In the Spotlight: Some inspiring women Entrepreneurs from Zambia
#ZambianWomenRise #SheLeadsZambia #EmpowerHerZambia #WomenMeanBusiness #ZambiaEntrepreneurs
Once known as Northern Rhodesia, modern-day Zambia is rewriting its story, and women entrepreneurs are at the heart of this transformation. Fierce, focused & full of fire, Zambian women are not just participating in the economy, but they are shaping it. In fact, over 60% of the country’s MSMEs are now women-led, a testament to their resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
Breaking Traditions, Building Empires: The Rise of Zambia’s Women Entrepreneurs
These women are hustling in markets, launching agro-businesses, running salons, tailoring shops, tech startups & trading ventures. Simultaneously, they are also feeding families, paying school fees, employing others & fuellis ing entire communities. Yet, despite their outsized impact, many still face steep hurdles – from limited access to finance and restrictive social norms to operating in informal, low-profit sectors.
But here’s the twist: they’re rising anyway.
Thanks to progressive policy shifts like Zambia’s National Financial Inclusion Strategies (2017–2023 and 2024–2028), there’s a growing focus on gender equity. Financial institutions are stepping up with “women’s desks,” custom loan products, and targeted training. Mindsets are shifting. Opportunities are expanding.
Here, let us celebrate the trailblazing women entrepreneurs of Zambia – the ones breaking barriers and building a better future. They are not just growing businesses; they are transforming the narrative of what women can achieve in Africa.
Their journeys are filled with grit, grace, and game-changing ideas. And their stories? They’re exactly what the world needs to hear right now.
- Mandy Dube, Founder of Yinu Custom Creatives
Mandy Dube, is the Founder of Yinu Custom Creatives in Zambia, which is a business which she runs alongside her professional role in international development.
She is a serial business builder who has been creating economic empowerment opportunities for women in Zambia. 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, Founder & Managing Director of Mzala Enterprise Ltd
A Zambian agripreneur addressing food security through locally grown farm produce is Doreen Michelo, who is the Founder and Managing Director of Mzala Enterprise Ltd in Zambia – a business founded in 2018.
She is 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. This is because the aim is to leave a lasting positive impact on the community supporting its operations. She is backed by a decade of business work experience as a professional in various industries.
- Mara Zhanet, Founder & CEO of Jacaranda Hub
Mara Zhanet is a Zambian social entrepreneur, who is developing young people to fulfil their potential. She 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 wears many hats! She is a social entrepreneur, project management and business development expert, business coach, facilitator, and mentor with 15+ years of professional experience.
- Priscilla Musenge, CEO & Founder of Entomo Farm
Priscilla Musenge is a Climate Change activist and a budding entrepreneur, who is the CEO & Founder of Entomo Farm in Zambia, a business launched in 2018.
Recognition has come her way in many different forms. 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, her 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, Owner, F.R.E.E.
Dawn Close is 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, Founder of Farm23 Strawberry
Bupe Chipili Mulapesi is a Zambian agripreneur turning her passion for “growing strawberry” into a thriving business in the country. She is Founder of Farm23 Strawberry in Zambia.
The inspiration to start a business comes in many forms, and for successful agripreneur like her, the inspiration came from a fellow woman farmer across the other side of the world.
Avtar Madan
Shree Lahiri
Himanshu
