I managed it with the resources I had.”
But as the business grew, new challenges emerged, such as registering the company due to the volume of transactions, and the need to clarify its fiscal operations. Today, Brazil Mz Store is a registered company with a commercial and tax ID.
Expansion and Future
“When someone thinks of importing from Brazil, we want to be the first option,” Sirilo says of his future goals.
Although he lives in Brazil, Sirilo maintains a strong connection to his homeland, visiting at least once a year. His story is a clear example of how the Mozambican diaspora can contribute to development by strengthening economic and cultural ties:
“Success comes to those who persist. No matter how many mistakes we make, we must stay strong, learn from them, and try again,” he concludes.
Text: Germano Ndlovo
