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As in previous years, during 2023 Moza Banco stood out for its commitment to Social Responsibility, making a series of initiatives possible in various areas, with a particular focus on education, volunteering, sustainability, art and literature and sport.

In education, the Bank ensured that citizens in the districts of Derre (Zambézia), Memba and Murrupula (Nampula), Chimbunila and Majune (Niassa), in the central and northern regions, acquired essential knowledge for a better understanding of the need to save and invest, with the implementation of the radio programme on financial education called "Conta com o Moza" (Count on Moza). The message, broadcast in local languages, was mainly aimed at people in rural areas, including farmers, small traders, students, civil servants and state agents.

In the same period, Moza trained dozens of journalists in issues relating to the national financial market, with the aim of providing the press with tools to analyse the various reports and scenarios relating to the country's economy.

On the humanitarian front, Moza answered the call of the victims of the floods that hit the district of Boane in February last year, joining the efforts of the local authority by promoting campaigns to collect goods and basic necessities to alleviate the suffering of the affected communities. In addition to Boane, Moza's solidarity campaigns have also benefited other regions of the country, culminating in the Christmas solidarity lunch that took place last December in the Manjangue community in Chokwe, bringing together a group of the Bank's employees and more than 300 needy children. On the occasion, more than 200 kits of school supplies were donated as a way of encouraging the children not to drop out of school.   Similar initiatives took place in other parts of the country, specifically at the Gondola District Hospital in Manica and at the Criança Esperança Orphanage in Pemba, Cabo Delgado.  

Likewise on the solidarity side, as a bank interested in supporting the most vulnerable social groups, last year Moza employees travelled to Nampula, specifically to the Betel Religious Reception Centre, where they offered wheelchairs to children and elderly people with walking difficulties, to minimise the difficulties they face as a result of the physical condition imposed by their disability.

 And to empower women and girls, the Bank's social arm, Clube Moza, became a member of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH), the largest global alliance for the promotion of women's, children's and adolescents' health, based in Geneva, Switzerland.

On the environmental front, the members of Clube Moza carried out various actions in favour of preserving ecosystems, with a particular focus on strengthening vegetation in various critical areas of the country threatened by climate change, especially erosion. The actions were part of the ambitious project called "Vamos Plantar Arvores" (Let's Plant Trees), the main aim of which is to encourage the Bank's employees and other friends and associates to plant one million trees in the most critical areas across the country, thus generating a significant generational impact. Last year the project covered Maputo, specifically the Xefina Islands and the district of Namaacha, and the province of Inhambane, specifically the coastal area of the town of Maxixe, where thousands of saplings were planted in partnership with the local authorities.

In the artistic and literary field, the Bank maximised its partnership with the Fernando Leite Couto Foundation to promote literary meetings and the launch of works by new authors and established writers, contributing to the growth of the national artistic and literary pool. Moza financially sponsored the 5th edition of the Fernando Leite Couto Literary Prize, funding the printing and launch of the books by the authors who won the prize in the previous edition, as it has done since this partnership was established. Some of these works were launched outside Maputo, reaching readers in various parts of the country, especially in the provinces of Gaza, Sofala and Nampula. Among the authors supported is the renowned Mozambican writer Mia Couto, who recently released his "Compêndio para Desenterrar Nuvens” (“Compendium for Unearthing Clouds"). 

2023 also saw Moza combine education and theatre, with the launch of the play "Saber Sonhar o amanhã" (Knowing How to Dream Tomorrow), in which the nation is invited to reflect on the importance of saving to build a brighter future.  With the launch of the play in question, the Bank began a series of activities aimed at children and young people, with the aim of disseminating educational messages about saving, in various schools in the three regions of the country.

On the sports scene, Moza also made its contribution. Moza sponsored the Maputo City Swimming Association (ANCM), making a series of training programmes possible, the aim of which was to improve the theoretical component of the swimmers, ensuring that they are even more effective in sport. The Bank also sponsored the Mozambican judoka, Jacira Ferreira, making it possible for her to take part in various international tournaments, in particular the Algiers African Open and the Yaonde African Open, continental competitions in which the national representative won 3rd place and consequently recorded a considerable improvement in the world ranking. This year (2024) the Bank will finance the athlete's international tour with the aim of guaranteeing her qualification for the next Olympic Games in Paris 2024.

Also last year, the Bank signed an agreement with Rádio Moçambique, particularly RM Desporto, to support the deployment of a reporting team to accompany and broadcast the participation of the Mozambican national football team, the "Mambas", in the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), 2024. 

This year (2024) Moza will further strengthen its investment in social and environmental responsibility actions, believing that through these initiatives the Bank supports projects with a positive impact, using its resources in favour of an increasingly better Mozambique, in which each Mozambican makes change happen.

• The initiative by EIB Global and Moza Banco, as part of the Global Gateway Strategy, will offer financing to small and medium-sized businesses in Mozambique, with a special focus on businesses owned or run by women.
• Women are less likely to be able to access adequate financing for their businesses and the EIB-Moza Banco instrument will bridge this financing gap.
• The project will support economic growth, prosperity and gender equality.

Access to finance for women entrepreneurs in Mozambique will increase thanks to a 10-million-euro loan signed today by the European Investment Bank (EIB). The funding will allow Moza Banco to make available a new 20-million-euro instrument for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

The instrument will offer loans with favourable terms, aimed at companies that are owned or led by women, that employ a significant number of women or that offer specific services for women. Funding will be available in various sectors, including manufacturing, transport, agriculture, health and services.

The African continent has one of the highest percentages of female entrepreneurs in the world. In Mozambique, more than three-quarters of the working population derives its livelihood from a small or medium-sized business, and two-thirds of the workers in such businesses are women.

"The economic empowerment of women is essential for a country's development," said Thomas Östros, EIB Vice-President responsible for diversity and inclusion and operations in African countries. "By investing in small businesses run by women in Mozambique, the EIB is helping them to access economic opportunities, create livelihoods and gain financial independence. Investing in these businesses is not only an investment in women, but also in the education and health of their families, as well as in employment. Women's prosperity benefits society and the economy as a whole."

The CEO of Moza Banco, Manuel Soares, said that "Moza Banco firmly believes in the transformative power of financing projects that strengthen the role of women in society, recognising that this not only boosts economic development, but also promotes the financial independence of this important social group. In Mozambique, and also on the continent, we see a growing determination on the part of women to take the lead and become protagonists of their own trajectories. We have a strong desire to boost the potential of these women, creating facilities for obtaining resources and opportunities that not only elevate the position of Mozambican women in the economy, but also foster the construction of a more inclusive and equitable society."

The European Union's ambassador to Mozambique, Antonino Maggiore, said that "the Global Gateway Strategy in Mozambique aims to encourage public and private investment to generate sustainable growth and jobs for the country's growing youth population. Therefore, one of its priorities is to ensure that SMEs, especially those led by women, have greater access to finance. The European Union has high hopes that, as a result of this financing instrument, the potential of the Mozambican private sector will be fully utilised."

Small businesses are a key driver of economic growth and development, providing goods, services, jobs and income to local communities. To thrive, especially in a context of climate change and an adverse global economy, they need adequate funding. However, statistics show that, worldwide, women are less likely to access the finance they need. The EIB-Moza Banco facility will bridge this financing gap with financial mechanisms and products geared towards the needs of women entrepreneurs.

Moza Banco, in the shape of its collective of volunteers, Clube Moza, this Saturday joined just over a hundred employees, friends and partners, to combat erosion on Xefina Island, in the municipal district of Kamavota, Maputo. The group planted more than 200 trees on the coastal there, where climate change is visibly devastating local vegetation.

In addition to planting trees, the volunteers donated clothes and non-perishable food to the 45 inhabitants of Xefina Island who live in precarious conditions on the isolated piece of land, whose erosion is diminishing it little by little.

According to the residents of Xefina, the donated goods respond to some of the community’s needs, but it “doesn’t have schools, hospitals, piped water or other essential services”, they complain.

The bank hopes the “Let’s Plant Trees” initiative will minimise soil erosion caused by the rising water levels affecting more than 60% of Mozambican coastal regions, according to official data. The project, which covers the whole country, should make it possible to plant hundreds of mangrove seedlings and other plants that help soils resist erosion.

According to environmentalist Rui Silva, the attitude of the Bank’s volunteers is part of global efforts to combat the effects of climate change, which put the survival of all humanity at risk.

“The effects of climate change are a global concern. As we can witness here, there are houses that were once on land and were inhabited in the past, but are now in the sea. We, as a country, are very vulnerable to rising ocean waters, so more and more collective awareness is needed to minimise these situations, particularly with regard to erosion,” the environmentalist stressed.

For the Chairman of the Executive Committee of Moza Banco, Manuel Soares, the “Let’s Plant Trees” project is an initiative that will create natural barriers that will help preserve coastal vegetation, contributing to the reinforcement of local biodiversity and guaranteeing a healthy environment for future generations.

“By making the “Let’s Plant Trees” project happen, we plant not only tree seedlings, but also the seeds of hope for a better future. We are united in our purpose of preserving the environment and ensuring the protection of our precious biodiversity,” Manuel Soares said.

The implementation of this initiative was possible with the support of the Municipal Council of Maputo City, the Maritime Club, the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) and the Xefina community leaders who received the team of volunteers.

With yet one more project, Moza “makes it happen” through concrete actions that demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility and environmental preservation. Moza Bank believes that only by joining forces and working together can a sustainable future be guaranteed for all.

Moza Banco has been awarded the "Local Content Bank", in recognition of the impact its products and services have had on communities across the country. Moza is the bank that, under the government's "One District, One Bank" programme, has opened the most branches in rural regions of Mozambique.

The prize was awarded by Mozambique Energy Intelligence Limitada (MEI), as part of the 1st edition of the "Enermina Awards", also known as the Local Content Award. The initiative aims to identify, publicise, and recognise actions of constructive impact carried out by the various Local Content agents in the energy, mining, agriculture and environment sectors in Mozambique.

The award was presented recently in Maputo to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Moza Banco, Manuel Soares, by representatives of the awarding organisation, in the presence of several the bank's employees and other numerous guests.  

MEI's Director, Mr Momade Mucanheia, on the occasion, addressed words of encouragement to Moza Banco, calling for it to constantly maintain the quality of its products and services and the focus on the expansion of its network.

"With over 1600 points accumulated as part of its impact in social and industrial responsibility actions, Moza has shown commitment and interest in supporting constructive actions at the service of the comm  unity. We simply ask that it maintains this spirit and inspire other institutions," Momade Mucanheia added. 

Moza Banco’s CEO said that the merit belongs to all employees. "It is only thanks to the individual and collective dedication of all our employees that we continue to grow and reaffirm our presence in the market, as a genuinely Mozambican bank. We want our DNA to be mirrored in the desire to be ever closer to the communities and to each Mozambican family. In general, we always want to Make It Happen", he said.

The recognition by Mozambique Energy Intelligence boosts Moza's ambition to continue to develop and reach more and more of the Mozambican population, thus becoming the main driver of the process of financial inclusion in Mozambique.

Moza Banco launches, this Monday (July 3), on all media platforms, its new institutional campaign attached to the slogan "Make it Happen". This campaign represents a reaffirmation of Moza as the only bank that belongs to Mozambicans and that is therefore an active participant in the people’s history of resilience, work, and pride.

By recognizing, valuing, and relating to the Mozambican dream, Moza seeks to inspire and motivate citizens to pursue their goals, after all, they "Make It Happen" in all areas of activity, driving national development and nurturing local production and value creation. 

The main objective of this campaign is to strengthen the relationship that Moza has not only with its customers, but also with each and every Mozambican who knows how to "Make it Happen". The aim is to ensure that all citizens are aware that whenever they need a banking partner who, like them, Makes It Happen, they can count on Moza.

According to the Chairman of Moza's Board of Directors, João Figueiredo, "the bank works every day to ensure that its financial products and services are appropriate to the reality of all citizens and 'Make Happen' the real changes in their lives".

And, to "Make it Happen", Moza began a transformative journey, in which the bank, continuing to focus on the customer has maintained its commitment to the quality and diversity of its technological solutions.

This transformation that Moza has been experiencing is already visible from the outside with the bank recently recognised as "one of the best institutions to work for in Mozambique".        

Meanwhile, Moza continues to "Make it Happen" in its actions to improve the customer experience, investing even more in the expansion of its commercial activities, offering personalised solutions.

For Moza's Chief Executive Officer, Manuel Soares, the bank seeks permanently to "take up its own space, contributing to the sustainable growth of the country based on knowledge, strategic vision, financial solidity and social responsibility".

Moza's new institutional campaign is directly associated with the 15^th anniversary celebrations for a bank that has adopted a positive and proactive stance, priding itself on being an entity that has in its origins the reflection of a Mozambican spirit that "does not wait for things to happen, they always invent a new way of doing something, they always overcome any obstacle that appears in front of them, always facing every adversity with optimism and "Make it happen".

This is how the Bank invites each and every Mozambican to join Moza in this journey of success which "Makes it Happen".