Today it may look like a sculpture, yes, because before it looked like something else that no one would have imagined to be what it is today. This is a town carved out of the mountainous escarpments that hide one of the huge hydroelectric monsters of southern Africa, and perhaps the world. Today, the town of Songo resembles some of Mozambique's major cities, thanks to the long social work carried out by HCB, the state-owned energy company.

Before being "national pride", as the slogan says, it is worthy of being labeled the pride of Songo, a town that did not previously experience as much development as it currently does, although some challenges remain.

In fact, it is a great satisfaction for the people of that quiet village of around 50,000 inhabitants, according to the 2017 Census, which was born from the rubble of the dunes that hide the Cahora Bassa reservoir, the fourth largest in Africa, in other words, the Zambezi River that gave birth to an energy monster: the Cahora Bassa Hydroelectric Plant (HCB).

As the chairman of HCB's board of directors, Tomás Matola, pointed out during his participation in the 2nd Energy Conference of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP), HCB's contribution over its 50 years of existence has been decisive for Mozambique's growth, both through the supply of electricity at national and regional level and through its social responsibility projects.

According to Matola, "HCB's ongoing investments in social infrastructure - such as schools, health centers, roads and water supply systems - in the communities surrounding the development, reinforce the company's commitment to sustainable development."

According to HCB's CEO, the company doesn't just contribute financially in taxes to the state, where it expects to pocket around 300 million dollars (18 billion meticais) this year, it is also committed to the social development of local communities. "HCB supports education by building schools and buying desks, among many other ways. In the health sector, we contribute to the construction of hospitals and health centers."

In fact, it seems that the village of Songo has benefited greatly from HCB's determination in its development projects, putting energy and social investment at the service of inclusion and local progress. For those who knew the village ten years ago, today the transformation is so much greater, from the social and basic infrastructures to commercial activity. It's a small town that already claims another status, even though it has already been elevated to the category of municipality.

Gilito Sérgio, who has lived in the village of Songo for more than 40 years, is delighted with HCB's contribution to the village's development, which he says goes far beyond infrastructure development. "HCB is like a father to the communities of Songo. Everything we are today is thanks to the hydroelectric plant. We are experiencing real development in the town," he told MZNews.

The same sentiment is shared by young Custódio Combo, who was born in the city of Tete but lived in the town for five years during his studies. Today, with a degree in computer engineering from the Higher Polytechnic Institute of Songo (ISPS), he highlights the improvement of roads and some social infrastructures (health and education) as a great achievement for the communities.

"The town has changed a lot since 2020 alone. It even looks like a provincial capital city, Songo is the envy of the development it is currently seeing. Nowadays, young people no longer need to go to the city of Tete or Moatize to look for a job, the town already has a lot to offer," says Custódio Combo.

An electrical boom that is already developing

If before, places with access to electric lighting were easy to spot and commerce was limited to the essentials and with very limited hours of activity, today history has taken a new turn. There is 24-hour lighting in the village, and commerce tends to flow to the delight of the communities.

"Before, we relied on solar panels and generators to operate, but only for those who could afford to buy this equipment. Even then, profits didn't help and expenses were higher. Now, with the expansion of the electricity network, commercial activity has improved a lot," says Elizeu Gimo, one of the traders in the village of Songo.

The neighborhoods of Unidad and Catondo were among the last in the town to benefit from electricity. And the residents tell us what life was like before the electricity grid.

"It was a hardship, we suffered so many robberies because everything was dark. We couldn't even keep our products, let alone do any business," said Teresa Paulo, a resident of the Unity neighborhood.

The construction of a Bus Terminal and the Central Market for the town's communities are the other signs of Songo's growth, as the two infrastructures have made it possible to capitalize on the influx of people to boost commercial activity. For HCB, the project, budgeted at just over 110 million meticais, "had the purpose of reorganizing commercial activity in the town of Songo, removing informal vendors from the streets to the markets, but also allowing the integration of a bus terminal next to the market".

Water supply is also a priority

In addition to the construction of access roads and social infrastructure, the hydroelectric plant's actions have contributed to many communities in the town having access to drinking water. And in order to keep up with the town's population growth, HCB has gone ahead, according to a document on Social Responsibility for 2023, with the expansion of the water supply system in the town of Songo with the construction of new reservoirs in the north and south, as well as the expansion of the distribution network.

For the population, the water supply problem is already a page turned in the village. Although it hasn't been completely resolved, Songo residents have no doubt that its days are numbered.

"I can say that there is no longer a water supply problem here in the village. Compared to past years, we're already doing well," said Elina João.

From Songo to the rest of the country

HCB's commitment to development is not just limited to the town of Songo, where the hydroelectric plant is located. Its actions are witnessed throughout the country, both in taxes and in its noble social responsibility actions.

In all, HCB has invested more than a billion meticais over the last five years in development projects, from education, health, sports, culture to humanitarian emergency aid.

For some, HCB is one of the few large companies that sets an example to follow in terms of social responsibility, since its actions not only take place in Songo Village, but also in other provinces of the country, highlighting the construction of a Type II Health Center in Mueda, Cabo Delgado province.

This is, among many, an example of the commitment of what is currently the main and largest supplier of electricity in the country, but also to some countries in the region. The company has been producing, transporting and selling electricity since 1975, lighting up the lives and dreams of many Mozambicans.

 

Text: Hermenegildo Langa & Photo: DR