IRIS ISABEL TEIXEIRA

Iris is a driven and adaptable professional with a strong background in business management and human resources. She enjoys taking on challenges that require organisation, collaboration, and a focus on delivering quality outcomes. Currently, she works as a Management Assistant and Consultant at Nemus Africa, supporting environmental projects and strengthening client relationships.

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Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings! 

I was born and raised in Mozambique, a country rich in culture and resilience. I come from a modest background, raised by a single mother who showed me the value of education and perseverance. I still remember helping her rehearse for her dissertation while she juggled a demanding job, 5 siblings and a single mother to provide and aid, those moments taught me what it means to keep going, no matter what.

Later, after her long battle with diabetes and almost facing amputation, both of us found ourselves unemployed. Just as I was trying to start my career, we hit one of our lowest points. I spent over a year sending out applications, doing odd jobs and side hustles just to keep the lights on. Today, I’m the sole provider in my household, a responsibility that came with hardship but also purpose. That journey taught me resilience, resourcefulness, and a deep desire to give back to the community that held me up when I had nothing, to help those find their purpose, to thrive in their dreams and grow not just as a professional but a person.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

Mozambique faces several challenges, including high levels of youth unemployment, limited access to quality education. Corruption and political instability also create barriers to development. Many communities, especially in rural areas, remain cut off from essential services.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

Starting a career without a safety net has been one of my biggest challenges. After university, I couldn’t find a stable job for over a year. With my mother also out of work, I took on anything I could—freelance gigs, small admin jobs, and side hustles—to make ends meet. It was exhausting and discouraging at times, but I kept pushing, driven by the need to support us both. 

Eventually, I secured a role that allowed me to not only contribute financially but also start building the kind of professional path I had dreamed of. That period taught me how to be adaptable and grounded. I learned that survival is a skill—and so is hope.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you? 

Having a mentor means having someone who believes in your potential even when you’re uncertain. For me, a mentor provides clarity, structure and perspective, especially in a professional context where such guidance isn’t always accessible. My mentor provided a space for encouragement and accountability, and that combination has been incredibly empowering.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

Life has taught me that you don’t need to have everything figured out to start. Progress often begins in uncertainty. I’ve also learned that asking for help is not a weakness but a step toward strength. Resilience doesn’t mean never falling, it means getting up every time you do.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

Girl Move Academy is a wonderful initiative. Their programmes focus on leadership, mentorship and emotional development, equipping girls and young women with the tools to lead change in their communities. And of course, as for a person, with no doubt it would be my mother.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Women in Mozambique face layered challenges: early marriage, gender-based violence, school dropouts, and underrepresentation in decision-making. Economic dependence also limits their choices. There are many efforts being made by NGOs and government bodies alike to promote girls' education, pass gender-sensitive legislation and support women entrepreneurs.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by. 

"Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can."

It reminds me that even in uncertainty, I have something to offer. It’s a call to action that keeps me focused and humble.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do? 

If I had the resources, I would launch a Women’s Leadership and Career Acceleration Centre focused on mentoring, skills development and employment pathways for young women in Mozambique. The centre would provide career coaching, entrepreneurship training, digital skills workshops and mental health support. It would also act as a bridge between local talent and employers, helping to reduce youth unemployment and close the gender gap in leadership.

Q: How is technology utilised for social impact in your country? For example are there mobile apps that support gender equality, inclusion, understanding of cultures?

Technology is slowly becoming a force for good here. Platforms like M-Pesa and e-mola have revolutionized how people, especially women in rural areas, access financial services. NGOs use mobile apps and radio broadcasts to raise awareness around health, rights, and education. However, digital access is still a big issue.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add?

I’m deeply thankful for spaces like GTF that focus on mentorship and dialogue. They remind people that global change starts with local action, and that each of us has a role to play. My hope is to keep learning, keep building, and always lift others as I rise.