Regular attendees at Lionesses of Africa’s Green Lioness Lean In events in Mozambique will know that as an impact-driven organisation we are committed to showcasing women eco-preneurs who are creating sustainable businesses, and importantly, much needed green jobs too. Each one is making their mark in their sector and community. But what they share in common is a passion for the eco-focused businesses they are creating, the desire to innovate in order to find solutions to real environmental challenges, and the motivation to create opportunities and jobs for local people. These Lionesses of Africa are not just showcasing their own unique green products and services to the world, but they are also making a real difference to their communities and their country as a whole.

We invite you to meet 23 of Mozambique’s women entrepreneurs who represent this new vanguard of green women business builders in the country. Their businesses are diverse, ranging from organic fertilizer manufacturers, to sustainable cosmetics producers, innovative agribusinesses to upcycled fashion brands, green energy innovators to innovative green transport solution creators. Read about them and get know these amazing women green business builders through their startup stories, and then go and experience Maputo’s vibrant sustainable women entrepreneur business scene for yourselves.

Featured

Marta Uetela, a Mozambican eco-innovator constructing bicycles from marine plastic waste

Marta Uetela is the founder of Baaike in Mozambique, a studio dedicated to designing and constructing bicycles from plastic waste collected from the ocean, Marta is on a mission to offer alternatives to conventional transportation while raising awareness about the environmental impact of plastic pollution in our oceans. She is a product design engineer and a solutions-oriented entrepreneur with a deep passion for product design and alternative manufacturing systems. She believes in the potential of Generation Z and the transformative power of design and engineering to rethink and reshape a more sustainable world.

Benedita Macuácua, a Mozambican circular economy business builder creating sustainable products using crochet

Exclusive Crochet is a crafts-based start-up founded by Benedita Macuácua in Mozambique. An entrepreneur and graphic designer, her company specializes in creating sustainable products using recycled materials such as knitted yarn, fabric scraps, and recycled soles. The company was inspired by the need to combat the accumulation of rubbish in Maputo, transforming solid waste into durable, quality crochet pieces. Benedita’s focus with her business is on the circular economy and promoting conscious consumption, offering a variety of products such as flip-flops, bags, beach cover-ups, and other items, each carrying a unique story and an artistic design that impresses with its beauty and positive environmental impact.

Gisela Monteiro, a Mozambican natural cosmetics and artisanal perfume brand builder

Gisela Leonor Monteiro is the founder of Sublime Produtos Cosmeticos Naturais in Mozambique, a business dedicated to the production of 100% natural cosmetics and artisanal perfumes. Having completed a hotel and tourism course as a student, she embarked on her entrepreneurship journey when she was 26 years old after taking cooking courses, cooking for events, and providing meals to companies close to her area of residence. She worked in several businesses, including catering, event promotion, culinary training, and clothing sales, always with the dream of becoming a businesswoman. Her entrepreneurial journey kickstarted after participating in business management and financial education courses, undertaking transformational training at IDEIALAB, the FEMTECH training program, FÓRMULA MILIONÁRIA and OFFICINA DE NEGÓCIOS with coach Arcelio Tivane.

Márcia Nangy O’Connell, a Mozambican entrepreneur reimagining traditional design

DATHONGA, a sustainable design business merging traditional techniques with contemporary artistic sensibilities in Mozambique

Márcia Nangy O’Connell, or Marcita as she is affectionately known, is the founder and artistic director of Dathonga Designs in Mozambique. Since 2010, she has established herself in the world of Mozambican design. Dathonga has participated in national and international fairs, showcasing the beauty of Mozambican crafts to audiences in South Africa, USA, Denmark, Spain, Germany and, recently, at South African Fashion Week. Márcia’s commitment goes beyond her own brand. In 2010, she created Galeria Dathonga in Inhambane, providing a platform for other Mozambican and African artists to showcase their work.

Irina Samade, a Mozambican serial entrepreneur manufacturing accessories using natural resources

Irina Samade is the Founder and Designer of the Rawá brand in Mozambique. She has worked to build this brand for the past 4 years, and in addition to Rawá, she is also the Founder and Floral Designer of Frangipani Flores. She has worked in this area of business for 15 years and is now a 41 year old entrepreneur. Irina is passionate about flowers and the idea of being able to use natural resources in art, consciously using what nature offers and discards.

Arline Ferrão, a Mozambican entrepreneur building a green alternative to disposable bags

Arline Ferrão is the founder and managing partner of Kasunga, a 100% Mozambican company and brand, committed to sustainability, offering personalized reusable bags and bags, produced with exceptional care, combining environmentally friendly materials and traditional African fabrics. Well-being and sustainability, in its environmental, social and human components, are at the center of its actions on different fronts. In addition to Kasunga, Arline is a psychologist focused on the area of mental health and well-being at work.

Sabine Lydia Müller, an entrepreneur passionate about regenerative organic agriculture in Mozambique

Sabine Lydia Müller is the founder of Tchambalakate Comércio e Serviços Soc.Unip., Lda in Mozambique. She is passionate about regenerative organic agriculture, agroforestry, Mozambique, and the decolonization of Africa. Through her self-employed work as consultant in Germany and Mozambique, her involvement in various publications, and in organic certifications, Sabine aims to share knowledge and best practices on how to improve the resilience and sustainability of food systems and ecosystems. She believes in the peaceful coexistence of nature and human beings, and strives to make a positive impact with her work. As a Communications Manager with over 17 years of experience in PR, social media, and brand marketing, Sabine leverages her skills and network to raise awareness and support for her clients’ projects and initiatives.

Nilza Mazive, a Mozambican entrepreneur building a green energy business helping consumers reduce costs

Nilza Mazive is the co-founder of Xiphefu Digital Ligth, Lda, a green energy business developing solutions to help consumers reduce energy costs in Mozambique. The business develops solutions to help consumers reduce energy costs, acting on electrical equipment to avoid wasting electrical current. The business also adds the solar component, offers a range of internal and external lamps, and installs solar systems.

Elisa Marcos Ouana, a Mozambican creative entrepreneur turning upcycling into a design brand

Elisa Marcos Ouana is the founder of Mozambican upcycled accessory brand, Ariel EcoArte e Serviços, EI. She is also studying for a degree in Environmental Engineering at Eduardo Mondlane University. The daughter of a tailor and passionate about sewing since childhood, at the age of 13 she started her career as an entrepreneur in the sewing sector. She reused the scraps of fabric and capulana that her father discarded and made items for girls (hair ribbons, bows, cat ties, pencil cases, etc.). At the age of 18, she discovered the world of upcycling and made her first backpack out of recycled jeans. Since then, Elisa has had the opportunity to expand her business and register her company. It’s a journey with a lot of learning and improvement. With her business, she aims to reach many more people of all age groups and be able to generate sources of employment for more women.

Amirah Adam, an entrepreneur building a textile print design business where art meets fashion in Mozambique

Amirah Adam is the founder of the company Mira La Mira, a textile print design brand launched in 2018 in Mozambique. She is the winner of several financing awards and the Mozal & Kulungwana award. Since the age of 16, she has worked in the digital arts field, and has extensive experience in communication design, photography, and advertising. She has also worked in alternative areas such as business management. She completed her degree in Mozambique and her master's degree in Portugal, where the Mira La Mira brand was born. The business has created jobs for 4 people.

Dércia Marta Massilele, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating an innovative and affordable solution to waste management

Dércia Marta Massilele is the co-founder and manager of COSEL-Colecta Selectiva, a waste management startup launched in 2019 and based in Maputo, creating jobs for five people. It’s main activity focuses on providing collection and treatment services for recyclable and common waste. Using motorless tricycles and promoting environmental awareness, Dércia and her team offer an innovative and affordable solution for micro-enterprises and private establishments.

Rukssana Saide, transforming lives through agribusiness in Mozambique

Dream Agrobusiness Lda, a high-impact business empowering local communities through an agri-value chain.

Rukssana Saide is the founder of Dream Agrobusiness Lda in Mozambique, an impact-driven business established in 2016 and employing 30 people. She balances life as a mother, woman, and entrepreneur. Rukssana has a degree in accounting and auditing and a master’s degree in business management, but with a passion for land and community. Throughout her professional career, Rukssana worked in financial areas, but it was her passion for agriculture where she felt the sense of contributing to transforming lives. Currently Rukssana works with the community and in the community looking for solutions for a prosperous future for future generations.

Iara Muchanga, a Mozambican jewellery and accessory designer focused on sustainability through recycling

Iara Muchanga is the founder of FERMU, a sustainable Mozambican jewellery and accessory brand founded in 2022 that is faithful to its identity and its passion for reducing the environmental damage caused by the fashion industry. Iara’s work is focused on sustainability, creating accessories from recycled solid waste such as fish carcasses, shells, cardboard plastic bottles, etc.

Chinenye Macuacua, a Mozambican entrepreneur building an upcycling fashion business with style

Chinenye Macuacua is the visionary founder of Powa Clothing in Mozambique, a company dedicated to the art of upcycling, breathing new life into discarded clothing while also crafting fresh garments from dead stock fabrics. She embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2018, immediately after completing high school. Chinenye has been the driving force behind her one-woman business for five years, demonstrating both her passion for sustainability and her creative prowess. Her dreams extend beyond her solo venture, aspiring to build a community of empowered, eco-conscious fashion enthusiasts who share her commitment to breathe new life into the old. Specializing in the transformation of men's suits, Chinenye is drawn to the empowering aura that suits exude. This attraction fuels her dedication to upcycling this iconic clothing item, infusing it with renewed purpose and style. As Powa Clothing thrives, Chinenye envisions expansion, aiming to inspire and mentor young women, passing on her passion for upcycling.

Stélia Dgedge, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating access to clean drinking water

Stélia Dgedge is the founder of Khuwana Water Filters Lda, a Mozambican company dedicated to the production and sale of ceramic-based water purifying filters. She has a degree in Financial and Insurance Management from ISCTEM. Since very early on, she has always been interested in topics related to preservation, sustainability, and the environment. About five years ago Stélia was invited to be part of the Finance Department of a startup that operates in the Renewable Energy sector. It was a unique opportunity for her to demonstrate once again the knowledge obtained at the associated University and her professional experience, as she came from a company with over twenty years in the market and was well positioned in it. She discovered her purpose - a mixture of three words, “Entrepreneurship, Impact, and Sustainability”.

Cátia Siueia, a Mozambican entrepreneur creating smart energy solutions for low income women and communities

Cátia Siueia is the founder of Smart Energy Initiatives in Mozambique. She is an entrepreneur extremely passionate about technology. Her business distinction lies in offering totally environmentally friendly and economically sustainable solar cookers to low-income women. At the end of 2021, Smart Energy Initiatives was created for the purpose of reaching women who do not have access to energy. The company currently has four employees who promote this impact driven initiative.

Márcia Dima Jone, a Mozambican entrepreneur building an organic fertilizer business

Márcia Dima Jone is the founder and owner of N’toko Organic Lda, a startup that collects and recovers waste. Currently, its focus is on composting for the production of organic fertilizer in order to promote the adoption of sustainable cultivation practices by gardeners and farmers and the reduction of the use of pesticides. N'toko has been committed to environmental education as one of the bets for promoting the Circular Economy, through the correct disposal of solid waste, its use and sustainability.

Karina Jamal, founder of Koko Boxes in Mozambique, a company dedicated to the field of biodegradable packaging

Karina Jamal, fundadora da Koko Boxes Lda, Mozambique, empresa dedicada ao ramo de embalagens biodegradáveis.

Karina Jamal is a writer and founder of Koko Boxes Lda, Mozambique, a company dedicated to the field of biodegradable packaging and production of paper bags. Koko Boxes has been present in the Mozambican market for 4 years, supplying packaging to hotels, shops, catering companies and restaurants. The company started in 2023 operating as a manufacturer of paper bags as a disposable solution in the reduction of the use of plastic.

Leocádia Yurca Chau, a Mozambican environmental impact and sustainability change-maker

Leocádia Yurca Chau is the founder of Ecoplus Mozambique, Lda, a business which operates in the environmental, agribusiness and provider of training and consultancy services with the aim of providing innovative solutions to the market in which it operates, through the use of work tools that produce superior gains to the investment made by the customer or partner. Since its creation in 2020, Ecoplus Mozambique has tried to become a leading SME of excellence in the services it provides, and with extensive experience in the design and implementation of Environmental and Business Sustainability projects. The business has created 5 jobs.

Ornília Faife, a Mozambican entrepreneur helping clients to clean their environments

Ornília Cândida Roseiro Artur Faife is the founder of EnviroWorks Solucoes Ambientais, Lda, a business located in Maputo City Centre which has 11 employees. It’s main customers are private and state entities. She is currently the manager of two companies: EnviroWorks Lda. and Connected Business Center, and is also opening a laundry in the Maputo province.

Ana Belmonte, a Mozambican entrepreneur turning a passion for gardening into a business

Creating a unique service offering is always a great starting point for a successful business, and Ana Belmonte is certainly doing that with Malachi Garden Service Lda. She brings her considerable expertise and passion for gardening to every job she undertakes for her clients, and her reputation for great service is growing as a result.

Aurora Matavel, an award-winning Mozambican entrepreneur building a successful eco-cleaning business

Aurora Matavel is Founder and CEO of SCS, Lda (Mozambique). She is an experienced and award-winning entrepreneur. The business of SCS, Lda is focused on providing ecological cleaning services and integrated pest control that preserve the environment. She founded the business 2 years ago and now employs 5 people, many of them women from the Local Community. She has 5 years of experience in business and as customer service with one of the main banks in the country.

Ana Alecia Lyman, an entrepreneur building a sustainable commercial business group providing value add for Mozambique’s non-timber forest products

The ability to build a high potential, high growth business with a sustainable heart is one that entrepreneur, Ana Alecia Lyman, founder of Bio Óleos de Miombo and Grupo Trichilia, has in huge amounts. Her vision to create world-class products that celebrate the sustainable natural resources of Mozambique and create a much needed value chain from community to consumer, is one that is making the world sit up and take notice.

Sign up today to receive the #1-rated newsletters for Africa's women entrepreneurs.