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Aga Khan Foundation and ”la Caixa” Foundation award grants to 10 Mozambican CSOs under JUNTOS! initiative
3:05 CAT | 13 Aug 2025
Over a decade on, JUNTOS! continues to support Mozambican civil society to lead resilient, collaborative, and impactful development. [Photo: AKF]
On Friday, July 25th the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) and the ”la Caixa” Foundation hosted an event to award 10 Mozambican civil society organisations (CSOs) with grants to fund a series of community-led innovation projects.
The event, held at Polana Serena Hotel in Maputo, was attended by senior representatives from AKF in Mozambique and the ”la Caixa” Foundation, including H.R.H. the Infanta Cristina, Director of the International Area at the “la Caixa” Foundation, who joined to commemorate the success of these locally led development solutions.
The grants are part of AKF’s longstanding JUNTOS! initiative – now in its fifth phase in Mozambique. After more than 10 years of impact, JUNTOS! (meaning ‘we are together’ in Portuguese) continues to strengthen Mozambican civil society and CSOs – grassroots organisations working closely with local communities to drive sustainable, locally led development.
Through in-person and online training, peer exchanges, collaborative meetings, and community innovation projects, the initiative helps local organisations build resilience, earn trust, and work more effectively. JUNTOS! supports CSOs to be responsive, capable partners – able to engage government and the private sector to improve the quality of life for all Mozambicans.
During the event – which marked a significant milestone in the latest phase of JUNTOS! – Diogo Milagre of the Foundation for Community Development (FDC) delivered a presentation on the role of community mobilisation. Additionally, Patrícia Costa from JUNTOS! in Portugal shared insights on the approach to community-driven innovation projects. The event concluded with an exhibition showcasing the awarded projects and the formal signing of agreements between the partners and the CSOs involved.
“Since our inception in Barcelona in 1904, the nature of the philanthropic work in the ”la Caixa” Foundation has been to build a fairer society with more opportunities for all, a mission we share with our partner, the Aga Khan Foundation,” said H.R.H. the Infanta Cristina, Director of the International area at the “la Caixa” Foundation. “The objective is to contribute to providing opportunities and combating inequalities through programmes aligned with the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.”
The winning CSOs will use the grants to each implement an innovative project aimed at responding to challenges experienced by the communities they serve. The projects focus on areas such as gender equality, youth empowerment, environmental sustainability, and community health.
The projects were shaped during participatory workshops facilitated by AKF, where the CSOs collaborated closely with community members to identify local challenges and co-create solutions. The co-creation will continue as the CSOs deliver their projects, which must actively involve the community at every stage – from the initial needs assessment to implementation and evaluation – fostering lasting empowerment through genuine community ownership.
Agostinho Mamade, Country Director of AKF in Mozambique, said, “The awarded projects reflect the diverse obstacles faced by Mozambican communities. With these grants, we are placing trust in CSOs to drive bold, locally led solutions to complex challenges. Innovation doesn’t have to come from outside – the most powerful ideas often begin within the community itself.”
The 10 awarded projects are expected to engage over 300 people within Mozambican communities, with more than 2,000 individuals set to directly benefit from the implementation of these community-driven solutions.
Beyond the innovation grants, the fifth phase of JUNTOS! will continue expanding access to learning for CSOs across the country. In-person and digital courses will strengthen core skills in management, strategy, and coordination. These are supported through the upgraded JUNTOS! Learning Management System, which is now more interactive and accessible than ever.
A highlight of the coming year includes two major events – one of which will focus on community philanthropy, a powerful driver of locally led change. The event will feature expert speakers, civil society leaders, and share an exciting research initiative whereby AKF, the ”la Caixa” Foundation, and WINGS Forum will map the philanthropy ecosystem in Mozambique.
The JUNTOS! Steering Committee – comprised of CSO leaders – are further engaged as the JUNTOS! platform moves toward greater sustainability. Their leadership, alongside active participation in national events, webinars, and outreach campaigns, is helping JUNTOS! become a recognised voice across Mozambique’s development landscape.
The awarded CSOs:
- ActionAid Mozambique
- Associação Moçambicana Para o Desenvolvimento da Família (AMODEFA)
- Associação TV Surdo Moçambique
- Centro de Apoio à Informação e Comunicação Comunitária (CAICC)
- FDC – Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Comunidade
- Fundação Universitária para o Desenvolvimento da Educação (FUNDE)
- Rede Contra o Abuso de Menores (REDE CAME)
- UNIDOS – Rede Nacional de Redução de Danos
- Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo (UP), Núcleo de Electrónica e Energias Renováveis
- Zizile – Instituto Para o Desenvolvimento da Criança (Zizile IDC)
🇲🇿 Celebrating local leadership in Mozambique!
AKF and @FundlaCaixa have awarded grants to 10 inspiring civil society organisations (CSOs) in Mozambique through the JUNTOS! initiative – backing locally led solutions that advance gender equality, youth empowerment, environmental… pic.twitter.com/KIIubOq29S
— Aga Khan Foundation (@AKF_Global) August 11, 2025
Source: Aga Khan Foundation
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