Dear Africana Woman,
It happened!!! What was a mere idea actually came to be. I present the Africana Woman Festival 2024.
On Friday 2nd August, 2024 we started off with the Write a Letter to Your V led by Danielle Dal Cortivo, founder of Free The V. The workshop was hosted at Alliance Française de Lusaka.
The next day, Saturday 3rd August, 2024 we gathered at the scenic Chena Art House for thrilling workshops, podcast interviews, networking and a delicious lunch.
Here is what people had to say:
Thank you for such a fantastic time. I can honestly say it was a beautiful first for me and I am looking forward to the next one! God Bless you
~ Lucy Siwale
This weekend was just what I needed! To be encouraged and surrounded by fellow like minded woman. A constant reminder that in order to grow, investing in myself is key. Many thanks to @africanawomanfestival for organising a platform where women can speak freely and without judgement whilst learning from another.Thank you for your partnership!
The Africana Woman Festival yesterday was an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. The beautiful scenery, meaningful interactions and a bit of fun. The conversations we had were truly the highlight of my day, leaving each of us with homework: thought-provoking ideas, encouragement, and decisions to consider, make, or change. It felt like an intensive boot camp, but all summed up in a single day. For me, this festival was a powerful reminder of the importance of self-improvement and the need for a supportive community. It emphasized that a safe space is essential because none of us can navigate life solo.If you're looking for a safe space to discuss life and gain valuable insights, I encourage you to follow Africana Woman on social media. Join us in this empowering community where women come together to share, learn, and grow.
~ Chomba Mkasanga
Read her article on So Online Radio UK here: https://soonlineradio.com/f/a-celebration-of-empowerment-and-transformation
As I grow, I have come to realise that my calling is to serve others, and most importantly, to serve God. I take great pride in helping and supporting people, whether it's running errands or listening to them share their struggles. This passion for service is deeply ingrained in me, and I find immense fulfilment in making a positive impact on others' lives.
That's why it was such an honour to volunteer at the first ever Africana Woman Festival. Being part of this groundbreaking event allowed me to support the coordination efforts, ensuring that everything ran smoothly and that guests felt comfortable and valued. It was a privilege to contribute to an event that celebrated and empowered women, and I was thrilled to be able to offer my time and skills.
Service is more than just a duty for me; it's a calling. I believe that by serving others, I am fulfilling a higher purpose and aligning with my core values. I am incredibly thankful to Chulu for giving me the opportunity to serve during this remarkable event. Her trust and support enabled me to embrace my calling fully, and for that, I am deeply grateful.
~ Winfridah Kwaleyela
@africanawomanfestival first event was amazing, emotional, and eye-opening. Day 2 of the Africana Woman Festival was incredibly enriching and packed with valuable insights! We kicked off with an empowering session led by a business coach who delved into entrepreneurship, business management, and much more. Following that, a legal practitioner specializing in divorce and property rights enlightened us on the importance of women owning property and having our legal documents in order. 📑After a refreshing tea break, we dove into an impactful session with a life coach discussing the fear of failure, childhood trauma, and overcoming personal barriers.During our lunch break, we were treated to a beautiful music performance by Seya Fundafunda accompanied by her guitarist Micah. Hearing Seya's natural voice for the first time was truly a highlight. Her songs are amazing, and her performance was captivating. Post-lunch, we had the exciting experience of a live podcast recording for the Africana Woman Podcast, which was both engaging and informative. 🎙️Personally, I gained so much from the business insights shared. I learned the importance of having all my legal papers organised, appearing professional, and always being prepared. This festival is not just an event; it’s a journey of growth and empowerment! 💪🏾
~ Grenny Gray
The Invitation...I was invited to be part of a Live Podcast Recording as a Guest Speaker for the @africanawomanfestival in Lusaka Zambia this past weekend. This engaging podcast brought back emotions and painful memories, an appreciation of progress made and simple gratitude for survival.The Response...The response and tears of the audience shows how not only Women in Zimbabwe but also Women in Zambia may come from different cultural backgrounds but still experience intriguingly similar experiences in abusive marriages or after the loss of a husband, struggling to survive after society shuns away from them, living with the stigma of divorce, finding themselves after being faced with the hardships of life, compromised decisions because of desperation to change their situation, then depression and thoughts of suicide..Letting Go Of The Past and Finally The Healing Journey...The amazing part was how both communities could attributed their healing process to surrounding themselves with people of the same Spiritual beliefs, getting counseling or therapy and Mentorship as their source of support that ultimately led to being able to still find enough energy, within all these traumatic experiences, to get up and fight for a better tomorrow for Self Love & Mental Health ...Thank you to @africanawoman Team for elegantly hosting me during this time. While I thought I was bringing my story to you so someone could learn from it and be inspired, I also realized how I learnt so much from you as well.I love you Women of Lusaka!
The Africana woman Festival was everything beautiful, It was loaded with amazing and powerful people with a vast of knowledge and experience, I am still amazed and grateful for the opportunity given to be part of the speakers
Thank you Chulu Chansa for the invitation, I was greatly impacted too.
~ Lady Nomsa Shu Nyati
Entrepreneurship mindset and journey in 3 quick steps.
1. Beginnings...was it a pain point for you?..something you wished could be done better, or something that needed to the introduced. Was it personal..a product or service you needed but couldn't find out there. How we begin has a lot to do with the success of the business, passion is not under-rated here.
2. Sustaining the dream....statistically a majority of startups don't go past the first 5 years. It's rough, but I think what helps is to continue to 'be in love' or excited about certain aspects of the business. This could be seeing a satisfied customer, could be the doors that are open to you because of your enterprise, could be your own satisfaction or affirmation. You need this because like a child raising ...the early years are crazy and hard, so you need that balance with the fun stuff.
3. Getting real...again like childraising there is a point where the tantrums aren't cute anymore! It time for discipline, hard work, organised growth. Growth means investing in people, systems, proper management, even yourself...it comes at a price that you must afford if you wish to see the enterprise go beyond 5 years.
I got to share on the above at the just ended Africana Woman festival with a host of other awesome speakers, I came back with a bee in my bonnet, already putting things into place for myself and Bee-Compliant Corporate Services LTD where we help you run your business more efficiently.
Many thanks to our partners:
So Online Radio
Christian Nation
Money FM
Ethiopian Airlines
Fleur De Lys
Alliance Française de Lusaka
To view more pictures from the festival visit:
One more thing - SAVE THE DATE
Africana Woman Festival 2025
Saturday, 30 August, 2025
Photographs by Eness Photography
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