Many people see the inequalities in society, but very few make a conscious decision to do something to positively change the situation. Mozambican social entrepreneur, Sofia Cassimo founded her enterprise, SamSara Development and Investment, to do something positive to change that situation.
LoA met with Sofia Cassimo in Maputo at the recent Lioness Lean In Breakfast event in the city to find out more about this unique enterprise.
What does your company do?
We are a social enterprise working with neglected communities and parts of society in the country. We bring hope to their lives by proactively engaging them in programmes where we provide useful tools and practical resources that they can use to improve their lives.
"We are a social enterprise working with neglected communities and parts of society in the country."
What inspired you to start your company?
I worked for 5 years in the development area, in an NGO which worked with neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). There I was able through my trips throughout the local districts to understand what the people really need and most importantly what they want. They don’t want aid, they want the tools to make it in life by themselves.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Anyone who shares the same vision is always a stakeholder in this process. In a world where the gap between the various parts of society is constantly growing, we should make an effort to diminish this gap.
"In a world where the gap between the various parts of society is constantly growing, we should make an effort to diminish this gap."
Tell us a little about your team
Right now it’s just me and two friends who also share the visions and the dream - they also run their businesses, but they are helping me in conceptualizing two projects that I have created for SamSara.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
No I don’t actually - most of my family are either in the academic field, or working for the private sector or government. Only my late great grandfathers were entrepreneurs and businessmen.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
To share my vision with as many people as possible and to create a methodology that can be globally replicated, and by harnessing that support uplift a large number of people.
"My future aspirations for SamSara are to share my vision with as many people as possible and to create a methodology that can be globally replicated, and by harnessing that support uplift a large number of people."
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
The challenge, the rush of seeing a good idea coming to reality, and of course, succeeding. It is wonderful to see how a good idea can have such an impact in somebody else´s life. I also love building a legacy, so that my great grandchildren can be inspired by me in the future.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Identify the opportunity; think and rethink; gather as much information as possible; study how others are doing similar things; and create your business model. Don’t give up - the sooner you fail, the sooner you'll win.
Contact Sofia sofiadias.mz@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
In the world there are those people who talk about societal change and those that actually do something to make a difference and make that change happen. Sofia Cassimo is one such social entrepreneur on a mission to help uplift the most needy members of society in her country, and in doing so, giving them hope for a better life in the future. She is part of a new generation of socially responsible entrepreneurs harnessing their expertise and connectivity to make positive change happen in our world. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa