ExxonMobil Mozambique in partnership with MASC Foundation (Civil Society Support Mechanism) have announced their initiatives for women empowerment in Palma, “Movimento Wanawake” (“women” in Swahili) and “Kuinua” (“uplift the communities” in Swahili).
In a statement made public this Friday, 16 June, the company said the livelihood restoration initiatives, Wanawake Movement and Kuinua, focus on the economic empowerment of conflict-affected women and girls in Palma district through handicrafts.
These initiatives will support beneficiaries by improving leadership skills, craft skills, economic opportunities, business management skills and the supply of women’s products. The programmes will also strengthen women’s capacities to participate in peacebuilding initiatives in their communities, transforming them into peace ambassadors.
The main objective of the Wanawake Movement is to ensure better livelihoods and women’s resilience against the effects of conflict and climate through capulana, a fabric rooted in Mozambican culture and used in national homes. The Wanawake Movement aims to directly benefit 1,000 women in Palma district.
The Kuinua initiative will support women through the production of handicrafts, using traditional weaving to create sustainable livelihoods among internally displaced girls and women and host communities. Fifty groups, totalling 250 women and girls, will be the direct beneficiaries of this initiative.
“Our experience has proven that by empowering women, we are strengthening not only their family, but also their community,” said Arne Gibbs, managing director of ExxonMobil Mozambique. “We are committed to empowering women by supporting initiatives that generate income and ultimately support the development and prosperity of Mozambique’s communities.”
MASC Foundation Executive Director João Pereira, meanwhile, shared that his institution’s mission “is to contribute to a better Mozambique. We are committed to support and empower the most marginalised groups, particularly youth and women, so that they can overcome political and economic barriers. Through this partnership we are helping and will continue to help these groups”.
