The Women of Iron project, which has trained women drivers all over the world, has now arrived in Mozambique, through Volvo Trucks Africa, Auto Sueco Mozambique and Transportes Lalgy, implementing this social inclusion and road responsibility program.

On the 16th, the social responsibility project made its debut in Mozambique Iron Women / Iron Women. The launch event took place at the premises of Transportes Lalgy, in Tchumene, with the entry of the first class of Mozambican women drivers.

The project Iron Women / Iron Women is a program that aims to promote the social inclusion of women in the road transport industry, enabling them to acquire technical training to become professional truck drivers, integrating them into the job market and thus bypassing the leading male role in the profession. In this project, 20 women who will be drivers in the future will travel through an intensive training program.

The project Iron Women / Iron WomenThe program, which is the responsibility of Volvo Trucks, has already been implemented in several countries, namely Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Chile and France. In Mozambique, the program will be operational with the support of the main institutions in the sector, namely Auto Sueco Moçambique as sponsor, and Transportes Lalgy as facilitator of this project, cooperating in the administration of theoretical and practical training over several months.

At the event to present the program, whose first class covers women aged 25 and over, the 20 candidates for the training program were present. At an institutional level, the event was attended by several renowned national and international organizations, including entities such as the Ministry of Gender Equality, Children and Social Action, representatives of Volvo Trucks Africa and Auto Sueco Mozambique, as well as the managing partner of Transportes Lalgy, the General Director of Transportes Lalgy, as well as other representatives of institutions that support women, such as the Women's Forum and the World Organization of Women.

Martin Nilsson, Vice President of Volvo Trucks Africa, reinforces the importance of this project, stressing that "By launching the Women of Iron program in Mozambique, we're not just introducing a training program: we're forming a powerful partnership to promote inclusion and empower women truck drivers. By equipping these 20 women not only with the skills to navigate the roads, but also with the knowledge to tackle social and economic challenges, we're not just changing lives, we're reshaping an industry. At Volvo Trucks Africa, we believe in the transformative power of collaboration and, through initiatives like Women of Iron, we are driving change, one kilometer at a time."

Pedro Constantino, CEO of Auto Sueco Mozambique, points out that "This project has a very symbolic social dimension in Mozambique, for all that it represents, and it makes us very proud to be directly involved in its implementation, especially in 2024, when Auto Sueco Mozambique marks 10 years of history and activity. The 20 students who are embarking on this journey today, and whom we congratulate in particular, will undoubtedly be a source of inspiration for many more women who we want to train as professional drivers in our country. Because of the values it advocates, the Women of Iron project makes us very happy not only in Mozambique, but also in all the countries where the Nors group is present with the Volvo Trucks brand."

Aly Lalgy, General Manager of Transportes Lalgy, states that "Transportes Lalgy is committed to making the transportation and logistics sector in Mozambique more inclusive and diverse by empowering women from all over the country to enter this challenging and rewarding profession. Women of Iron represents an important milestone in the quest for gender equality and opportunities for all in the Mozambican labor market."

It should be noted that Auto Sueco Moçambique is the premium representative of the Volvo Trucks brand in Mozambique. Transportes Lalgy, on the other hand, is a major transport and logistics organization in the country, employing more than 1,900 people, and where data points to a productivity of more than twenty-four million kilometers travelled inside and outside Mozambique.