MMO recognised for promoting gender equality and empowerment of women with nomination of Sany Weng, GM for Top 50 Women in Management Africa (WIMA) Awards

Sany Weng, the General Manager of Mozambique Managed Offices (MMO) was nominated for the Top 50 Women in Management Africa Awards that took place on March 17th in Mlimani City, Dar es Salaam.

After starting her career at MMO in 2016 as Facilities Manager, Sany has overseen two office expansions, co-founded a new facilities division, and steered the company through the COVID-19 pandemic and turbulence caused by the departure of many multinationals from Mozambique following violence in the north of the country. She has also set up a new MMO Branch in Pemba, 2000 km north of Maputo.

 

‘I am honoured and excited to have been nominated as one of the Top 50 women in management Africa by WIMA’, says Sany, ‘I never expected to be chosen, this nomination is a testament to the hard work and dedication I have put into my career.’

With more than 15 years of professional experience in marketing, sales, human resources, procurement, budgeting, and project management Sany perfectly fits the award’s criteria. Meaning straight in Swahili, WIMA celebrates women who stand tall, with vision and have earned their power and leadership status with no shortcuts. The awards aim to boost women’s economic empowerment by showcasing women’s career achievements. They support the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 5 and 10 to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

MMO Facilities, of which Sany is a co-founder, has also recently been chosen as a participant in the PROMOVER Program. This is a significant new milestone for MMO to grow and expand the business.  A partnership between MUVA, GrowthAfrica, and ANSA, the PROMOVER Program, is designed to support the development of Mozambican SMEs by providing them with access to training, coaching, and mentoring.

 

The WIMA nomination is particularly significant for Sany as it gives her a platform to highlight the challenges that women in business face in Mozambique. Strongly held gender stereotypes and cultural norms continue to underpin business culture. According to the USAID Mozambique Factsheet: Gender Equality and Female Empowerment only 22% of girls finish secondary school and 56% of women are illiterate (upwards of 70% in rural areas). Once they enter the workplace, access to capital and financing is limited. Often women do not have a bank account and if they do, they struggle to access collateral or guarantees required by banks to secure loans. This situation gets worse the further you move away from the cities. According to Women’s World Banking, 69% of the rural population and 62% of women are financially excluded.

MMO is setting an example in Mozambique, where 80% of its workforce and 100% of its senior management team are female. Sany recognises MMO for giving her a chance to work for them and for the mentorship she has received since starting the company. More than ten years later, she manages a portfolio of 50+ international office clients, facilities management contracts and leads a team of 20 people.