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New financial director joins UMC in Mozambique

Written: 3/4/2010

By Carol Kreamer and Ezequiel Nhantumbo

After an extensive search process by the United Methodist Church in Mozambique, Mr. Silvestre Luis Zandamela assumed the new position of Director of Finance and Administration of the Mozambique area on February 15, 2010. This new position was created in response to General Council on Finance and Administration (GCFA) of the United Methodist Church directing the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM) to restructure after the 2008 General Conference. GBGM was also instructed to divest itself of assets like property, vehicles and equipment in the countries where they maintained Area Finance Offices and to direct funds through treasurers on staff in the Central Conferences.

GBGM began closing those financial offices around the world in 2009, first in Zimbabwe and then in Mozambique. Former Area Financial Representative in Mozambique, Rev. Delfina Monteiro, stayed on to perform financial functions in order to close the 2009 fiscal year-end books and until a new staff-person was on board.

The United Methodist Church in Mozambique took this opportunity to restructure their finance and administration sector, strengthening their organization. The result was a new position - Director of Finance and Administration - which includes human resource responsibilities as well as the handling of funds from outside the country.

Mr. Zandamela brings a variety of experiences and education to the UMC in Mozambique. A graduate of the Technical University of Mozambique (UDM) where he majored in Commercial and Business Law, he is computer literate and fluent in several languages. Luis, as he is called, is currently studying English at the Language Institute in Maputo. He has an extensive background in financies and human resources, including issues related to commercial, tax, labor and civil laws.

Luis was born in Maputo and raised in the Zavala area of Inhambane Province. He is a member of the Anglican Church and says that working for the church is a blessing. He concluded his interview saying, “God is the light and I hope He will help me on this. I will also be counting on the staff from the conference and our partners overseas to share the knowledge and working experiences!” Mr. Zandamela is married to Felicidade Ânsia Luze Bambo Zandamela and they have three children.

For the past ten years, Zandamela worked in accounting for non-governmental organizations, namely the Ingrid Chawner, Schindler Mozambique, the Italian Cooperation, the International School, the Institute for Community Ministry and HIV/AIDS National Council Executive Secretariat. His activities included working with various donors such as NORAD, UNICEF, USAID, DIGNIDAD, and BAD. Zandamela’s experience includes supervision of two international enterprises based in South Africa and includes fiscal, banking, and work legislation as well as international commerce and more.

Zandamela says his strengths are in accounting, reconciling and closing finances, processing salaries and taxes, controlling petty cash and other current accounts. He knows there will be challenges as this new position combines financial and human resourcing responsibilities. He promises to contribute with his knowledge from his academic and professional background in issues related to internal organization, assets and monitoring projects. Further he says he will improve the financial department, which he views as well organized. He is accustomed to the pressure resting on his shoulders.

The Missouri Mozambique Initiative (MI) looks forward to working with Zandamela. Carol Kreamer, MI coordinator, reports they will work together by SKYPE and E-mail. She and MI Chair Tom Mitchell plan to go to Mozambique after Zandamela gets settled in so they can review the Missouri work with Zandamela. The Missouri Mozambique Initiative is the largest single ministry fund that Zandamela will administer. Missouri funds continue to be held in a separate account and are not combined with funds of GBGM or the United Methodist Church in Mozambique.