---
title: A Historic Moment for Angola As New Business Ventures and Community Spirit Shape A Promising Future
description: Grand Lakes’ Angola journey shows how lasting partnerships, community spirit and support for rural farmers drive progress and shape a brighter future
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2025-07-24T15:51:30.000Z
updated: 2026-02-26T22:05:23.127Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/a-historic-moment-for-angola-as-new-business-ventures-and-community-spirit-shape-a-promising-
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/1q8wp77owv0.jpg
categories: Business
content_type: News
region: Angola
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

The Grand Lakes stand at FILDA buzzes with the familiar warmth of old friendships and new introductions. Visitors drift in throughout the morning, some lingering in the comfortable lounge area, others stopping by for a quick chat with the team. There’s laughter as gifts are handed out, and the genuine smiles suggest these aren’t just business transactions – they’re moments of connection in a space that feels more like a welcoming gathering place than a corporate exhibition.

At the heart of this atmosphere are two men who’ve made Angola feel like home. Geraldo Kulaif, director of Grand Lakes, lights up when describing the 40th edition of the [Feira Internacional de Luanda](https://www.filda-angola.co.ao/). ”It’s a historic moment for Angola, we are happy to participate once again in this great fair and to know that we continue to contribute to the country’s development’ he says and we can’t help but notice his pride as he speaks about being part of Angola’s special year marking its [50th independence anniversary](https://www.verangola.net/va/en/082024/Society/41205/Celebrations-of-Angola's-50th-anniversary-of-independence-will-continue-until-the-end-of-2025.htm).

José Roberto Colnaghi, president of Adone Holding, shares that same attachment. ‘Fomos sempre muito bem recebidos em Angola e temos como objectivo não apenas crescer no mercado local, mas também expandir nossos negócios para o continente africano,’ he explains. For both men, Angola isn’t just another place to do business – it’s where they’ve built relationships that go beyond spreadsheets and quarterly reports.

## Woven Into Daily Life

Walk through Luanda’s streets in the early morning and you’ll see the real impact of Grand Lakes’ 18-year presence in Angola. The blue and white buses that ferry people to work, to school, to visit family – many of these come from the company’s partnership with the government’s urban transport programme. Since 2019, Grand Lakes has provided more than 2,000 buses for the Projecto de Transporte Urbano Regular de Passageiros (TURP), helping change how people move around the capital.

Maria Fernandes, who takes the bus from Viana to downtown Luanda each morning for her job at a local bank, says the improved service has changed her routine completely. ‘Before, I would leave home two hours early, not knowing if transport would come. Now I can plan my day properly,’ she shares. Each of those 2,000 vehicles represents someone’s more reliable journey to work.

The story extends beyond Luanda’s urban sprawl into Angola’s rural heartlands. Since 2022, more than 200 trucks allocated through the Programa Integrado de Desenvolvimento do Comércio Rural (PIDCR) have been helping farmers get their produce from remote farms to city markets. In provinces like Huíla and Benguela, families who grow maize, cassava and beans now have [better access to transport systems](https://www.trade.gov/knowledge-product/angola-agricultural-equipment) that connect them to buyers in Luanda and other urban centres.

João Silva, who manages a cooperative of small farmers in Huambo province, describes how reliable transport has changed their world. ‘When we harvest, we know our vegetables will reach the market fresh. Families can plan ahead, invest in better seeds, even send their children to school with the extra income.’ [Community development initiatives](https://richwoman.co/article/5-best-leadership-practices-for-driving-gender-equity) like these create ripple effects that touch every aspect of rural life.

Back at FILDA, the Grand Lakes stand reflects this people-first approach. The 600-square-metre space could easily have been filled with more vehicles and flashy displays, but instead there’s that inviting lounge, a proper meeting room and spaces designed for conversation. Yesterday at 5pm, the team distributed gifts to visitors – not as a marketing gimmick, but as their way of saying thank you to the community that has welcomed them.

This year marks the first time [FILDA features an exclusive automotive pavilion](https://angolaconsulate.ae/filda-40th-edition-of-the-international-exhibition-luanda-22-27-july-2025/), highlighting the growing importance of the transport sector in Angola’s development. For Grand Lakes, it’s validation of something they’ve always believed – that vehicles aren’t just metal and engines, but tools that connect people to possibilities.

The stand showcases models like the Volkswagen Delivery 11.170 and Constellation 17.250 trucks, alongside parts and services from their Volks|Care programme. Each display tells a story of practical help for real challenges, whether it’s a delivery truck helping a small business expand its reach or a bus service that gives students reliable transport to university.

## Looking Beyond Borders

Kulaif and Colnaghi’s vision extends well beyond Angola’s borders. Having built strong foundations here since 2007 and delivered over 11,000 vehicles across that period, they see [opportunities across the African continent](https://cbs4indy.com/business/press-releases/ein-presswire/689700101/grand-lakes-veiculos-opens-new-branch-in-angola-and-invests-in-parts-replacement-to-grow-in-2024/). The success in Angola provides a model for building similar relationships elsewhere.

‘We want to grow not just our business, but our presence in daily life,’ Colnaghi explains, echoing the philosophy that has shaped their Angola journey. Success comes from becoming part of the fabric of a place, not just operating within it.

Recent expansions in parts and services reflect this long-term thinking. Rather than simply selling vehicles and moving on, Grand Lakes invests in maintenance infrastructure and technical training that keeps their vehicles running efficiently for years. [Building lasting transport networks](https://richwoman.co/article/the-people-behind-the-wheel-inside-a-limousine-worldwide-s-journey) requires this kind of commitment to after-sales support.

As the afternoon sun streams through the FILDA pavilion, the Grand Lakes stand continues to draw people in. Some are potential customers interested in the new Hercules Chassis semi-trailer, others are existing partners stopping by to catch up. A few are simply curious visitors drawn by the relaxed atmosphere and friendly faces.

After 18 years in the country, they’ve moved beyond being foreign investors to becoming part of Angola’s story – contributors to the daily rhythms of urban transport and rural commerce that keep the country moving forward. For Kulaif, Colnaghi and their team, FILDA isn’t just a trade show – it’s an annual reunion with a community that has become family.

The comfortable stand, the thoughtful welcome, the genuine conversations all reflect a simple truth: when you feel at home somewhere, you invest differently. You build for the long term, you care about the details, and you celebrate not just your own success, but the success of everyone around you. [Building genuine connections across cultures](https://richwoman.co/article/a-city-that-never-sleeps-when-food-and-music-become-the-universal-language-of-storytelling) takes time, but creates relationships that go far deeper than any business transaction.