For many young people, one of the biggest challenges facing them when they leave school is preparing for the world of work and giving themselves the best chance of finding meaningful employment. For Mozambican entrepreneur, Cidia Chissungo, founder of Gillipe, this challenge gave her the inspiration to launch a business with the solution.
LoA met with Cidia Chissungo to learn more about this passionate entrepreneur and her vision for the business.
What does your company do?
At Gillipe, we specialize in providing consulting and training in personal and professional development. We work in four key areas - Leadership, Social Interview, Professional Posture and also Entrepreneurship. Our business focus is providing skills and life training for young people, mostly from universities. Our training programmes encourage young people to open their eyes and also their minds, preparing them for life and the workplace.
"Our training programmes encourage young people to open their eyes and also their minds, preparing them for life and the workplace."
What inspired you to start your company?
I decided to start my own company because I wanted to grow up, get more responsibility, and also achieve better results from the work I was doing.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
In my company, everyone works to solve problems and ensure that the young people who trust us are able to keep trusting - that’s the reason why we want everybody to have the best experience possible with us. We don’t do what we can, we do what is necessary to be done.
"We have the power to change the world - we simply have to believe in ourselves and also work hard to make those dreams a reality."
Tell us a little about your team
Today I work with 11 supporters, each of them knows exactly what we need to do and the goals we have to reach. We are more than just friends, we are family because we spend the most of the time together.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I don’t come from any entrepreneurial background. Actually I started to enjoy business when I was younger. I used to sell sweets, chocolates, and also biscuits for my friends at school, but at that time I didn’t have the ideas I have today. Today I worry about everything and I'm also focused on solving problems and helping people to explore their talents and also develop their abilities to the full.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We want to roll out our business to other provinces and also districts far away from the cities. Ultimately, our big vision is to open a university.
"When I hear people saying that their lives are changing for the better, I realize that my work makes a difference."
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Many people after they have successfully undertaken their training and development programmes come to me to say thank you, because they have found the power to keep moving with their lives. When I hear people saying that their lives are changing for the better, I realize that my work makes a difference.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
The world prepares women to resist many things but never to follow their own dreams. Yet we have the power to change the world - we simply have to believe in ourselves and also work hard to make those dreams a reality.
Contact or follow Gillipe
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | EMAIL Cidiachissungo@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
Everyone deserves the chance to fulfill their potential, but often there are so many hurdles standing in the way. For Cidia Chissungo, this need to find a solution and provide the developmental support needed to give young people the best chance in life, inspired her to build a life changing business today. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and ceo of Lionesses of Africa