»» Mozambique has more than 30% representation of women in parliament. Women were at the forefront of its struggle for independence and, even during the country’s post-independence civil war, women were on the front line.

Despite this, they are still eking out a living trading on every street corner, running most of the country’s stalls and working the majority of its fields. Yet, they are notably absent from the ranks of the country’s business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Their fortitude, resilience and innate abilities have been proven over and over again, yet they’ve had precious little access to business training and financing for their ventures and dreams. Confidence is low as the women of Mozambique continue to fill the all too familiar space of ‘hard-working supporters’, carrying the load in one of the poorest countries on earth.

BCI, one of the leading banks in Mozambique, has decided to do something about this whilst at the same time growing their business. They’ve proactively created a client segment called ‘Women Entrepreneurs’ which offers entrepreneurship training and access to a 45-day interest and collateral-free credit card. Their biggest win-win enabler, however, is a loan fund created especially for women entrepreneurs who can present a solid business plan. The fund runs into millions of US dollars.

Join our team as we travel to Maputo to meet a restaurateur, and a beauty salon owner, who have engaged with the bank’s programme. See how it’s making a difference in their lives and allowing them to expand their businesses to the next level. At last, feeling like they are in charge of their destinies.