FINI Mozambique promotes impact entrepreneurship in Africa
For the first time outside of Brazil, the Impact Business and Investment Forum will, on July 31st, bring together international and local entrepreneurs and lecturers to think of new ways to solve environmental and social problems in the African nation, which have become more severe after recent climate disasters
Exchanging experiences in order to increase the results of social environmental actions, as well as promoting investments and the sustainability of business models that directly affect areas such as housing, education, sanitation, water, social fintechs, waste and economic diversity. This is the objective of FINI – The Impact Business and Investment Forum, which brings together businessmen, private initiative and government representatives, as well as members of third-party sectors and academics, in an meeting focused on the development of solutions for local problems through impact business.
In a special edition, this time held outside Brazil, the forum will take place on July 31st in the city of Maputo, capital of Mozambique. Promoted by impact business catalyst Baanko and by 22 Graus Comunicação e Marketing, FINI Mozambique will present methodologies, projects and good practices developed by renowned professionals and researchers from various business fields to solve social and environmental problems, which became more severe after by the recent catastrophe in Mozambique, by using products, services or operations with social impact. The lectures, houses and discussion panels will take place from 8 AM to 6 PM at Eduardo Mondlane University, renowned among African countries with Portuguese as official language (PALOP) and a local supporter of the event.
Impact business are endeavors that promote innovations and transformations to bring social environmental developments and improvements in a measurable manner, according to Baanko member and founder André Menezes. “We know it is necessary — and possible — to solve systemic social and environmental problems through business, and that we must urgently provide more and better opportunities for low income populations.”
THE DISASTER
Between March 14th and 15th this year, cyclone Idai affected central Mozambique, claiming 604 victims and affecting 1.8 million people. Over a month later, on April 25th, Mozambique was once again assaulted by cyclone Kenneth which reached the northern region and left 45 dead, and another 250 thousand affected.
For Menezes, not only do they make local problems even more severe, the disasters made local and international communities to become aware of the need to think of sustainable alternatives for the development of the southeastern country. The businessmen adds that “we believe in the rapid need to concurrently support entrepreneurs that are committed with solving social problems, engage with investors who want to allocate resources and generate social environmental impacts and financial performance, and strengthen local players and strategic initiatives, such as assessment of impacts, innovation and inclusion of this agenda into public policies”.
SCHEDULE
With sponsorships by the non-profitable organization Fundo Vale, who aims to connect institutions and initiatives promoting sustainable development, and InterCement, a top Brazilian company the cement market of Mozambique and other countries, FINI Mozambique’s activities will begin two days before the event’s official date, on July 29th and 30th, with networking opportunities and impact tours, as well as thematic workshops on housing, education, water and sanitation, social fintechs, management of waste and economic diversification at Eduardo Mondlane University.
Other European organizations also support the event, such as Projeto UDI-Africa, coordinated by NOVA Lisbon University, a educational institutional renowned for its excellence in international education and research, and Nguzu Project, an initiative that began in 2013 in Portugal, to improve the experience of academic mobility between Portuguese-speaking countries and bring forth new opportunities for society. From Mozambique, FINI is supported by UX Information Technologies, who believes in social entrepreneurship as a catalyst for local economic and human development, developing online solutions focused in aligning commercial success with social responsibility to transform Mozambique’s companies and institutions.
ABOUT FINI
FINI – The Impact Business and Investment Forum (Fórum de Investimento e Negócios de Impacto) is an initiative by mining company Baanko and 22 Graus Comunicação to promote a local context meeting between strategic partners of the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, in order to increase the likelihood of and direct resources promoting good ideas and social and environmental projects. With the theme of “investing to transform”, almost 300 people participated in FINI Belo Horizonte, representing companies, governments, NGOs and startups for two days of discussions in September 2018, which resulted in 1434 new connections, businesses and opportunities between participants.
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