Entrepreneur | Designer | Educator
David Chiza Gondwe is a multidisciplinary creative and co-founder of Kulanda House, which promotes children's literacy through rich African stories. With expertise in architecture, graphic design, teaching methodology, and marketing, he creates impactful designs that inspire innovation. Known for simplifying complex concepts, David focuses on delivering relatable and actionable solutions. Passionate about design thinking and education, he uses his background in curriculum design and storytelling to empower others. As a thought leader, David aims to make a meaningful impact through his unique design language and problem-solving skills.
Lawyer
Edwina is a seasoned lawyer and litigator. She has spent six years at three local authorities serving as in-house Counsel. She is the Co-Founder of Dear Rookie Advocate (www.dearrookieadvocate.com), a mentorship platform designed to guide and empower emerging lawyers. The site helps bridge the gap between aspiring and seasoned legal professionals. Edwina has served as a Council Member of the Law Association of Zambia, Chairperson of the Toastmasters International Southern Africa Ethics Committee and Editor of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association Africa Hub newsletter.
Entrepreneur | Speaker
Kim Otteby is the founder and Managing Director of Umoyo Natural Health, Zambia's leading natural health company. With a Master's degree in Economics and Management from Oxford University and a degree in Nutritional Medicine, Kim combines a strong academic foundation with practical expertise in health and wellness.
As a professional speaker, workshop leader, and coach, Kim is passionate about empowering others to unlock their potential—both in business and in life. Her transformative approach focuses on shifting mindsets, overcoming limiting beliefs, and fostering alignment with one’s true self, inspiring individuals to live their best lives and achieve lasting success.
Project Manager
Kondwani Vwalika is a Zambian-Canadian professional with a business administration, operations, and community development background. Passionate about creating opportunities for growth and collaboration, she has dedicated her efforts to organising and working on initiatives that empower women across diverse fields. Kondwani’s work inspires participants to explore new possibilities and drive meaningful change within their communities by focusing on themes such as sustainability, heritage, and innovation. Her commitment to fostering connections and supporting women’s development continues to shape her dynamic journey.
Entrepreneur
Lwenga Elouise Mulela is an eco-innovator, entrepreneur and founder of Plastpave Zambia, a company that collects hard-to-recycle and single-use plastic waste to create sustainable products. Lwenga’s work promotes sustainability, creates jobs, and helps reduce deforestation. Passionate about uplifting marginalised communities; she is committed to driving change through innovation, creativity, and environmental impact.
Multidisciplinary Artist
Marita Banda is a multidisciplinary artist working across mediums including literary, performance, culinary and conceptual arts. She is a published author of poetry, fiction and non-fiction. She is a professional teacher of English and French and an independent editor.
Marita has an interest in Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH). She is co-founder of the Network for Society Transformation (Sotrane), a civil society organisation concerned with adapting and applying positive indigenous knowledge systems in contemporary times. Marita and the Sotrane team and their national networks/strategic partners run thematic training workshops with various community members, particularly women and youth nation.
Epidemiologist
Ramya Kumar, PhD, MPH, is an epidemiologist, yoga teacher, and knowledge broker who bridges knowledge and action to drive meaningful change. A graduate of the University of Washington and a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. scholar from Boston University, Ramya inspires intellectual, social, and spiritual growth through her storytelling and leadership. Her work is to break barriers of divisiveness by pushing communities to discover their shared humanity.
Animal Scientist
Enthusiastic about animal welfare and the conservation of our ecosystems, Suwilanji has spent 29 years working with animals. She currently manages a pangolin program pioneered by Wildlife Crime Prevention in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, which covers several areas all related to pangolin conservation: rehabilitation, educational talks, planning their releases into protected areas, monitoring their activity using GIS, and first responder pangolin rescue training.
She is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Species Survival Commission.
High Performance Specialist
Valentine Chitifi is a corporate team development expert, who specialises in building high-performing teams and optimising team health across organisations. With extensive experience designing transformative training programs, he equips corporate teams with the tools to enhance collaboration, productivity, and effective leadership. His expertise lies in addressing the core challenges that hinder team cohesion and performance, driving the creation of sustainable, high-performance cultures that drive organisational success.