The Awaken Mozambique Project Economic activity is critical to the wellbeing of any community. Even a small investment in a community in Mozambique can make an enormous difference.  Mozambique has suffered from political, economic and climatic disasters. The country has moved towards political stability but the destruction of infrastructure, limited access to education and endemic diseases have made recovery and economic growth difficult. The purpose of the Awaken Mozambique project is to fund a team in Mozambique to act as a conduit for financial and training support to micro-enterprises in Mozambique. Francis Nsona (right in photo) and Felisberto Tole (left in photo) are the CEO and Deputy CEO of the team in Mozambique.

MICRO CREDIT PROJECTS

The importance of micro-credit is acknowledged as a key poverty reduction mechanism. Any micro credit scheme needs to be culturally appropriate, and should enable loan recipients to develop business skills and enhanced their understanding of how to develop sustained economic activity.

The Awaken Mozambique project is staffed by well respected members of the local community,who understand community needs and dynamics and also have proven business skills and knowledge to impart to the budding entrepreneurs.

ECONOMICS AND MOZAMBIQUE CULTURE

The Awaken Mozambique has a number of unique characteristics aimed at promoting culturally appropriate local and commuity economic development by:

• establishing a voluntary association of business people and community leaders who will control the process of funding allocation and project develoment. Those who have repaid their loans can become members of the association.

• providing training and development to borrowers and to members of the association.

• in many cases, enabling entrepreneurs, business people and academics from the developed world to have a direct link with the entrepreneurs they sponsor.

• growing a longitudinal data base to enhance the ability of scholars to understand the development of enterprises in developing economies.

PROJECT GOALS

The aims of this project are:

• to provide financial and training support to micro-enterprises, to stimulate economic activity and to provide the necessary resources to develop sustainable, income producing enterprises.

• to build capacity by developing  businesses and management skills. Many of today's adults spent their formative years as refugees in neighbouring countries, missing vital education opportunities. The project offers former refugees the opportunity to develop useful skills.

• to develop international linkages between entrepreneurs in Mozambique and the developed world.    

• to collect data and facilitate research into the process of enterprise start-up and growth in a developing economy. Longitudinal studies are extremely difficult to undertake and resource. This vital aspect of the project is almost unique in the world, and the process of gathering longtitudinal data raises the possibility of  improving outcomes for micro credit projects worldwide in the future.