Mozambique - Women of Rubies

In Inspiration December 28, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Ashley Das Rosas Massingue, An Entrepreneur From Mozambique Making a Living Out of Cashew Nuts

We all love snacks like Ashley das Rosas Massingue , something we can munch on when we are watching our favourite TV show or we just need something healthy to munch on.

There is a demand for snacks, especially healthy nuts. This is one reason why Ashley das Rosas Massingue decided to start her cashew nuts business. Her business involves packing appetizing flavours into a range of snack cashew nuts which are winning over fans of these tasty treats.

Meet Ashley Das Rosas Massingue

Ashley Massingue is the owner and CEO of a family brand of appetizers, Shez Snacks, in Mozambique. She started her business in August 2020 to process and sell high quality nuts in different flavours. The company is the first in Mozambique using glass jar packaging for this kind of product.

With more than 5 years experience in Communication and Marketing, Ashley decided to embrace her passion for oilseed fruits mainly cashew nuts and start the business.

Ashley was inspired to start the business by a conversation she had with a friend about the term “rat race,” which means working to pay bills. she was sad to realize that her life was already in the rat race and her friend advised her to think of some extra business, something she liked a lot.

And then Ashley thought about food. “I’m not a cook and honestly I don’t like to cook, but I love to eat, especially snacks (of all kinds).

As a result, I came to the idea of selling chestnuts, but for that I needed to add value to the product and not do what all chestnut sellers do. I did a market study about what I needed on the products offered and I created, with the help of my relatives, the Shez Snacks brand of flavoured cashew nuts.” She said.

For Ashley, the entrepreneurial journey has been a challenge every day, mainly because the Shez Snacks product is a gourmet product and consequently is expensive in relation to what is found on the market. However, at the beginning of this journey she already expected this, and that’s why she segmented the business’ target group, being focused on mainly the middle – high class market segment.

The beginning

Four years ago, Ashley co-founded a marketing and billboard rental consulting agency (Lash Agency, Lda – Mozambique), through which she learned and improved her skills in negotiation, market studies, market variations, production of media material, brand activations, etc.

The business provided services to several companies and organizations of national and international reputation. Unfortunately, at the end of the 3rd year she had to close down due to a disagreement with her former partner.

Ashley describes her greatest satisfaction as the acceptance and feedback of the product by consumers and the loyalty of partners who resell her products.

Ashley’s advice to women who would like to undertake their own entrepreneurial journey is “Don’t allow yourselves to continue in the ‘rat race’. Start doing something you like. Start today, start now”

In Food August 5, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Aasiyah Ravate, A Mozambican Food Entrepreneur And Founder Of Home Cooking With Love

For a lot of people, cooking is a chore while for others, it is their love language and a thoughtful expression of their love. For Mozambican entrepreneur, Aasiyah Ravate, cooking is a passion turned business venture. Founder of Home Cooking With Love, every meal she makes are a delicious hit made with lots of love for her customers.

Aasiyah Ravate is a 22-year-old CEO and founder of Home Cooking With Love. She is also a year 4 student of dentistry. She has a great passion for cooking, and during the pandemic she reinvented herself and created her business, Home Cooking With Love. During the past six months, she has been serving her snacks to agencies, banks, and thousands of people in her city.

Aasiyah’s business celebrates the concept of homemade food, which makes people travel for flavors without leaving home and without needing a visa. Her business specializes in traditional Indian food, Italian food, fast food and desserts.

Aasiyah was inspired to start her business by her mother who was both a fighter and a warrior and taught her to fight for her dreams. “I have a passion for cooking. I am still struggling to achieve my dream of opening a restaurant. I was also inspired to start my business to help my mother because she was always a mother and father to me and my brother, she deserves the best.”

On her entrepreneurial journey, Aasiyah confirms that at first it was very difficult, because she had no idea how to own and run a business. Her mother helped her invest, and with time she gained experience. These experiences have in the long run, taught her to be a better entrepreneur.

Her biggest satisfaction as a food entrepreneur is her client’s happiness when they taste her food, and the thoughtful feedback she gets from her customers.

She advises young women to trust in themselves, be faithful, believe in their dreams, and fight for them no matter your age. In her words, “be strong and fight for your business, do not let anyone put you down. Believe in your potential and in the potential of your company. Hear the voice of your heart and make your way from it. I am sure that in the future, you will have the professional satisfaction you deserve!”

In Food July 25, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Kátia Agy, A Mozambican Entrepreneur Making Edible Bouquets Out of Fruits And Chocolates

It is interesting how you can build a business out of the most basic things you do in your personal life. For Kátia, her idea to earn a living by making edible bouquets came when she first made one to encourage her eldest daughter to eat more fruits. And just like most of us, Kátia decided to take a photo of of it before her daughter started eating and shared with her friend who posted the picture on Facebook. People became interested in it and asked who made it and that very day, Kátia got her very first order and customer for her edible bouquets. And like they say, the rest is history.

Kátia Agy, known as a singer and TV presenter, and now, the founder of Food Lounge Mz. Her business is focused on making edible bouquets using fresh fruits and chocolates. For the past 7 years, this business has been the main source of income for Kátia, and now also her three employees.

What inspired Kátia to begin this business was the desire to become independent, and to be able to work from home to be close to her daughters. She was also inspired by the love she has for making, creating and decorating food, especially for being able to transform a plate of fruit or a simple chocolate into something interesting that grabs the attention of those who are going to eat it.

Kátia simple turned her passion into business.

She gets maximum pleasure with each bouquet creation. Indeed, The Food Lounge Mz has found a way to make people eat fruits and chocolates and get maximum pleasure and happiness from doing it. Making a bouquet to be devoured by someone is a huge responsibility and the amazement and satisfaction on the face of the recipients are constant sources of celebration. They simply sell happiness through their explosion and mixture of flavors!

For Kátia, her satisfaction as an entrepreneur comes from having more control of her time, freedom to imagine and create a concept. Also, being able to help her clients get the best gift for their loved ones and lastly, seeing her clients recommend her to other people.

For women who wish to, or are already starting a business, her advice is: Do not stop! Do what you have to do, trembling, afraid, but don’t give up. Cultivate your dreams with the same claw that is characteristic of women in all other aspects of life! Do not listen to those who consider your business without wings to fly, because even the eagle had several falls before it managed to fly high. Remember to pray, believe, work with discipline, stay focused and make it happen. It is in your hands.

In Inspiration July 22, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Nicole Magerman From Mozambique Is Making Social Impact Through Her Non-Profit Organization

Nicole Magerman founded Girl Spectrum, her non-profit organization at the age of 25. She started running it as a labour of love and devotion for gender equality. Girl Spectrum was founded in 2021 and has a global vision of creating awareness around not only women empowerment but also building confidence in our women of today.

Self-Care is Health Care.

Girl Spectrum is a women empowerment, mental health and self-care forum founded as a movement that embraces and celebrates the feminine essence. The objective of the initiative is to promote and sustain gender equality, confidence building and eliminate limitations set for women based on their gender. Through this project, it is expected that women from different socio-economic backgrounds come together to support and empower each other personally and professionally.

They offer programs like Love School (Relationship Forum), Girl Boss (Entrepreneurial Forum), “All About I” (Confidence Building Program), as well as the Steal the Show Program (Artistic Forum).

Nicole was inspired to start the Girl Spectrum organization because of the everyday battle in a “Man´s World”.
gender equality and gender awareness are very important factors that drive her to keep fighting for woman rights. After all, woman rights are human rights. Early marriage, gender-based violence, inequality in the workplace and pre-defined gender roles all created a drive for change and a new era definition. Girl Spectrum has programs that build the female leaders of tomorrow and restructures the female leaders of today.

Nicole is currently pursuing a career in banking and finance.

Nicole Magerman believes hesitation is a dream killer. She says don´t wait on money or making time to kick start your journey.

Start now and fuel your goals on the way!