Entrepreneurs from the districts of Matola and Boane, selected from a total of 1,000 applicants, recently completed training in business management given by Gapi – Development Finance Institution (IFD), as part of the Nhluvuko project, which has financial support from Mozal.
According to an article published on Thursday 6 June by the newspaper Savana, the module ‘Starting and Developing Your Business’, which follows the financing of the beneficiaries’ specific projects, is the third to be given, and has covered trainees working in the areas of agro-processing, metalworking, architecture, general commerce, poultry, aesthetics, hardware, carpentry, reprographics, pharmacy, screen printing and sewing, catering, mechanics and sheet metal and recycling.
When handing out the diplomas, Adolfo Muholove, chairman of Gapi’s Executive Committee, said: ‘We believe in the capacity and potential of women and young people, which is why they are the biggest beneficiaries of this programme’s actions. We also believe that for your initiatives to succeed, funding is not enough, you need knowledge and preparation. That’s why Gapi’s intervention is holistic, integrating the components of training, institutional development and financing.”
He also praised Mozal’s efforts to accelerate the development of the communities in which it operates. ‘The vision of our partner, Mozal, to adopt a concept of social responsibility that empowers and leverages community businesses in a sustainable way, is an example of how the private sector can lead development processes and complement the government’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,’ said Adolfo Muholove.
Adolfo Muholove
The Nhluvuko project has an initial duration of five years and aims to help increase the income, employment and living conditions of the beneficiaries in the districts of Boane and Matola by improving the operational capacity of their companies. The initiative hopes to support Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in these two districts so that they have formalised businesses and companies with income, improving the standard of living of the residents of the two districts.
Since its launch just over six months ago, Nhluvuko has already reached around three thousand interested parties, including MSMEs based in those districts and individual entrepreneurs, with a special emphasis on women and young people, some of whom have benefited from training and funding.
With the aim of accelerating local development, Nhluvuko is budgeted at around 77 million meticals and aims to make a general contribution to increasing employment and income in the region.
