On historic Mozambique Island, where memories of the past live alongside the challenges of the present, a new opportunity for change has emerged. Access Bank, reaffirming its commitment to the well-being of communities, donated school and agricultural supplies to the Heartseed centre, rekindling hope and renewing the dreams of those children and families.
Heartseed, a centre dedicated to caring for and educating children, received this support at a crucial moment, ensuring the continuity of its activities and giving more children the chance to learn in a safe and welcoming environment. With water and electricity bills covered for a year, 60 children will continue to benefit from stable conditions for their development. This support had an immediate and tangible impact, enabling the centre to increase the number of daily meals offered to the children, directly benefiting more than 50 families in the community. In addition, the strengthening of the organic vegetable garden and the creation of new jobs are concrete examples of how an act of solidarity can transform the living conditions of an entire community, promoting sustainable development.
Besides the material donation, Access Bank employees took an active part in workshops on sustainable horticulture, citizenship and the arts at the Heartseed centre, bringing hearts closer together and strengthening the sense of belonging between the bank and the Mozambique Island community. These activities brought new skills, strengthened bonds of trust and cooperation, and brought the bank even closer to local reality.
Juliana Lamares, coordinator of Heartseed, expressed her gratitude with emotion, stressing the impact of this action: “Access Bank’s help came at a crucial time. Now we can offer more meals and make sure the children continue to learn in a safe environment. This support makes a difference to the lives of each of these children and their families, renewing our strength and hope to face the future with more confidence.” The centre shows a strong commitment to the education and all-round development of children, demonstrated by its school success rate of 94%. As well as offering academic teaching, it equips children with trades and practical skills, preparing them to face the challenges of the future. This humane approach, which values the well-being and complete education of children, helps to create confident young people who are ready to take an active part in their community.
For Marco Abalroado, Managing Director of Access Bank Mozambique, this kind of action is part of the bank’s vision for social development: “Supporting Heartseed is investing in the future of the children and of the community itself. This kind of action has a profound and lasting impact, because it is by empowering people that we build a more prosperous and sustainable future.”
Mozambique Island, with its vast tourism and cultural potential, now finds an opportunity for sustainable growth. However, for that growth to be inclusive, the local community needs to have the resources and tools necessary to take advantage of the opportunities that arise. The work done by Heartseed, by promoting education and social inclusion, lays the foundations for future generations to contribute actively to the Island’s economic and cultural development.
With this action, Access Bank reaffirms its commitment to supporting vulnerable communities and promoting more balanced development. The impact is visible in the children’s living conditions and in the families’ well-being.
