It was early 2015 when we started working together. First you worked from Moçambique, your second home, but soon also in Malawi and Zambia. With your positive attitude, you opened doors everywhere: Botswana, Eswatini, Seychelles, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mauritius, Angola came along, you managed to strengthen the promotion of MSMEs and their access to finance. I have many cherished memories when joining you in the onsite mission and you introduced me to entrepreneurs and their stories. Even when things were busy, and they often were, you always had a place in your heart for your daughter. If you couldn’t show her something in person, you brought some of it to share with her. You cheered her on and celebrated her successes with us.

Filipe, you were always encouraging and full of life. You were a great and reliable colleague and friend to me. You passed away far too soon and will be missed, but I am grateful that I had the chance to know you. We still had so many plans and ideas. The memory of you should strengthen us and encourage each and every one of us not to give up on these plans and ideas.

You will be always remembered.