12 °c
London
Monday, August 8, 2022
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
FurtherAfrica
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About
No Result
View All Result
FurtherAfrica
No Result
View All Result
Home Africa

Social Responsibility in Africa – do the right thing

Fabio Scala by Fabio Scala
August 30, 2019
in Africa, Education, FA, Financial Inclusion, Mozambique, Opinion, Women
Reading Time: 3 mins read
1.2k 12
1
Social Responsibility in Africa – do the right thing
Share via QRWhatsappShare on FacebookShare on TwitterLinkedInPinteresteMail

If you follow me online and have ever read the few articles I manage to write, you might have noticed that for the most part, I tend to focus on commodities and macroeconomics. You probably never got a sense of my personal commitment to Africa and to Mozambique in particular.

I won’t go into details (you will have to seduce me first) but the country has genuinely a special place in my heart. And trust me, I’ve been around, so that means a great deal to me.

I don’t usually get this personal – in fact I don’t think I ever did – but last week as I visited Maputo I came across a truly remarkable initiative whilst getting involved with a special economic zone. Let’s be honest, Corporate Social Responsibility is often seen by corporations as just another item on their checklist as they make their way to approving projects. Particularly if their operations have a significant impact on the surrounding communities – think natural resources and infrastructure. I am always surprised by the number of senior executives I come across who “talk the talk” regarding social impact but care very little whenever marketing and compliance are not at play.

In learning more about special economic zones and companies operating in the industrial sector, I discovered an internship programme that is gaining popularity among local youth and much welcome support from selected international DFIs (in this case the UKAid).

The programme is supporting young people in Beluluane, (just outside Maputo) by including them in the industrial manufacturing and export sector. The concept began as many young people would seek opportunities in Beluluane Industrial Park, wanting to submit their CVs to the resident companies. This inspired the park’s management to take action. Their good relationship with the tenants and a common desire to integrate the community birthed the idea to place the candidates at practical internships within the companies.

The park joined forces with JOBA, a skills development project by the UKAid and a year later the program has placed 200 interns within the park’s 35 companies. Further to receiving soft skills training from the park prior to their placement, the interns also have their first contact with financial education as a bank account is opened in their name so that they can receive their MZN7000 (US$150) monthly compensation.

The internship has a duration of 6 months and to date over 50% of the interns have become full time employees. As for the remaining ones, the park offers an employment center where they can come in to get personalised help with their CVs and applying for work outside the park.

Oh, and did I mention that 40% of the interns are women? Companies often speak about gender equality, financial inclusion, social responsibility and community integration as buzz words in order to justify some of the least desirable aspects of development, but I had not seen anything done in such a sustainable way before. The companies win as they receive young talent, trained and eager to perform. The community wins as they become protagonists in the economic development of their region in a sustainable way, taking charge of their own future.

Learning about this programme has made me rethink some concepts. Yes, there is a way to do it right and the passion of this group of managers was one of the key elements to that end!

Congratulations to the Beluluane Industrial Park and JOBA for doing the right thing and the United Kingdom for supporting such an initiative!  In my book, you are setting a great example of what it means be truly inclusive.

Article by Fabio Scala,  Further Markets

Related

Tags: africaBeluluaneBeluluane Industrial Parkcommunity integrationCSRDFIfabio scalaFeatureFinancial Inclusiongender equalityJOBAMozambiqueOpinionsocial responsibilityUKAidWomen empowermentафрикамозамбикأفريقياموزمبيقアフリカモザンビーク莫桑比克非洲
ScanSendShare468Tweet292Share82Pin105Send
Fabio Scala

Fabio Scala

Fabio Scala is currently a bank director in Mozambique. Previously he served in a UK family office focused on an equity portfolio in Southern Africa. He is also a board member of Uhusiano Capital, a boutique investment firm focused on impact investment, and a board advisor at Digilogic - a pan-EU-Africa network of DIHs focusing on Smart logistics. Prior to his African experience, Fabio has worked in the US, Portugal, and Brazil where he started his career at Caixa Economica Federal - the country’s largest state bank.

Related Posts

Opinion: Will things get better for South Africa?
Government

South Africa Government reiterates commitment to build better country for all

by FurtherAfrica
August 8, 2022
Foreign banks in Ethiopia: The thin line in between strategy and law
Economy

Ethiopia’s macroeconomic performance shows remarkable progress

by FurtherAfrica
August 8, 2022
Africa’s creative digital economy
Tech

African Startup League: How to buy the Humanity token

by Web3Africa
August 8, 2022
Venture Capital

Female startups in Africa fight ‘Tomato Seller’ cliche for funds

by FurtherAfrica
August 8, 2022
Economy

Zimbabwe Stock Exchange outlook in the face of dollarization

by The Exchange
August 8, 2022
Angola Oil & Gas 2022
 
AFSIC 2022
 
Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park
 
MozParks

Translate this page

Read the Latest

Opinion: Will things get better for South Africa?
Government

South Africa Government reiterates commitment to build better country for all

by FurtherAfrica
August 8, 2022
0

South Africa's Government, working together with the social sector, has committed to forge deep paths upon which every South African...

Read more
Foreign banks in Ethiopia: The thin line in between strategy and law

Ethiopia’s macroeconomic performance shows remarkable progress

August 8, 2022
Africa’s creative digital economy

African Startup League: How to buy the Humanity token

August 8, 2022

Female startups in Africa fight ‘Tomato Seller’ cliche for funds

August 8, 2022

Zimbabwe Stock Exchange outlook in the face of dollarization

August 8, 2022

FurtherAfrica Partners Network

The Exchange Club of Mozambique Taarifa Rwanda
TechGist Africa Africa Oil & Power Farmers Review Africa
Tanzania Invest Zambia Invest See Africa Today
Africa Global Funds Novafrica CrudeMix Africa
Harambee Africa Botswana unplugged Financial Insights Zambia
Digilogic Africa Web3Africa

Subscribe to FurtherAfrica

Enter your email address to receive new articles on your email.

Join 99,404 other subscribers.

FurtherAfrica

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

FurtherAfrica is a FurtherMarkets Limited platform

  • Countries
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Countries
    • Angola
    • Botswana
    • Cape Verde
    • DRC
    • Eswatini
    • Ethiopia
    • Kenya
    • Malawi
    • Mauritius
    • Mozambique
    • Namibia
    • Nigeria
    • Rwanda
    • South Africa
    • Tanzania
    • Uganda
    • Zambia
    • Zimbabwe
  • Interviews
  • Understanding
  • Videos
  • Travel
  • Weekend
  • About

© 2021 FurtherMarkets

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?