An Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship in Zambia
“The future is brighter for those who act now”
By Mumba Shamboko, Researcher, We Make Change
The Republic of Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern-Central Africa and shares borders with 8 countries, specifically: Angola, Botswana, Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. The population is estimated to be 17 million and can be characterised as a youthful society consisting primarily of Bantu-speaking people representing over 70 different ethnicities. The official language is English, and the recognized regional languages are Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga, Lozi, Chewa, Nsenga, Tumbuka, Lunda, Kaonde, Lala, and Lamba.
The nation has an abundance of mineral resources, wildlife, vast open spaces, water bodies and it is home to one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the United Nations Economic Social Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site, the Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya, the name is known to locals – and can be translated as “the smoke that thunders”.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHALLENGES
Despite its abundant wealth of natural resources and young and fast-growing workforce, Zambia is faced with a series of socioeconomic and environmental challenges which include poverty, deficient infrastructure development and basic healthcare services, environmental degradation and deforestation, gender inequality, unemployment, and a large informal economy which comprises of enterprises which do not comply with the full extent of Government laws and regulations – this sector is typically characterised by “its ease of entry, low levels of skills, labour-intensive technology, and small firm size”.
According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), ‘in 2019, the proportion of the population living below the poverty line – i.e., living on less than $1.9 per day – was 54.4%’ while the unemployment rate was about 11.4%’. Though data on the informal economy is limited, contemporary studies on the informal sector in Zambia found that “there were about 1.02 million informal micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) in Zambia, along with about 30,000 formal MSMEs in 2012” and it is proclaimed that the informal sector employs 90% of the working adult population.
THE ROLE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, GOVERNMENT & OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
To overcome some of these socio-economic challenges, both economy and policy plays a role. Zambia receives significant amounts of capital from institutions such as the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in addition to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows from other stakeholders with the aim to reduce poverty and generate economic growth and employment across the country.
In Zambia, entrepreneurship is regarded as the backbone of the economy and plays a vital role in contributing to the country’s inclusive growth and economic and social development. Several policies and programmes have already been introduced by the Zambian government to promote the growth and development of informal micro and small enterprises and the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the country.
MEET THREE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS ACCELERATING SOCIAL IMPACT IN ZAMBIA
Regina Mtonga: Co-Founder, Asikana Network
Regina Mtonga is a Co-Founder and Director of Asikana Network, a women’s led organisation that was founded in 2013 out of a need to help more women and girls using technology to be more actively and meaningfully present in the ICT sector.
“We help address the low number of women and girls in Technology in Zambia and how women can find this field not only fun to work in but also to help them learn how to generate income using skills they learn,” Mtonga explains.
The young women’s network empowers women and girls by equipping them with ICT skills and believe in partnering with private sector organisations to provide mentorship, advocate for policies and legislation that endorse the active involvement of women in the ICT sector. The network also provides an interactive networking platform for like-minded women, among many other endeavours. For Mtonga, the mission is quite clear:
“We believe that working on educating and empowering women will help communities at large in the long run as the trickle effect will be long lasting.”
Harry Malichi: Founder & CEO, Wuchi Wami
Harry Malichi is the Co-Founder and CEO of Wuchi Wami, a Social Enterprise established in 2018 to address deforestation, social inclusiveness, and reduced inequalities. Wuchi Wami, which means “my honey” in the Lunda and Luvale language, equips smallholder farmers with modern beehives that are environmentally friendly and provide training in sustainable beekeeping courses and financial literacy skills. Currently, Wuchi Wami helps generate income for over 2,500 small scale farmers, mainly youth and women. The raw and organic honey is sourced from the wild miombo forests, located in the Mwinilunga North-western province of Zambia, which is one of the country’s beekeeping hotspots. In this remote area, the community experiences considerable challenges such as a lack of proper infrastructure, access to capital, and market connections, and Wuchi Wami helps to make an impact and tackles some of these issues through their commitment to sustainable business practises.
“We help the community substitute deforestation with sustainable ways of farming while simultaneously empowering the women and youths with opportunities to better their income revenues,” says Malichi about his work.
Malichi believes that it is important to always join hands and create a world that we want and not just watch things happen, he is result-oriented and not activity driven, and his great inspiration is to make change with his actions.
“I have a focus on sustainable and green businesses that bring about empowerment and equality. Teamwork makes the dream work. The challenges we face as a generation that includes inequality, climate change, poverty and diseases can only be won when we embrace each other and work together. But the future is brighter for those who act now.”
Mara Zhanet Michelo: Founder & Country Director, Jacaranda Hub
Mara Zhanet Michelo is a business development and project management professional with 14 years of professional experience. She is the Founder and Country Director at Jacaranda Hub, a Social Enterprise and ecosystem builder that develops young entrepreneurs through the provision of collective services, infrastructure, and specialised tools and equipment for common use among the young and aspiring MSMEs with growth potential.
“We utilize available local and global resources to upgrade skills through training programs that can improve people’s lives, businesses, and public services. Our mandate is to work with young people across Zambia and contribute to the nationwide socio-economic impact and commercial growth,” Michelo explains.
Michelo believes that nothing great can be achieved in isolation and we need to work together to make the world a better place. Accordingly, she enjoys being a part of the ICT and entrepreneurial collaboration and learning among young people, as well as seeing how young innovators are effectively connected with professionals and peers on international platforms. When we asked what inspired her to start on her journey to becoming a ChangeMaker, Michelo told us,
“From a young age, I have always had the courage to see things and do things differently. The drive to enhance collaboration and learning among young people in ICT and entrepreneurship, maximize the benefits for all stakeholders and drive value co-creation are some of the things that led me to be a changemaker.”
MAKE A CHANGE!
How can you make a difference?
If you are starting up — or running — your own Social Enterprise or NGO, you can get volunteers with the skills you need to grow your impact for free here.
If you have skills that you want to volunteer to make change in the world, you can join a project here.
