MOZLINK SME Development Center
Mozlink is a programme that aims to create more competitive Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in Mozambique. The main purpose is to assist Mozambican companies to grow and develop into strong organisations that can compete in both local and international markets. It is a joint effort between MOZAL, CPI, PODE and APDF (IFC) who through coaching, mentoring, training and exposure help SME’s to achieve this objective.
The mentors have put together a 6-month development program with 4 steps:
- Mozal coaches visit the companies to assess the SME’s in the areas of Safety, Maintenance, Quality and Management (HR, Financial & General Management), and ask questions like “do you have a business plan?” do you have a preventive maintenance schedule?” or “do you have a cash flow forecast?”
- A workshop is organised where the coaches develop an improvement plan for each SME that consists of training, coaching and implementing good practice. The owner of the company then presents the improvement plan to the group. After this workshop the SME’s are given 4 months to implement the plan in their companies.
- A second assessment is then done by the coaches with the same base and the same questions.
- A final workshop is then held where the SME’s get the opportunity to compare results and share their successes with their peers.
The first group of 12 SME’s have successfully completed the program. At the workshop held at the Cardoso Hotel recently, the results of the program were displayed. There was a dramatic improvement in all areas. The graph below shows a comparison of the first assessment done in August 2004 and the final assessment done in March 2005.
Comparison of scores before and after implementation of the improvement plan
Delegates at the Workshop held in a Hotel in town
Awards where given to the companies with the best improvement in the area of safety, highest overall improvement and best assessment results.
Apart from the SME Development Center Mozlink runs a programme that focuses on Knowledge Sharing between SME’s and big companies, such as Mozal. An internet site is under construction with information about tenders, best practice, financial support, business opportunities etc. The last initiative is to promote Women In Business where companies are asked about gender equity and female ownership.
Mozlink will soon start with a second group of 13 companies
