LUBAUD TO POWER HOPE AFRICA

Digital marketplace to sponsor October birthday celebration for children, widows and vulnerable people at Umoyo Centre

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 — September 20, 2026 — Lubaud Digital Mart is coming in to support HOPe Africa USA’s October birthday celebration for children, widows and other vulnerable people at Umoyo Widows and Orphanage Centre (UWAOC) in Lusaka.

The sponsorship follows HOPe Africa USA’s launch in September of its Zambia–USA Monthly Inclusive Donations and Birthday Celebration Initiative, which seeks to bring some joy to people who may otherwise have little or no one to celebrate their birthdays with.

HOPe Africa USA, working with its Zambia representative Delphine Lengwe, is preparing for the October event, which is expected to bring together Lubaud representatives from the United States, local partners, volunteers, community members and other well-wishers.

The October celebration will bring together children, widows and other eligible members of the Umoyo community whose birthdays fall during the month, with birthday cakes provided for the celebrants.

For the organisers, it is a simple message: “No Birthday Forgotten. No Life Overlooked. No Community Excluded.”

The initiative comes at a time when Umoyo Widows and Orphanage Centre continues to face a number of needs in caring for orphaned and vulnerable children, widows and widowers.

Among the needs at the centre are food, education, accommodation, transportation, infrastructure and other forms of community support.

It is against this background that the Lubaud sponsorship takes on greater meaning, as it will help provide a moment of happiness and recognition to people who are living in difficult circumstances.

For a child who may not have a parent to organise a birthday cake, or a widow who may spend the day without anyone remembering, such a gesture can mean much more than the cake itself.

It is a reminder that someone has thought about them.

HOPe Africa USA says the monthly birthday programme was created to give people at the centre an opportunity to celebrate together and to feel part of a community.

Rather than leaving each birthday celebrant to mark the day alone, the initiative brings those celebrating their birthdays in the same month together.

The September launch drew attention to the situation at Umoyo and the need for more people and organisations to come forward and help.

The October sponsorship by Lubaud is now expected to add momentum to the initiative as HOPe Africa USA seeks to keep the programme going from month to month.

Lubaud Digital Mart is an online shopping company with operations in Zambia and the United States.

The company connects customers with a range of products, including groceries, cereals, snacks, electronics, clothing and household goods, through its digital marketplace.

It has offices listed in Lusaka and North Kansas City, Missouri, and says it also seeks to serve Zambians living abroad who want to buy or send products to family members and other people in Zambia.

That Zambia-US connection is also reflected in the October partnership with HOPe Africa USA.

The involvement of Zambia Diaspora Chamber of Commerce President Freud Musanu also adds to the wider diaspora dimension of the initiative.

The Zambia Diaspora Chamber of Commerce has been involved in promoting links between Zambians abroad and opportunities in trade, investment and entrepreneurship back home.

But for the people at Umoyo, the business and diaspora connections are secondary to what the October celebration will mean on the ground.

They are looking forward to a day when children can smile, cakes can be shared and people whose birthdays might otherwise pass quietly can hear their names called and be celebrated.

HOPe Africa USA is also appealing for more people and organisations to come forward and support the October programme.

The organisation says support can come in different forms, including food, drinks, birthday cakes, clothes, educational materials, hygiene products, transportation, healthcare services, entertainment and financial contributions.

Businesses and individuals who may not be able to provide money can also contribute goods or services.

The organisers say every contribution, however small, can help make the celebration better for the beneficiaries.

The monthly programme is expected to continue beyond October, giving other organisations and individuals an opportunity to support subsequent celebrations.

For HOPe Africa USA, the initiative is not only about birthdays.

It is also about remembering people who are often forgotten and giving them a reason to feel that they still matter to the community around them.

The October celebration at Umoyo is expected to bring together the beneficiaries, HOPe Africa USA officials, Lubaud representatives, volunteers, community members and other supporters.

And while the birthday cakes will be at the centre of the celebration, the bigger message will be about caring for people who need a helping hand.

For the children and widows at Umoyo, the October celebration could simply mean having someone remember their special day.

Sometimes, that is enough to put a smile on someone's face.

With Lubaud Digital Mart taking on the October sponsorship, HOPe Africa USA hopes to keep that spirit alive — one month, one birthday and one person at a time.