During my Master’s in Financial Technology, I attended a meeting where foreigners showcased their businesses in South Africa. It made me think about how many other people have something to share but don’t have the platform, and so, Kuma La Online was born. Months later, Kuma La changed slightly and it now focuses on showcasing SMEs owned by Mozambican women. Creating a platform where women can show their work is also creating a platform for potential investors and clients to support their businesses. Immediately after my studies, I started giving free online classes via Instagram and WhatsApp about what I learnt during my Master’s about investments and cryptography.

Throughout my journey, I have faced, and continue to face, many challenges. Within my start-up, Kuma La Online, I wanted to be able to do everything at the same time and on my own, but I learnt how to prioritise, delegate and communicate. Today, I have a supportive team.

There is still a lot to be done, mainly when it comes to motivating and supporting women not to give up on their businesses. In the past six months, the focus has been on providing tools that help businesses monitor their expenses to best understand the most suitable services or solutions they need to help improve their finances. For this, I use my knowledge in financial markets, technology, business and data analysis to instruct businesses.

I had my first “calling” into finance and technology during my time in EBESC – before that I always believed I’d be a full-time Chemical Engineer. When I saw how powerful the duo was, I couldn't stop myself from exploring what was ahead, and I immediately began to share the little I knew with my peers. Today, I continue to empower Mozambican women into becoming successful entrepreneurs.