Women's Month

Celebrating Women in CSR – Claire Chibesakunda

in Interviews / Women's Month  by CSRNZ Media 0 comments

In celebration of the remarkable contributions and unwavering dedication of women leaders in CSR, we are proud to launch our Women in CSR Spotlight Series for 2024. This series aims to shine a light on the achievements, experiences and insights of influential women who have made significant strides in driving positive change and sustainable impact within their organizations and communities.

Our inaugural spotlight for 2024 falls on Claire Chibesakunda, a seasoned chartered accountant with over 17 years of experience in accounting and 3 years in General Management. In 2021, Claire took on the pivotal role of heading the ECO Unit, a waste management brand for Chilanga Cement. Under her leadership, the ECO Unit has navigated complex environmental challenges, managing various types of waste with a strong focus on sustainability and regulatory compliance.

Claire’s journey exemplifies resilience, adaptability and a steadfast commitment to environmental stewardship. As we tell her story, we uncover the lessons learned, the hurdles overcome, and the vision for a more sustainable future. Join us as we celebrate Claire and other remarkable women making a profound impact in the field of CSR.

Read her full interview below:

Tell us about your journey into the corporate world and what motivated you to focus on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

I am a Chartered accountant by profession with over 17 years experience in accounting and 3 years experience in General Management. I was appointed in 2021 to head a waste management brand for Chilanga Cement which included managing its P&L. The ECO Unit business deals with different types of waste, some attract a gate fee as prescribed by regulations around handling of hazardous waste. Due to our focus on the environment, most of the CSR projects that we undertake are environmental. My Journey keeps evolving as each year comes with new opportunities.

CSR has evolved from just being charity work but it is now focusing more on sustainability. This motivated me to take up this role to see how we could re-think waste for a sustainable future. It allowed me to make a difference. The innovation being used in co-processing this waste gives us the ability to maintain and support the process of waste management continuously and provide certainty for the future.

What inspired you to take on your current role, and how does it align with your values?

The fact that it’s a general management role, allowed me to freely drive my ambitions. With so much going on around the globe on waste management and Climate change, this was an opportunity for me to make a difference in my work and the community.

My values are to impact lives and this resonates well with the role I execute with so much passion especially in the area of awareness, impacting a positive mindset towards the environment. Waste should never be looked at as waste but as a resource, the way we manage it at a personal level can make a huge impact in our drive for a better environment.

Can you share a particularly rewarding CSR project or initiative you have led or been a part of? What made it successful?

The Corporate to Corporate partnership between Chilanga Cement’s ECO Unit department and Nestle Zambia was extremely rewarding. As you may know in a circular economy, materials and resources are used for as long as possible and what cannot be recycled is turned into energy.

A brief background to what the ECO Unit does – ECO Unit is a waste management brand of Chilanga Cement that disposes of waste with a view to energy recovery. ECO Unit partners with the government, organizations, companies, communities as well as individuals in cleaning up the environment by ensuring that waste generated is not taken to the landfill or dump sites.
Nestle partnered with the ECO Unit so that 160 tons of post-consumer plastic waste is collected from the community. After implementing the Nestle project, there has been a positive impact on the communities and a strong message to other corporations that generate waste, especially packaging waste.

Success story
During this partnership, we were able to impact livelihoods as the community through a recycling company that participated in the aggregation of post-consumer plastic waste, and what could not be recycled was channeled to Chilanga Cement for energy recovery. Over 70 tons of post-consumer plastics have been collected, while over 600 families have been empowered.

In summary, the success of CSR initiatives like the one described above lies in effective community engagement, environmental stewardship, economic empowerment, and thorough measurement of impact through both quantitative and qualitative means.

How do you measure the impact of your CSR initiatives, and can you share an example where you saw a significant positive change?

One of the ways we measure the impact of our CSR initiatives is through outcomes in society. e.g. The Nestle project managed to empower over 600 families, while the landfill was spared with over 70 tons of waste that was diverted to Chilanga Cement. This impacted positively families in the community. As ECO Unit we are also looking towards implementing measures to effectively measure reduction in the carbon footprint.

How do you stay informed and inspired about the latest trends and practices in CSR?

Through academic research, industry reports, and publications from reputable sources. Chilanga Cement has continued to engage with stakeholders and participate in CSR-focused conferences, workshops, and industry events. We are keen on following CSR-related news, updates, and discussions on social media platforms and other relevant online communities.

In your opinion, what is the biggest misconception about CSR in the corporate sector?

Companies need to understand that CSR is not only driven by the moral or ethical motivations of the business but also by the legal, regulatory, and market pressures, thus all companies should be encouraged to incorporate CSR in their sustainability profile.


As a woman in a leadership position, how do you advocate for and promote CSR within your organization and to external stakeholders?

Through leading by Example – demonstrating a personal commitment to CSR principles and practices. Integration into Business Strategy – Aligning CSR initiatives with the organization’s mission, values, and business objectives helps position CSR as a strategic priority rather than an add-on or afterthought.
Engagements – Building relationships and fostering dialogue with external stakeholders, customers, investors, and community members. Staying informed about emerging trends, best practices, and stakeholder expectations through ongoing education and research. Engagement ensures that CSR efforts remain relevant and impactful.

And finally, being part of the discussions and meetings that take place in the board room. I use this opportunity to lobby for sponsorship of projects impacting the environment.

Can you discuss a time when you had to advocate for a CSR initiative? What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?

I have not faced any major challenge considering that Chilanga Cement is a seasoned supporter of CSR and every year there is a deliberate budget that is put aside for such works.

However, as an individual you always want more and so we keep pushing for more. The greatest challenge is having enough resources. The other challenge is around measuring impact and providing evidence-based data and metrics to demonstrate the potential benefits and return on investment of the CSR initiative. At times can be a challenge thus allocation of resources and prioritizing implementation can be a challenge.

How do you mentor or support other women in your organization to take an active role in CSR?

My support to women in the workplace has been around involving them every time we have an initiative. I involved women, especially from Finance those that I worked with to be ambassadors of the ECO Unit. Where possible I promote visibility and recognition by recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women leaders in my team through awards, speaking opportunities, and thought leadership platforms to help raise their visibility and inspire others to follow suit.

Looking forward, what emerging CSR trends do you think will shape the future of CSR?

The future of CSR will place a strong emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizations. Companies will need to prioritize creating inclusive work in leadership.
Environmental Sustainability: With growing concerns about climate change and environmental degradation, businesses are likely to focus more on reducing their carbon footprint, embracing renewable energy, and adopting circular economy principles.

 

How do you envision the evolution of CSR in Zambia, and what role do you see women playing in this transformation?

Overall, the future of CSR in Zambia will depend on the collective efforts of various stakeholders to promote sustainable development, address social inequalities, and empower marginalized groups, including women, to participate fully in the country’s economic and social progress.

Collaborative efforts between businesses, civil society organizations, government agencies, and international donors can amplify the impact of CSR initiatives in Zambia, fostering innovation, sharing resources, and leveraging expertise to address shared challenges.

 

Personal Reflections:
What has been the most profound lesson you have learned through your work in CSR?

I have learned a lot in CSR but what stands out most for me is the collaboration and working together with different sectors of the economy while taking advantage of the value that SMEs bring, large corporates, the government, the manufacturing industries, and a lot of others. In this Circular economy, we need everyone to come on board.

How do you balance the demands of your professional life with your commitment to social responsibility?

Throughout my work experience, the one thing I have learned is how to have a work-life balance, being a wife and a mother of four children, I have come to understand that family and the community around us are what push us to the next level for it is always a joy to see smiles on those faces whenever you go out of your way to do something good.

Is there anything else you would like to share about your CSR journey that we haven’t covered?

ECO Unit has been working very closely with schools to try and enhance environmental awareness. We realize that children grasp concepts easily thus we have deliberately focused on working with schools. Last year we ran a campaign with Chilanga Primary School on the importance of plastic waste separation at source this impacted many households as they were asked to separate plastic waste from domestic waste and bring the plastic from their homes to school which was later collected by the Chilanga cement ECO Unit. This has proved very impactful as waste management requires a lifestyle change. This program will continue in 2024

In addition, I must mention through these initiatives we won the grand prize at last year’s CSR Awards. Chairpersons Award- CSR Innovation of the Year. We also won 1st prize in environmental awareness at last year’s Agricultural and Commercial show and many others too numerous to mention.

What message would you like to leave for young women aspiring to make a difference through their careers, particularly in CSR?

My message to the women out there is that never wait until you have a lot before you can render support, in the little that you have you can change lives. Let us use our God-given talents, the grace is sufficient only to those that take a step of faith.

 

 

Celebrating Women in CSR – Mulemwa Moongwa

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What is your background and how did you get into CSR?

I am a Certified Meetings Practitioner and an Event Strategist , I have worked and earned in the events industry for the past seventeen years rising through the ranks primarily working in social family oriented activities like birthdays to day specializing in business events. I often struggle to explain my job as the industry locally has no defined learning or career paths, I however spent considerable time learning about the industry and today serving not only as a local advocate but for the continent in different spaces.

Managing events for businesses means appreciating their stakeholder interests, by default I have worked in CSR for the past twelve years. My first encounter with CSR was actually working on a training project for KCM in chingola in 2006. I am a very compassionate person so something to feel good, got me interested and I immediately started to learn about it. The most fascinating thing I remember was the manager being female and a chemist, I knew I would never be chemist but I wanted to know how to get a job that was designed to do good for other people. Sixteen years on, I am still at it!

What are you passionate about in your work?

Successful events are categorized by two (2) elements, they bring about change and they have multiple stakeholders. Changing minds and having everyone from their diverse backgrounds is an art form and I take such a keen interest in everything I work on

 

Could you share one or two challenges you have experienced in your career around CSR and how you overcame them?

Making clients understand that CSR is not a marketing campaign and maintaining the human dignity conversations. A ‘helpie’ is a street term describing a pose with someone receiving a lifeline from you. It used to break my heart to watch as clients rushed in with their cameras. I have been vulnerable in my life and I hate being an object of pity, it was a struggle for me to separate my personal feelings and deliver for clients, the solution eventually was to not take on such projects. Today, the projects I work on, adhere to my parameters of comfort, I am not sure I overcame but I find peace working on them.

What has been the biggest challenge you faced in your work during COVID19? How did you overcome it?

I am a person whose job description is to gather people, the declaration of the pandemic in Zambia on 11 March 2020 deleted my job. It’s been almost 2 years of re-skilling, re-tooling and re-imagining my career path. It was the industry disruption caused by the pandemic that exposed that the industry I had worked and thrived in was an informal arena although a part of what was thought to be a very developed tourism sector not only in Zambia. My qualifications were not even recognized in the local qualifications framework so even to get a job is a challenge for me and others from the sector.

The Meetings Industry that is part of the wider Events and Business Tourism industry is a multi-billion industry even on the African continent as evidenced by the continuous investments in its infrastructure. Although most of us worked in it, when COVID struck, there was no data about its actual impact to warrant decision making in our favour. It got personal.

I had never brandished being Zambia’s first certified Meetings Professional because I had been secretly studying to meet the practice requirement and by December 2022. I am on course to hold the most industry specific certifications on the continent.  I have established MICE Academy Zambia to become a centre of excellence for our industry education. The realization that COVID would retire me gave me such a fighting spirit I joined forces with others from the industry at local,  regional and international level. Today I am the founding Vice President of the Events Professionals Association of Zambia, the President of Meetings Professionals International  Africa Chapter www.mpi.org (in development) . Over the past eighteen months I have lobbied as high as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the African Union. I have been appointed to the Council of Events Professionals in Africa and the MPI Emerging Markets Advisory Boards.

I lost loved ones during the pandemic, I overcame the pain by focusing on being the change.

 

What can we do to empower more women to come to the CSR forefront and lead the social and/or environmental impact?

The gender and CSR issues are both business conversations. Organisations that have more women in decision making positions undoubtedly lead in their social impact. Lets increase the involvement of our staff in CSR activities with deliberate policies to ensure increased female participation. I often find female volunteers are easy to mobilise , it is the gender imbalanced boardrooms where decisions about CSR are made that need attention.

 

What is one thing you wish you had been told when you were starting out that you know now?

CHANGE IS A PROCESS NOT AN EVENT! When I was younger I would believe that after an event , the change I desired to see would be implemented and evident , I would be so disappointed when evaluating projects that I often felt like a failure. I quit certain projects because I felt my efforts were wasted , only to see something after 5 years. Looking back I wish this was taught to me, perseverance is a trait I carry but its been a long learning curve.

 

What advice would you give to a woman starting her career or involvement in CSR today?

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your space here on earth”! The words were uttered by the boxer Muhammed Ali in 1979 and have been my guiding light over the past 20 years

Invest in people, the returns are invaluable. Build a network that you can draw from for professional and personal needs

Learning is a life-long process, keep at it!

Live, do not just exist!

Lastly always be in competition with yourself. Your personal aim should be to do better, than the you yesterday, a year ago or 10 years ago.

 

This International Women’s Day, what is the message that you would like to give out to young women who aspire to break the glass ceiling?

I come from a very lean family structure, I remember passing number 5 in grade 4 and everyone ahead of me was a boy. I remember the conversation vividly with an uncle of mine who asked me why I allowed myself to be surpassed by the other 4! That conversation stuck with me and those that I went to school with will confirm, I have always strived and stayed in the top 3 bracket. In spaces where I have no inspiration, I tell myself that I owe it to the next young person (irrespective of gender) to create a source of inspiration.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Pamela Chanda

in CSR / Featured / Women's Month  by CSRNZ Media 0 comments

We continue our series of “Celebrating Women in CSR“, to celebrate the achievements of women and inspire all of us under the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, with an interview of Pamela Chanda, from First Quantum Minerals Ltd, Kansanshi Mining Plc.

 

What is your background and how did you get into CSR?

My name is Pamela Chanda, Gender Officer, Kansanshi Mining Plc. I have been working for Kansanshi Mining Plc since 2010 initially employed as Front Office Secretary under Public Relations. My CSR debut began with running a community grievance data entry system and attending to community queries from various stakeholders and directing them to the right officers to attend to them, the stakeholders included job seekers, Community Leaders, Traditional leaders, SMEs seeking procurement opportunities. My entry into mainstream CSR was when the CSR team sought to implement a girls’ menstrual hygiene and mentorship program known as JIMUKA, a Kaonde word which means ‘be clever’ it is a programme that targets  female scholars and encourages them to stay in school, make them aware of femininity, gender based violence ‘red flags’ teen pregnancies and various challenges facing adolescent girls. The program proved to be a success and like they say ‘the rest is history’.

Donating a cheque to YWCA for logistics to run One Stop Centre and Safe house and Tshirts for easy identification of YWCA counsellors and paralegals.
Joint Kansanshi Mining Plc and Stanbic Bank program donating reusable sanitary wear to pupils at Kikombe School.
The Child marriage Busting CSR team in Mukumbi at the Kufukwila Ceremony
Orphans receiving donations of clothing and personal hygiene items from Kansashi Staff
Group photo with participants after the training on Raising Women’s Voices in Kabwela community
Radio discussion on the 16 days of activism against GBV
JIMUKA program at St. Mary’s Special School situated near Kansanshi Mine
Stakeholder engagement meeting on Environment organized by Kansanshi Mining Plc And Extractive Industry Transparency Alliance EITA
Pamela Chanda
Pamela Chanda - JIMUKA
Pamela Chanda - JIMUKA

 

What are you passionate about in your work?

I am passionate about the well-being of girls and women. What drives me is the transformation that I see in these people’s lives. My motivation in CSR work stems from what I see in the communities such as needy people that are assisted and information gaps that are filled through sensitization programmes. I am glad to be part of the team that shows the ‘human face’ of the company to the general public.

 

Could you share one or two challenges you have experienced in your career around CSR and how you overcame them?

The challenge I faced was changing people’s perception of me in my new role in the Gender office, I just made sure that I delivered on the tasks that were set before me and had to learn and unlearn certain things in order to do my work better. I did a lot of consulting from more experienced colleagues in community work and relied on my Supervisors guidance, today I am proud to say I am enjoying my work.

 

What has been the biggest challenge you faced in your work during COVID19? How did you overcome it?

Being a person dealing with the public it was difficult to carry out community outreaches and sensitisaton programs. I did some radio discussion programs and radio drama on cross-cutting issues in gender mainstreaming, held fewer physical meetings with small groups in the community whilst observing COVID Guidelines.

 

What can we do to empower more women to come to the CSR forefront and lead the social and/or environmental impact?

We need to raise more awareness about the opportunities that are available to women when they take the lead in initiatives that will improve their well-being in terms of social and environmental impacts because they are the most affected when these issues arise in their communities.

 

What is one thing you wish you had been told when you were starting out that you know now?

I wish I knew how much more reading and learning I have to do to keep up with the trends.

 

What advice would you give to a woman starting her career or involvement in CSR today?

Have an open minded approach, be passionate, be patient as change of mindsets takes a little bit of time, the community do not easily forget, so be mindful how you interact with them as you leave a lasting impression on them, in addition to this, its important to know the community’s attitude and strengths and be all embracing.

 

This International Women’s Day, what is the message that you would like to give out to young women who aspire to break the glass ceiling?

My message to the Women is that we live in a world full of opportunities, all they need to do, is begin to discover and harness their hidden talents and potential and convert them into opportunities to empower themselves in order to lead a more fulfilled life.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Amanda Frankel

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As part of International Women’s Month to celebrate the achievements of women and inspire all of us under the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, we kickstart the 2022 series of interviews with Amanda Frankel,  founder of Okodwela, an organisation that is providing housing, education, and clean water to communities in Livingstone.

What is your background and how did you get into CSR?

I previously worked with domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking survivors for the 10 years and hold a master’s degree in Forensic Psychology. I have also traveled to 20+ countries for personal, educational, and career related experiences. I have also had an interest in providing assistance to enhance human welfare and in 2019, discovered additional happiness in taking it to a global level by forming the American not-for-profit organization, Okodwela, serving Livingstone, Zambia and then in 2021 the NGO, Okodwela Zambia.

What are you passionate about in your work?

I am truly passionate about enhancing human welfare and happiness. Through my extensive time spent with vulnerable populations and communities, I’ve discovered that happiness starts at home. That safe homes, clean water, economic stability, and education can provide the basis for a happy life and these components provide for an overall happy home. Through my work, I seek to enhance happy, thriving communities.

Could you share one or two challenges you have experienced in your career around CSR and how you overcame them?

One of the biggest challenges I have experienced throughout my career would be finding continuous funding to sustain Okodwela’s projects of building secure homes, supporting education, and creating employment opportunities. To overcome this on-going challenge, I continue to network around the world and within our community to find new, innovate ways to fundraise. By finding like-minded individuals, companies, etc. that find alliance in our mission, helps to provide support for our projects. I also try to create and involve community members in helping to create programs to teach skills, train, and employ them in various entrepreneurship opportunities to not only receive income for themselves, but to generate income for additional projects within the organization. This method not only contributes to sustainability of the organization, but promotes empowerment of those involved.

What has been the biggest challenge you faced in your work during COVID19? How did you overcome it?

The last two years have been the most challenging in terms of funding for resources to sustain Okodwela Zambia’s projects, as the entire world has been affected by the pandemic of COVID19. When schools were closed, some of the most difficult times were to see the children and adult students continue to express their strong desire to continue to learn. Through the power of community, we came together to find creative ways to continue educating the students outside of the classroom to ensure a minimal gap in their education. This was made possible through the community and various supporters of other CSR members.

What can we do to empower more women to come to the CSR forefront and lead the social and/or environmental impact?

We as women need to continue to remind not only ourselves, but each other, that we too have a place at the table. That our voices, our ideas, our input is just as valuable as the next. We should continue to push forward and never accept no for an answer. Continue to utilize our compassion, empathy, knowledge, and experience, amongst many other qualities we possess to make impact in the community.

What is one thing you wish you had been told when you were starting out that you know now?

“Your intentions may not always be seen for what they truly are.” This may have been the single hardest lesson I have learned and still am learning today. I believe my intentions are pure…to create happy homes, provide support where needed, and enhance human welfare. Unfortunately, there have been situations in the past where others have mistreated opportunities to do such in the field which has then left a negative stereotype for those with pure intentions to do good. I do not let this stop me from continuing my work, yet I do allow it to drive me to work harder and continue to be my authentic self.

What advice would you give to a woman starting her career or involvement in CSR today?

No matter what project or career you are starting, educate yourself as best as possible. IF its working with a community, get to the know the community. Spend time with its members, what it’s like to live a day in their shoes. Don’t speak for anyone, yet speak alongside them. Empower the vulnerable to stand alongside you, not behind you.

This International Women’s Day, what is the message that you would like to give out to young women who aspire to break the glass ceiling?

Follow your passion. Follow your heart. Follow your gut. For every no you are told, try again 5 more times and more. All it takes is one yes to change everything!

Women in CSR – Nsanshi Art, Creating Shared Value through Art.

in Community Development / CSR / Impact / Women's Month  by CSRNZ Media 0 comments

The need for a viable and sustainable women’s empowerment project inspired the establishment of Nsanshi Art Studio in Solwezi, North-Western Province.

The women-run workshop is adding value to local minerals, promoting employment and raising living standards for vulnerable women and girls in the community.

Riding on the rich history of mining in the province, First Quantum Mineral’s community wing, the Kansanshi Foundation, set up a jewelry factory that seeks to empower local women while adding value to the copper that the mining firm produces.

This community-based programme is adequately tailored to provide employment, skills training, and improving value chains in the province.

“Nsanshi Art Studio provides employment to these young women during a two-year apprenticeship, while raising funds for vulnerable women and girls in the community, via sales of the products made in the workshop, and adding value to local minerals,” said Kansanshi Foundation Manager Bruce Lewis.

Over the years, there has been an appeal from various stakeholders for value-addition in Zambia’s mining industry. In the main, Zambian copper is exported in raw form.

It is encouraging that Nsanshi Art Studio is changing this narrative. All the copper used in the workshop comes from Kansanshi Mine’s plant. The team get it as off-cuts and odd pieces.

“We put these in the furnace and convert them into copper bars. From there, we work the bars into flat or round pieces, or wire, depending on what we are making. We design the piece, decide what material is needed, and then work it through the roller,” explains Michele Scholtz, who has been spearheading the training.

Currently, there are 10 women undergoing a two-year course in metal smithing. These ladies, all from Solwezi, are supported by the mine with student wages.

Six of the girls were selected by his royal highness Chief Kapijimpanga while the other four (4) came from the vulnerable.

The training started with making spoons with a view to teaching them the basics of sawing, doming and soldering. They then moved onto making rings of various forms.

“They have since advanced to making bracelets and other items. Currently, they are being taught how to make various settings to incorporate into jewelry pieces,” Scholtz elaborated.

“We hope they can acquire a skill to support themselves and be self-reliant in the future without having to rely on a husband,” she added.

The money generated from jewelry sales goes to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) for the running of the One Stop Centre for Gender-Based Violence at Solwezi General Hospital and the Safe House that have been built by the mine. These facilities provide support to girl child marriage and abused women victims.

Funding channelled into the project is as follows: building – $75 021; tools – $22 928; laser engraver – $62 771.

The state-of-the-art laser engraving machine has the capacity to engrave a photograph on to any metal. The beauty about this empowerment programme is that it will continue to generate funds even after the mine has closed.

Success stories include the export of 30 sets of ear rings to Panama. The students also took part in a design competition from Association of Women in Mining in Africa (AWIMA) and one of them was selected as part of the top 10 designs, a great achievement for the project.

Nsanshi Art Studio is indeed creating a range of unique and inspired copper items that are certain to gain a huge market in Zambia and beyond.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Wezi Njovu

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As part of International Women’s Month to celebrate the achievements of women, we continue our series to appreciate Women in CSR with another interview of Wezi Muyembe Njovu, the Head Marketing and Corporate Communications at UBA Zambia:

 

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and the number of years you have been CSR practitioner.

In my role as Head Marketing and Corporate Communications at UBA Zambia Limited, I am to ensure projection of the UBA brand as one of the top pan-African institution. My role also involves developing effective communication campaigns, managing stakeholder relations, media relations and network, brand visibility, impactful corporate events/ sponsorships and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

It feels like I have been in CSR since I was a toddler and this is because my mother has always believed in impacting the society through community goodwill.

Tell us about someone or something (mentor, friend, hero, incident) who or that affected or influenced your CSR journey, and how.

My mother, Mrs Tamara Chirembo Muyembe would be the first person who has influenced greatly on my CSR journey. My mother has always believed in changing lives of people in our communities especially women in the rural areas as well as disadvantaged women through different ways like teaching them skills such as knitting, sewing, cooking in order to help them generate income and being a teacher herself, she teaches these women how to read and write.

In my professional career, I would definitely owe my inspiration to the founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation and UBA Chairman, Mr Tony Elumelu who is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist. Mr Elumelu also believes that we all can play a role in our communities in order to better the lives of our people in society.

 

How has CSR/CSI evolved at your organisation?

CSR has certainly evolved in UBA Zambia to a point that all staff members as well as the UBA Zambia board members have jumped on the bus with great interest and enthusiasm to make a difference in the community. Our main initiative which is the Read Africa Initiative under the UBA Foundation has had staff believe and participate more in the initiative. Read Africa is an initiative of UBA Foundation aimed at rekindling the dwindling reading culture amongst African youths. Our children no longer read; their passion for reading informative and educative books is fast eroding and this is part of the ills we want to correct in the continent’s educational sector.​

These children are also distracted and challenged by the presence of electronic social media — Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others. There are other factors militating against the Zambian educational system as well as Africa as a whole. Having identified the need to curb the trend, especially in response to the declining culture of reading in post primary institutions across the continent, UBAF came up with the ‘Read Africa’ project, designed to resuscitate the reading culture amongst our youths across the African continent. Conceived and introduced in 2011 by the foundation, the project involves the provision of recommended English literature for junior and senior secondary schools students across Africa.

 

Can you share a recent accomplishment you are especially proud of?

This will definitely have to be the recognition/award presented to UBA Zambia by the CSR Network Zambia for outstanding achievements in corporate social responsibility and responsible leadership under Education support for the Read Africa Initiative.

Secondly, I would like to make mention that the Corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic has been a global health and societal emergency that has required effective immediate action by governments, businesses and the society at large.

To aid this collective effort and in line with our Corporate Social Responsibility, UBA Zambia partnered with the Government in dealing with this challenge with a donation of K2,650,000 to the Government Of The Republic Of Zambia for Covid-19 relief support.

UBA Zambia remains committed to working with the Government in other spheres of the economy. We have therefore, formed partnerships with different players in the ecosystem including Co-operatives and the Government; we are currently providing payment solutions to over 5,000 women beneficiaries under the Supporting Women Livelihood project by the Ministry of Community Development in partnership with World Bank.

The bank through the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship programme has also been supporting young Zambian entrepreneurs by providing them with an opportunity to have access to funding for their start-up businesses. Since 2015, 142 Zambian entrepreneurs have each been given $5000 non-refundable seed capital for their businesses.

 

If you had the power to make one major change at your company or in your industry, what would it be, in line with CSR?

I wouldn’t really say I would like to change anything, instead I would say I would like to enhance and push our current initiatives with focus on the Read Africa initiative in order to have more Zambian schools and youths benefit from this. I would like to see more partnerships among businesses with the goal of improving the lives of our people in various ways possible.

 

What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?

Believe! Just Believe!

 

How can CSR activities be used to empower women?

As the saying goes, when you empower a woman, you empower a generation. CSR activities are like gifts that go exactly where they are needed. We need to continue protecting and empowering women by equipping them with skills and offering training, education, counseling, love, medical care and financial literacy. Women can rise from grass to grace, from zero to hero and from nothing to something.

 

Describe your perfect day.

My perfect day is when I know I have made a positive impact and a difference in another woman’s life, and this can be through a positive compliment, encouragement, offering a shoulder, offering guidance and just letting her know that we are on this journey together.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Katongo Chilufya

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As part of International Women’s Month to celebrate the achievements of women, we continue our series to appreciate Women in CSR with another interview of Katongo Chilufya, the Communications, Public Relations & Corporate Social Investment -Manager at Atlas Mara:

 

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and the number of years you have been CSR practitioner.

I am the Communications, Public Relations and Corporate Social Investment Manager at Atlas Mara bank.

I have been a CSR practitioner for over 8 (eight) years with experience in various roles during this time.  Some of my roles and responsibilities as a practitioner is to ensure visibility, awareness for our products and services as well as internal and external stakeholder management for the organisation. To achieve this we use different platforms and I am always keen and excited to develop, implement effective Corporate Social Investment strategies that resonate with communities across Zambia.

Tell us about someone or something (mentor, friend, hero, incident) who or that affected or influenced your CSR journey, and how.

I know this will sound cliché but I have always had a passion to want to help or lend a helping hand ever since I could remember. Consequently, I have always gravitated towards situations that require assistance and try to render support in the best possible way by using my immediate network or tools.

My hero would be my sister Kasonde Priscilla Chilufya, in her small ways always found means to assist people in different circumstances and most times improving their well-being through her deeds. I learnt that one does not need to be an Oprah Winfrey my other hero, to make a difference, it is dependent on of all us and not only organisations to make the much needed difference in our society.

 

How has CSR/CSI evolved at your organisation?

CSR is usually seen as an organisation initiative but as a Bank we strive to make certain we also get staff members’ participation across our 50 branches, as this helps spread good-will across the country. For the Bank, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the biggest tenets for Atlas Mara’s vision. This means ensuring continuous improvement in the communities that we operate in.

We strive to be responsive to the needs of society and the communities, hence there is need to develop strong and relevant CSR programmes in partnership with like-minded organisations or individuals that have a passion to uplift communities and help mitigate the various challenges they face.

The Bank’s CSR programmes are anchored on four main pillars namely; Education, Health, Entrepreneurship as well as Water and Sanitation. Beyond these, we have also sought other opportunities to deepen the impact especially in deprived rural communities with effective CSR. Hence our presence across the 10 provinces in Zambia.

 

Can you share a recent accomplishment you are especially proud of?

Atlas Mara Bank in partnership with World Sun Stream has been running a programme called #SolarForSuccess. A programme to donate portable 101,000 solar kits with lighting and mobile device-charging capability to economic and social sectors which included Education, Health, Tourism, Entrepreneurship as well as to under-privileged members in communities across the 10 provinces in Zambia.

This was due to power deficits in the country that has impacted everyone, therefore support is required in various communities, to help contribute to the growth of individuals, businesses, communities at large.

I am excited to say that over 98,746 people in various communities have benefitted so far from solar kit donation.

The donation is a recurring initiative which will assist various communities and sectors with solar kits and mobile device-charging capability.

 

If you had the power to make one major change at your company or in your industry, what would it be, in line with CSR?

Create more empowerment initiatives and activities for young people in communities that are disadvantaged, this will help alleviate poverty levels and help create a beneficial cycle effect.

 

What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?

To know exactly where I want to be in life, identify my goals and ambitions, which will in turn direct my path and decisions to get to my ultimate objective.

 

How can CSR activities be used to empower women?

“I always say that an empowered woman is an unstoppable force to reckon with”

There are so many way CSR activities that can be used to empower women, this can be achieved by creating opportunities and initiatives that empower women. This in turn will help create employment through the various initiatives, foster diversification of the economy with different initiatives contributing to various sectors and which will ensure self –sufficiency among women. This also ensures continuous development in various communities

For instance, Atlas Mara recently sponsored the Buyantanshi and Kamimbe Co-operative initiative, a women and youth empowerment fish farming start-up pilot program. This program ensures that the cooperatives achieve benefits not only at individual levels but at community and national level as well.

Atlas Mara also pledged to provide financial literacy training and business development support services to the camp which is the residence to local small-scale farmers and large international producers as well.

 

Describe your perfect day.

Being at home on a quiet day reading a good book or watching my favourite series with cup of coffee in my hands.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Sarah Banda-Ortiz

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As part of International Women’s Month to celebrate the achievements of women, we continue our series to appreciate Women in CSR with another interview of Sarah Banda-Ortiz, the Corporte Affiars and Communications Manager at Lafarge Zambia Plc:

 

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and the number of years you have been a CSR practitioner.

My role is to ensure that we (Lafarge Zambia) have shared value with our communities and partners across the plants in which we operate. It is also important that the Company be a good corporate citizen in the community, I have been in the CSR/CSI space for over 3 years now.

 

Tell us about someone or something (mentor, friend, hero, incident) who or that affected or influenced your CSR journey, and how.

My grandmother influenced my CSR journey. From the time I can remember she has always quoted the following “If you can’t do great things, do small things in a great way”. This quote speaks volumes to me and affects what I do on a daily basis with regards to CSR, it is not about the big things but rather the small things that make an impact.

 

How has CSR/CSI evolved in your organization?

It has evolved in the sense that we have a symbiotic relationship with our communities. We are partners in this journey of CSR, gone are the days when it was just about giving and receiving, my organization is about uplifting our communities and empowering them with the necessary tools that will last a lifetime.

A great example of this is the UNZA ventilator project that we are supporting in partnership with Zambian Breweries. A huge part of the project is being managed by students at the School of Engineering who are putting together the first ventilator made in Zambia for Zambians. How rewarding will it be, when we will look back and see that as a nation we came up with local solutions to a local problem? This excites me.

 

Can you share a recent accomplishment you are especially proud of?

I am very proud of the work that we did in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic first hit the country. Our CSR was mainly community-centric and was centered on spreading the right information to our communities about the pandemic. We noticed very early on that our communities were not too cognizant of the virus we thus went into markets, schools, and open areas to educate them on the virus. This led to an award that we received from the CSR network, for the company’s communications strategies within our communities.

 

If you had the power to make one major change at your company or in your industry, what would it be, in line with CSR?

At Lafarge Zambia, we have a CSR graduate trainee program called Step Up. The main aim of Step Up is to build a strong talent pipeline for key roles in the business. Even though this program has been extremely successful with an 85% success rate, there is one thing that I would change and it would be to have more women graduates applying to more technical roles. Our industry is predominantly male as there are few women in such technical and industrial positions in the Company. As our industry is becoming more eco-friendly and low carbon emission focused, I feel as though women are needed to drive this ambition and initiative globally. I was reading an article from the World Economic Forum titled “building a more sustainable world will need more women engineers” It went on to say that attracting and supporting more women in engineering benefits everyone by increasing the potential to develop inclusive, innovative solutions for the complex problems the world is facing. We need women on the negotiating table not just for inclusion and diversity purposes but also for innovative and effective solutions.

 

What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?

Never take no for an answer and always be yourself.

 

How can CSR activities be used to empower women?

They can be used to empower women with the necessary skills needed to make an impact in their homes and society. As mentioned earlier, we need to start engaging in more CSR initiatives that teach people how to be independent and less dependent. In my view, an initiative that teaches someone to fish is more impactful compared to one that just hands out the fish. As the effects of that initiative will be felt from generation to generation.

 

Describe your perfect day.

My perfect day is one where I feel like I have added some sort of value to my organization and community.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Mweembe Sikaulu

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As part of International Women’s Month to celebrate the achievements of women, we continue our series to appreciate Women in CSR with another interview of Mweembe Sikaulu, the Communications and Brand Manager at Zambia Airports Corporation Limited (ZACL):

 

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and the number of years you have been CSR practitioner.

My current role is as the Communications and Brand Manager at Zambia Airports Corporation Limited and I am responsible for internal and external communications, branding, CSR, customer service and event management to name but a few. I have been a CSR practitioner for the past six years.

 

Tell us about someone or something (mentor, friend, hero, incident) who or that affected or influenced your CSR journey, and how.

I’m not sure that I ever had someone or something really influence my CSR journey, though certain aspects of what I do have always been a passion of mine. Since I was a child, I have always felt the need to help others and even recall a time when I was about seven years old and would stop my mother every time we saw a homeless person as I wanted to give them money. I am just grateful to have the opportunity as an adult to do more both in my personal and professional life.

 

How has CSR/CSI evolved at your organisation?

CSR has evolved in our organisation as it is a lot more structured and a lot more prominent than it had been in previous years. We have a CSR policy in place which guides us on many aspects including our focus areas. We are very clear about the spaces and areas we lend our support to and even began our own CSR traditions which have proven to be a success. We also entered into partnerships with certain non-profit organisations whose objectives were aligned with ours which proved to be very successful. It has been extremely fulfilling for my team and I to be on this journey while witnessing our CSR evolution.

 

Can you share a recent accomplishment you are especially proud of?

I am really proud that my team and I were able to accomplish a particular objective despite circumstances beyond our control. We managed to partner with certain companies that were kind enough to come on board at the eleventh hour and help us create a special day for some very adorable underprivileged children. I will eternally be grateful to these companies and their representatives for believing in our vision and helping us make it happen.

 

If you had the power to make one major change at your company or in your industry, what would it be, in line with CSR?

This is a tough one! Call me a dreamer but I suppose I would approve an unlimited budget so that we could make a difference on so many levels and in so many communities around the country.

 

What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?

Some of the best advice I’ve heard has been from world renowned public figures as opposed to people I have met, and a couple that have stuck with me are ‘love what you do’ and ‘never stop learning’.

 

How can CSR activities be used to empower women?

CSR activities can be used to empower women in so many ways. From literacy and education to health to skills development, there are so many areas that if given the right tools and support, women would positively affect their communities starting with their families. They say when you empower a woman, you empower a nation, so imagine what we could accomplish if we empowered more women.

 

Describe your perfect day.

My perfect day would probably vary depending on my mood and what is happening in my life at that particular time. On some occasions it might be a relaxing day consisting of sleep, good food, a good book and some peace and quiet. Another instance might see my perfect day being a lot more productive and social.

Celebrating Women in CSR – Chanda Chime-Katongo

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As part of International Women’s Month to celebrate the achievements of women, we continue our series to appreciate Women in CSR with another interview of Chanda Chime-Katongo, the Public Relations, Communication and Women’s Banking / Marketing at Stanbic Bank Zambia:

 

Briefly describe your role and responsibilities, and the number of years you have been CSR practitioner.

In my role, I look after Women’s Banking, Reputational Risk Management, Government Relations, Media Relations, Corporate Social Investment, Community Relations, Brand Visibility and Communication in order to achieve the Corporate Affairs strategic goals in line with Bank-wide objectives for Stanbic Bank Zambia Limited.

I have worked in CSR for more than 10 years from my previous employer to my current one. My passion is mainly in community work and changing the lives of those living in densely populated impoverished communities. I have been working with financial inclusion for women for several years mainly focusing on savings groups, financial literacy and entrepreneurial training to upskill women.

Tell us about someone or something (mentor, friend, hero, incident) who or that affected or influenced your CSR journey, and how.

I can’t place the influence on my CSR journey on one person. I will place it on the many smiles that I see on people faces when they realize that their lives have just been changed. My influence comes from external stakeholders, such as communities with general expectations of a better life, better health care, better education leading to a better community. My influence also comes from Stanbic Bank staff who are willing to sacrifice their own time and resources in order to volunteer in communities and make a difference. Stanbic staff annually contribute from their pockets towards the Banks CSR projects. The amounts that are raised are then matched by the bank (doubled) and channeled to our CSR projects. In addition to this, every year the Bank invests 1% of its profits to CSR.

 

How has CSR/CSI evolved at your organization?

The understanding of CSR in the past was just donations. A huge cheque handed over and you are done. But I believe CSR has evolved over the years. At Stanbic Bank, CSR is not just about donations and handouts. Its about getting involved and changing the lives of people living in impoverished communities. The Banks CSR strategy is integrated into how we do business. It guides everything we do, from the services we provide to our clients, to the way we run our bank and support the local communities in which we live and work.

We believe that as Zambia is our home and so it is important that we help to create positive social, economic and environmental impacts in the communities in which we operate. With over 60 years’ experience in Zambia, we know the significance of focusing on the long term and we acknowledge that the decisions we make today will determine our tomorrow. While we have a clear strategic path, it is vital that we continue to be agile in responding to changes in the environment and embracing new opportunities and challenges.

 

Can you share a recent accomplishment you are especially proud of?

One of my recent accomplishments that I am particularly proud about is the launch of the Stanbic Bank Buy-a-Brick Campaign. The Bank partnered with Zambia Homeless, Poor Peoples Federation and Peoples Process on Housing and Poverty in Zambia to launch the project which is aimed at reducing the housing deficit in the country and to support grassroots and vulnerable federation slum dwellers with decent affordable housing across the country. The campaign demonstrates the efficacy of working with organized communities in housing delivery as well as showcases low cost building techniques and other modalities of making housing affordable for the vulnerable. The project which was launched by its Patron, the Republican President HE Edgar Chagwa Lungu – builds upon the success of the ‘Stanbic Build’ initiative where the bank committed to construct low-cost houses for vulnerable families in Zambia’s urban areas. Under this project, the Bank and staff members intend to build 1000 houses in 5 years.

Addressing Zambia’s current housing deficit has the potential to boost economic growth because when people are provided with accommodation, they get empowered in more ways than mere protection from the elements.

By investing in decent housing, the urban poor accumulate equity that can then be used as collateral, making them more credit-worthy for accessing finance through formal channels, and generate an income – thus contributing more effectively to national development.

When more people have access to decent housing, society’s standing is uplifted, which plays a role in attaining sustainable economic growth for the country.

As a leading financial institution, Stanbic Bank has a responsibility of ensuring we meaningfully facilitate capital redistribution in the economy.

This resonates with our purpose as Stanbic Bank to always make a positive difference in people’s lives. And we are confident that if we as the largest bank in Zambia – and our customers – believe we can help vulnerable families find shelter; if we believe in their dream; then it can be reality.

 

If you had the power to make one major change at your company or in your industry, what would it be, in line with CSR?

The change I would like to implement in line with CSR is to get more organizations involved in partnerships that can have a bigger impact in changing communities for the better. I cannot emphasize enough on the power of partnerships. The world is constantly changing, and so too is the landscape of CSR. The partnership of public, private and governmental entities to focus on a specific issue area is very critical and beneficial to those in need.  Now more than ever, partners are leaning on their expertise and innovation, and not just philanthropy, to solve problems.

Stanbic Bank understands the power of partnerships. In 2016 the bank launched a campaign to build mothers’ shelters at various rural health posts across the country over a five-year period to help alleviate maternal and child mortality while promoting good health among women in rural areas. Now the bank is not an expert in maternal health and child mortality, but we saw the need to reduce the rate of maternal mortality especially in rural areas if we are to achieve maternal mortality targets in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 3.

The bank-funded project is worth a total of US$280,000 and matches the objectives of its implementing partners who are the Churches Health Association of Zambia and the USAID – Saving Mothers, Giving Life Initiative, who also seek to reduce maternal and newborn mortality in Zambia. This partnership has seen 3 mothers’ shelters being built so far in Mazabuka, Southern Province, Chinunda District in Chipata and at Kabwe Mine Hospital in Central Province.

That is the power of partnerships and this one is just one of the many partnerships that the Bank has embarked on.

 

What is the best advice you have ever received in your career?

One of the things I enjoy best about working in the field of CSR is that I encounter people with a wide diversity of backgrounds and expertise. Some come from a traditional business background, some are government officials and others come from the NGO or international development world. This variety in backgrounds and interests makes for some very thought-provoking discussions and leads to innovative partnerships and projects.

It was during these discussions that I got the best CSR advice in my career so far. The advice was that an organization needs to be constantly agile in its CSR space. Even the best laid plans for CSR may require altering. To be sustainable, your CSR work needs to be flexible. This could include adjusting budgets, redirecting investments of time, and quickly identifying trusted nonprofit partners to launch new programs or adjust existing ones. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic several organizations, including Stanbic Bank, had to re-adjust their CSR plans and budgets to join the fight against the pandemic. By being adaptive with our CSR, our programs have remained relevant and timely.

 

How can CSR activities be used to empower women?

A key challenge to women’s empowerment globally is the unequal distribution of resources. The lack of access to education, economic opportunities and financial inclusion all threaten women in their efforts to become empowered.

Increased educational attainment from women is key for ensuring greater economic growth. At Stanbic Bank, we believe that education CSR Projects for young girls is critical. It is for this reason that we have partnered with numerous organizations to ensure that girls are in schools. Through its multiple CSR projects, the Bank has built schools, implemented mentorship programs and introduced scholarships all in its quest to ensure that girls are educated.

The gender gap in access to financial services further restricts women in their efforts to be economically empowered and financially included. According to the Bank of Zambia National Financial Inclusion Strategy women remain modestly more financially excluded than men, however, there is evidence that the gap is narrowing. Financial inclusion among women increased from 34 percent in 2009 to 57 percent in 2015, yet these overall figures mask important differences in the type and quality of financial services used by different genders. Most notably, men are significantly more likely than women to use bank services, electronic payments, and formal sources of borrowing; while women are significantly more likely to use informal savings groups such as Village Banking. This demonstrates that significant progress is yet to be made to ensure that women have equal access to and use of regulated financial products and services. To ensure this is achieved, Stanbic Bank through its Anakazi Banking initiative, has formalized Village Banking to ensure funds are tracked through the banking system. This process has also included financial education and training for women through CSR projects to ensure women are financially included.

 

Describe your perfect day.

A day for me is perfect when I can help better someone’s life. There is nothing as gratifying as helping others achieve beyond their dreams. Stanbic Bank aims to create a robust, resilient and sustainable business in which our clients can have confidence, our communities can trust, and our other stakeholders can take pride. Our continuing success in this endeavor depends, in part, on our ability to identify and address social and ethical factors which present risks to our business or offer opportunities to support our stakeholders in a more sustainable way. These can affect our reputation, drive employee engagement, and help manage risks of lending, leverage savings and secure new revenue streams. The broader role we play as a bank in our communities and with our stakeholders reinforces this trust and confidence.

What differentiates us from other banks in Zambia is that Zambia is our home and we drive her growth. This growth includes the difference we make in the communities we operate in: the children we educate in the schools we build; the small businesses we invest in; the lives saved in the hospitals we support. A perfect day for me is when we work together to change lives by not only adding value to individuals and communities, but by also ensuring that the changes we make are sustainable to these communities.

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