Three children from Santa Luísa de Marilac School, in Chókwè district, Gaza province, saw their talent recognised and rewarded through a writing competition promoted by the Non-Governmental Organisation Um Pequeno Gesto (UPG), with the support of Moza Banco. The initiative aimed to encourage the development of writing and critical thinking skills from an early age.

Created under the motto “Knowing How to Dream of Tomorrow”, the competition challenged children to produce texts on the importance of saving — not only money, but also finite resources such as water, energy and paper — in line with the recent celebration of World Savings Day.

With more than 50 texts submitted, the podium was entirely composed of girls whose work conveyed the message of the competition in an exemplary manner: Dinalva Chaúque, Edvânia Mutisse and Clarência Novela, who won first, second and third place respectively.

More than the monetary prize, the three pupils succeeded, through their writings, in inspiring the entire school community, conveying messages of hope and confidence in a better future.

According to Sara Barreto, President and Founder of UPG, “the children showed great interest in issues related to saving and valuing resources. We want them to learn, from a young age, that saving is believing in a better future. This competition is a way of inspiring them to dream and to turn those dreams into great achievements.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Executive Commission (PCE) of Moza Banco stressed that the initiative forms part of the “Knowing How to Dream of Tomorrow” project, through which the Bank promotes educational and artistic activities focused on saving and sustainability, complemented by support actions for school-age children.

“The project began last year with the creation of a children’s theatre play that is being presented throughout the country. At the same time, we have been donating school supplies to ensure that children do not give up studying due to a lack of resources. We have already delivered more than 1,500 kits across the country’s three regions, and we want to continue Making It Happen, reaching more and more Mozambican communities,” explained the PCE.

Founded in 2004, UPG has supported several communities in Gaza province, promoting the improvement of living conditions for children and families. Since 2019, the project has benefited from the support of Moza Banco, impacting more than one thousand children.

The 19 de Outubro Primary School, located in the Estevel community in the Boane municipality, was recently included in the Saber Sonhar o Amanhã (“Dream Tomorrow”) project, implemented by Moza Banco since last year. Hundreds of underprivileged children benefited from a variety of school supplies donated by the bank, aimed at fostering their interest in education despite the various social and economic obstacles that hinder their continued schooling.

The initiative was carried out as part of the World Savings Day celebrations, which took place on 31 October.

During its visit to the Estevel community, the bank delivered a talk on money and the importance of saving, ensuring that children develop a basic understanding of financial concepts from an early age. The activity included interactive moments and prizes for the students who best answered questions on the topic.

According to Jaime Joaquim, Member of the Executive Committee of Moza Banco, combining the donation of school kits with the introduction of basic financial education concepts to young children helps foster a mindset of prosperity that can serve as a foundation for a better future.

“As a bank that is part of the community, we also want to be part of the solution. Last year alone, we donated over a thousand school kits to primary schools and centres supporting vulnerable people in the central and northern regions of the country, while also delivering talks on financial education and saving. Our primary goal is for these children to ‘Dream Tomorrow’. The feedback we have received confirms that our project is making a real impact. For this reason, we will continue to invest in this initiative,” stated Jaime Joaquim.

The Headteacher of 19 de Outubro Primary School, Maria Alcinda Mandlate, praised Moza Banco’s initiative, saying, “It comes at a crucial moment and serves to motivate our students further. Our children already show an understanding of what it means to save, which is an enormous gain,” she added.

For Moza Banco, this represented yet another institutional opportunity to emphasise a sense of belonging, support those in greatest need, and promote equal opportunities in Mozambique. The bank assures that it will continue to Make Things Happen through initiatives that contribute to building an ever-better society.

Moza Banco presents financing opportunities to over 100 Mozambican entrepreneurs

Moza Banco recently participated in the Entrepreneur Forum held in Maputo, an event that brought together public and private sector entities with the aim of discussing opportunities and challenges related to the emerging business landscape in Mozambique.

During the event, the Bank addressed more than a hundred young entrepreneurs interested in strengthening their knowledge about financing methodologies within the national banking system, with a particular focus on subsidised credit lines designed to support business growth.

Representing Moza, Amâncio Zita presented the range of financing solutions available for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through the Bank, highlighting credit lines specifically aimed at the agribusiness sector. Special emphasis was placed on the FECOP - Portuguese Cooperation Business Fund, FIDA - International Fund for Agricultural Development, and FSA - Food Security Fund.

The FSA, in particular, is targeted at small entrepreneurs, individuals and companies within the agribusiness sector, supporting key needs across the value chain. This includes the production of crops contributing to food security, marketing activities, storage and processing of agricultural products, animal production, and the provision of support services to the agricultural sector. For individuals, financing amounts range from MZN 240,000 to MZN 2,500,000, while companies can access funding from a minimum of MZN 1,500,000 up to MZN 30,000,000. Interest rates do not exceed 14%, with repayment terms varying between 6 and 60 months.

In addition to presenting opportunities developed internally by the Bank, Moza also highlighted other financing lines offered in partnership with external entities, notably the Public Fund for Agricultural Development and Rural Extension, which targets the southern and central regions of the country.

There was also an opportunity to present the EIB Line, through which Moza provides €10 million from the European Investment Bank at subsidised rates, primarily to finance projects promoting gender equity, with a focus on women-led initiatives.

Specifically, the EIB Line offers treasury and investment support products, with financing amounts ranging from MZN 200,000 to MZN 5,000,000. Associated interest rates do not exceed 15% and may vary depending on the amount, duration, or client profile.

The financing lines available at Moza can be accessed at any of the Bank’s branches. Interested parties are encouraged to visit their nearest branch to obtain all the necessary information for their loan applications.

Organised by Anita Corporation under the “Emerging Enterprise” programme, the forum brought together both public and private institutions, including the Mozambican Tax Authority, the National Institute of Social Security, and the Mozambique Stock Exchange.

With this strategic participation, Moza once again reaffirms its commitment to supporting national entrepreneurship, Making It Happen by financing business projects that foster the country’s development.