With a degree in Business Management, Melina Mangoele joined the Maputo Toastmasters Club in 2019 with the aim of overcoming communication and leadership weaknesses that were affecting her professional progression. Since joining the organization, Melina has shown remarkable growth and dedication, taking on leadership roles. She currently holds the position of President of the MaputoToastmasters Club.
In conversation with Profile, Melina shares her perspectives on Toastmasters and the foundations that underpin the organization.
Profile Mozambique: As a starting point. What is Toastmasters and what is the organization’s main mission?
Melina Mangoele: Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization founded over 100 years ago. This year, we’re celebrating our centenary. The organization came about when the founder, Ralph C. Smedley, identified a lack of communication and leadership skills in the professionals in his community. Although employees knew what to do and how to do it, they lacked soft skills.
So a space or club was created, where professionals would have an environment to practice presentations and meetings. Therefore, Toastmasters emerged as an organization, based on three fundamental pillars: public speaking, leadership and networking, or a supportive environment. In this network, our mission is to provide members and the community in general with the development of communication and leadership skills through a supportive environment where it is possible to continuously improve and enhance.
PM: In a short conversation, just before we started, you were saying that you’ve been in Mozambique for 18 years. So, how was that transition from global to local?
MM: Toastmasters’ vision is to create a universal network of leaders and communicators. Based on this, there was a need to create the club in Mozambique. The reference came from the clubs in South Africa, where the first rehearsals took place through sporadic meetings. Some participants visited the clubs in South Africa, until the decision was made to actually open a place in Mozambique.
Although Portuguese is our official language, the first club, Maputo Toastmasters, adopted English as its language of expression. At the time, meetings were held at the Martin Luther King American Library. It should be noted that the choice of language depends very much on the objectives of the club.
The question may arise: why would a Portuguese-speaking country host a club that expresses itself in English? It sounds abstract, but it’s really a strategic question. The key point of Toastmasters is to train young people who need to face the job market, where proficiency in English is often required. Therefore, having a network to develop communication skills in English is an important strategic point for these young people.
PM: What are the main programs offered by Toastmasters for improving communication and leadership skills and how are these programs structured to ensure continuous development?
MM: To make it more accessible, Toastmasters works like a master’s degree course. From the moment someone becomes a member, they have access to the organization’s platform. When the member accesses the platform, they have the option of choosing between eleven different courses at random or they can take a test available on the platform to identify their specific inclinations.
The courses are self-taught, i.e. there are no teachers. Each member is their own master and teacher. By choosing one of the profiles or tracks, the member begins their educational progress, evolving through levels. Each level contains its own projects, each of which works on a specific skill or topic that allows the member to continually improve their skills.
Now, in relation to the second point I was asked about, to ensure that members receive the necessary guidance, we have a mentoring program within Toastmasters. When a new member joins, they are assigned to a mentor who has already reached at least the third level within the organization. This mentor guides the new member in using the platform, accessing courses and lessons, and preparing speeches. The mentor does not write the speeches for the member, but helps organize them and offers encouragement, especially in preparing and improving their performance. The mentor accompanies the member until they feel confident enough to proceed independently.
In addition to the individual mentor, there is the Vice President for Education (VPE), who is responsible for the educational progress of all members. The VPE receives reports on members’ progress and follows up on an ongoing basis. This combination of individual support and general supervision ensures that all members receive the help they need to develop their communication and leadership skills effectively and continuously.
PM: What are the requirements for becoming a Toastmasters member?
MM: To become a member of Toastmasters, you must be at least 18 years old. We have set this minimum age to avoid issues related to the exposure of minors. When someone hears about Toastmasters and shows interest, the next step is to attend two meetings, which are completely free of charge. This allows the guest to understand the concept, functioning, organization and practical execution of a Toastmasters session.
After these two meetings, the visitor must decide whether to become a member. If the decision is positive, the person is introduced to the Vice-President of Membrasia, who will provide the necessary forms and explain the applicable fees for membership. After completing the forms and paying the membership fee, the new member is registered with the global Toastmasters network.
From that moment on, the new member has full access to the clubs. As Toastmasters is a global entity, the member also has access to a wide network of international contacts, allowing for a learning and networking experience beyond national reach.
PM: We know that Toastmasters has around five clubs in Mozambique. How did the idea of creating the clubs come about and what are their main objectives?
MM: Mozambique is currently divided into two areas within Toastmasters: Area 74 and Area 129. To be more detailed, in terms of clubs, we have seven in total, divided between corporate and community clubs. There are four corporate clubs and three community clubs in the country.
The community clubs include Maputo Toastmasters, which is the mother of all the others, Clube Timbila and Clube da Beira. These clubs are the gateway for new members, offering a suitable environment for anyone wishing to develop communication and leadership skills.
In addition to the community clubs, we have corporate clubs that are exclusively for employees of specific companies. Companies that identify weaknesses in communication and leadership among their employees often collaborate with Toastmasters to solve these problems. We currently have corporate clubs for Vodacom, Standard Bank, Absa Bank and FNB.
We are also in the process of opening 3 more corporate clubs. These new clubs will help expand the network and further strengthen the communication and leadership skills of professionals in Mozambique.
PM: This year, Mozambique Toastmasters Week 2024 was organized under the slogan “The Africa We Want”. What were the main foundations and impact of this event?
MM: For the creation of Toastmasters in Mozambique, we adopted the motto “The Africa We Want”. I had the honor of being the Logistics Director, responsible for all the logistical arrangements, contact with national and international guests. I was involved in every stage of the process, from planning to execution.
Our motto “The Africa We Want” reflects our belief that the future of Africa is in the hands of young people. We want to be active participants in shaping the leaders of tomorrow. The idea is to encourage Mozambican society to reflect on the kind of society we want, so that we can participate in this constructive process.
To illustrate this, we brought in various speakers from different areas, such as Dama do Bling on music, Carlos Serra on the environment, Boardina Muala on communication, Jeckcy on entrepreneurship and Glayds Gande on female empowerment, among other guests. These events were opportunities for young people to think about where we are and where we want to go, drawing young people’s attention to being part of the solution we want to see in society.
Furthermore, we believe that an effective leader must be able to communicate persuasively, lead diverse teams and have a solid network of contacts.These skills are crucial for moving and inspiring people, as well as for taking their ideas forward.
In terms of impact, we clearly look at membership, since we opened our doors we have seen a growing interest in the community.Our meetings have been getting fuller and there is a palpable enthusiasm from people to find out more about our organization and join us.The impact of our mission is evident, as we have been able to attract more and more members who want to develop their skills and contribute to Mozambican society.And finally, the event has increased our visibility at international Toastmasters level. As I mentioned earlier, we were named the best area and this distinction was partly due to the power of this event.
PM: What are the main challenges facing an organization the size of Toastmasters in Mozambique?
MM: One of the challenges we currently face is the concentration of our clubs in the city of Maputo, we have one in Beira. Mozambique is a vast country and not just the capital.We find it difficult to open clubs outside Maputo and ensure that these clubs offer the same quality and attractiveness that we have in the capital.
Another challenge is to increase interaction with companies. We constantly work to show companies the importance of their employees training in communication and leadership skills. Our job is to make it clear that developing these skills will bring gains not only personally, but also for the company. However, there is still a certain reluctance and lack of understanding on the part of some institutions to embrace this program.
In addition, we have great difficulty accessing public institutions. When we approach these institutions, we often hear that there is a lack of budget and that they rarely contemplate issues of developing communication and leadership skills. Currently, we are not working with any public institutions. These are some of the challenges, but we are continuing our efforts to expand and improve the spread of Toastmasters throughout the country.
PM: What are Toastmasters’ next steps in Mozambique?
MM: Toastmasters’ next steps in Mozambique include a series of strategic initiatives aimed at expanding the organization’s presence and impact throughout the country. Firstly, Toastmasters is focused on expanding its network of clubs.
This effort includes opening new community and corporate clubs, with the aim of establishing ourselves throughout the country.In addition, Toastmasters intends to establish partnerships with universities to create channels that allow students to start developing their communication skills right from college. This approach aims to address communication limitations early on, preparing students for future challenges in the job market and in their professional lives.
