Throughout the month of September, Lionesses of Africa will be celebrating Zambia’s many innovative and talented women entrepreneurs who are helping to shape a new and dynamic economy in the country.

Last year, Lionesses of Africa travelled to Lusaka in Zambia on two occasions to host the popular Lioness Lean In Breakfast events for women entrepreneurs in the country. They were great events, bringing together women from diverse business and industry sectors to network, to share their startup stories, and of course, to build connections for future business. As the next visit to the country and planned Lioness Lean In event will take place on 3 October, in partnership with National Savings and Credit Bank, the timing is right to once again shine a spotlight on the inspirational women business and brand builders in the country.

Throughout the next month, and in celebration of our next visit to Lusaka, Lionesses of Africa will be inviting women entrepreneurs in Zambia to be showcased and profiled on all our platforms. To get the ball rolling, here are a few stories featuring women entrepreneurs we have met in the country on our previous visits, including Chiinga Musonda, founder of Savanna Premium Chocolate; Monica Musonda, founder of Java Foods; Chita Mumba Zulu, founder of Eternal Jewellery Zambia; Rose Sibisi, founder of Style With Roses; and founder of Miyoba Buumba, founder of Mwabonwa Designs, to name but a few.

If you are a woman entrepreneur building a great business and creating wonderful products and services in Zambia and would like to be featured on Lionesses of Africa during our month long focus on Zambia’s women entrepreneurs, then share your startup story here. You can also nominate a woman entrepreneur from the country to be featured here.

Featured

Mandy Dube, a serial business builder creating economic empowerment opportunities for women in Zambia

Startup Story

Mandy Dube is the founder of Yinu Custom Creatives in Zambia, a business which she runs alongside her professional role in international development. Yinu Custom Creatives is a collection of five brands covering fashion (Bonisa Tailoring), beauty (Simple SkinCare), food (Wadya Chani) and entrepreneurship (Atuule Hyesu) all underpinned by mental health or as Mandy likes to put it, Mental Muscle. The focus of the business is to promote mental health, wellness and economic empowerment for women.

Doreen Michelo, a Zambian agripreneur addressing food security through affordable locally grown farm produce

Startup Story

Doreen Michelo is the Founder and Managing Director of Mzala Enterprise Ltd in Zambia, a business founded in 2018. She is a serial entrepreneur and business leader focusing on enhancing local community capacity growth and sustainability by growing and producing high quality farm produce for the local market that is not only accessible but very affordable. Empowering the local community through Agriculture Skills training and knowledge dissemination through the skills hub/centre is another major focus of the business as it aims to leave a lasting positive impact on the community supporting its operations. The business has employed 9 permanent workers and 20 seasonal workers. Doreen has 9 years business work experience as a professional in various industries.

Mara Zhanet Michelo, a Zambian social entrepreneur developing young people to fulfill their potential

Startup Story

Mara Zhanet is the founder and ceo of Jacaranda Hub, an organization that aims to develop young people through the provision of collective services, infrastructure and specialized tools and equipment for common use among the young and aspiring MSMEs with growth potential. She is a social entrepreneur, project management and business development expert, business coach, facilitator, and mentor with 15 years of professional experience.

Priscilla Musenge, a Zambian entrepreneur creating sustainable animal feed solutions for greener business

Startup Story

Priscilla Musenge is a Climate Change activist and a budding entrepreneur, who is the ceo and founder of Entomo Farm in Zambia, a business launched in 2018. It has since created jobs for 7 people. She was one of the top 10 Finalists of the inaugural cohort of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs in 2020, a White House Initiative. Additionally, in the same year, Priscilla’s start-up also received a grant in sustainable waste management from United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Zambia. Most recently, she also won 2nd prize in the world’s largest green business ideas competition - the 2021 Climate Launchpad business competition and was one of the recipients of the inaugural 2022 ZANACO (Zambia National Commercial Bank) awards in Zambia.

Dawn Close, a social entrepreneur in Zambia empowering women through the business of jewellery making

Making jewellery and making a difference to women’s lives is the mission behind F.R.E.E (the Foundation for the Realization of Economic Empowerment). Created by entrepreneur Dawn Close in Zambia, the goal is to empower highly skilled craftswomen in the country to create high quality, handcrafted jewellery for sale around the world.

Bupe Chipili Mulapesi, a Zambian agripreneur turning her passion for strawberry growing into a thriving business in the country

Inspiration to start a business comes in many forms, and for successful agripreneur Bupe Chipili Mulapesi, founder of Farm23 Strawberry in Zambia, her inspiration came from a fellow woman farmer across the other side of the world.

Chita Mumba Zulu, an entrepreneur creating beautiful, affordable engagement and wedding rings for Zambian couples

Successful businesses understand that finding a gap in the market is key, and for entrepreneur Chita Mumba Zulu and her team at Eternal Jewellery Zambia, that gap was in the wedding and engagement ring market. Today, the business is making a name for itself by supplying quality, affordable and beautiful jewellery for couples who are planning their wedding celebrations.

Chiinga Musonda and Lynn Musonda Phiri, two pioneering Zambian entrepreneurs putting the country on the global chocolate map

Passion is one of the key ingredients to building any successful business and brand. And, in the world of artisan chocolate making, it is one of the Savanna Premium Chocolate brand’s strongest assets, thanks to founders Chiinga Musonda and Lynna Musonda Phiri.

Miyoba Buumba, a Zambian entrepreneur taking her passion for African design and turning it into a distinctive homeware and accessories brand

Often a business idea stems from a personal passion, and in the case of Miyoba Buumba, founder of Mwabonwa Designs in Zambia, that passion came from her interest in proudly African design. Today, her brand is a reflection of her own design inspiration and her love of African style and culture.

Rose Sibisi, a Zambian woman entrepreneur taking her lifestyle brand to her audience through her highly entertaining TV talkshow

Personality-led brands and businesses connect with audiences because of precisely that - they are created by women entrepreneurs who are big on passion and personality. Rose Sibisi is an entrepreneur who has both of these traits in huge quantities, and her passion for what she does is infectious. Her popular Talk Show, StylewithRoseS, is must-watch television.