WIDOWS, ORPHANS NEED MORE THAN BIRTHDAY PARTIES
Musanu urges businesses, investors and Zambians abroad to provide year-round support for vulnerable families and help children build a better future
By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 — 17-10-2026 — Widows and orphans need more than birthday parties and occasional donations to get through life, Zambia Diaspora Chamber of Commerce (ZDCC) president Freud Musanu has said, urging businesses, investors and Zambians living abroad to support vulnerable families throughout the year.
He said while birthday parties brought happiness to residents, the real challenge was ensuring that they continued receiving care and support long after the guests had left.
“Today, we are celebrating birthdays, but we are also celebrating something much greater: our shared humanity, the partnerships we are building, and our collective responsibility to ensure that every day brings happiness, hope and dignity to those who need it most,” Mr Musanu said.
He said a birthday celebration should be the beginning of a lasting relationship between the centre and its supporters, not an occasion that people remembered only when another event came around.
“A single donation, however meaningful, is not enough. We must remain committed to continuity and explore practical ways of supporting the centre beyond today's celebration,” he said.
Mr Musanu urged entrepreneurs, investors, institutions and other organisations to offer more than money by contributing their skills, business networks and other resources to help communities facing difficult circumstances.
He said the Zambia Diaspora Chamber of Commerce wanted partnerships that were transparent, accountable and based on what beneficiaries actually needed.
He added that businesses and organisations working with local centres could help direct resources from international partners to families and children who needed assistance in Zambia.
Mr Musanu also invited businesses, investors, entrepreneurs and prospective partners to explore opportunities at IPX 2026, scheduled to take place in Canada in approximately two months.
He said the platform offered opportunities to establish business relationships, attract investment and develop partnerships, including initiatives aimed at supporting communities.
Mr Musanu said the chamber would continue overseeing the programme in line with the agreements established for it, with attention to accountability and practical results.
He commended Hope Africa International USA, the management and representatives of the UH Widows, Orphans and Memorial Centre, volunteers, supporters and other participants for helping make the initiative possible.
He urged them to remain involved beyond the birthday celebrations, saying widows and children needed dependable support rather than help that came only on special occasions.
Mr Musanu said continued cooperation between local organisations and international partners could help turn individual acts of kindness into lasting assistance for vulnerable families.
Ms Lengwe said the programme was launched on September 8, 2026, and would run for a year, bringing together businesses, volunteers, caregivers and other partners to celebrate people who often had few opportunities to feel recognised and appreciated.
“When we launched this programme on September 8, we made a promise that the launch would not be a one-time event, but the beginning of a continuous 12-month programme dedicated to promoting dignity, inclusion and joy among children, widows and caregivers in our community,” she said.
She thanked Luvadi Digital for supporting the October celebration, saying businesses had an important role to play in helping communities and improving the lives of people in need.
On behalf of Hope Africa International USA, its executive director, Dr Francis John, and the wider community at the centre, Ms Lengwe thanked the company's leadership and staff for their contribution.
She also acknowledged the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, business representatives, caregivers, volunteers, supporters and members of the media who took part in the event.
Ms Lengwe appealed to more companies and well-wishers to join the initiative by supporting the monthly celebrations and other activities aimed at helping vulnerable people.
“No contribution is too small for this noble cause,” she said.
She said the organisation wanted children and other beneficiaries to be recognised for who they were and what they could achieve, rather than be defined by disability or the difficult circumstances in which they lived.
Ms Lengwe encouraged children born in October to continue learning, dreaming and discovering their abilities, assuring them that their efforts and determination mattered.
She said the celebrations were about more than cake-cutting and presents. They were also an opportunity to remind children, widows and caregivers that they were valued members of the community.
Ms Lengwe also called on partners to support the planned Infinity Inclusion Runway USA initiative, which she described as an international movement celebrating beauty, ability and belonging through fashion and public events.
She said the initiative would help give people of different abilities and backgrounds more opportunities to participate in public life and feel accepted in their communities.
Ms Lengwe said continued support would help the organisation extend its message of inclusion beyond Lusaka and reach more people.
Ms Musanu said the monthly birthday celebrations were important, but widows and orphans also needed practical assistance that responded to their daily challenges and hopes for the future.
She said the centre was home to close to 100 widows and more than 100 orphans, each with different experiences, talents and aspirations.
“Today is not just about a cake or a birthday song. It is about recognising that every person matters, that every life is worth celebrating, and that everyone deserves a future filled with care, dignity and opportunity,” Ms Musanu said.
She urged businesses, entrepreneurs, diaspora associations and groups of friends to consider sponsoring future birthday celebrations, donating essential goods, providing regular supplies and helping residents acquire useful skills.
Ms Musanu said such support could make a difference beyond the day of the celebration, particularly when partners committed themselves to helping the centre regularly.
She advised prospective donors to speak to the centre's management before deciding what to provide, so that their contributions matched the needs of residents.
“We must listen before deciding what to give, agree on priorities before making commitments and recognise that those closest to the centre understand its circumstances and needs best,” she said.
Ms Musanu said businesses should put their corporate social responsibility commitments into practice by supporting communities, while Zambians abroad could organise contributions to help families and institutions back home.
Corporate social responsibility means businesses taking an active role in supporting the communities in which people live and work, rather than concentrating only on making profits.
She encouraged people interested in supporting the centre to contact Hope Africa representative Delphine Lengwe and the centre's management to discuss contributions and longer-term partnerships.
Ms Musanu also introduced Lubaud Digital Mart, an online marketplace serving customers mainly in Zambia and among the Zambian diaspora in the United States.
She said the platform sold products such as groceries, computers and household essentials, allowing customers to shop online.
She added that Zambians living abroad could use the marketplace to select products and arrange delivery to relatives in Zambia.
Ms Musanu encouraged customers to prepare for the festive season early by ordering gifts and household essentials for family members back home.
Returning to the birthday celebrations, she urged guests not to leave the centre having enjoyed the occasion without considering how they could continue helping its residents.
“Let us not simply celebrate today and forget about the needs we have witnessed. Instead, let us celebrate while planning thoughtfully for tomorrow, recognising today’s needs and working together throughout the year,” she said.
Mr Kabungo said some mothers and children went through difficult times without anyone to celebrate their birthdays with them, making the initiative an opportunity to bring happiness into their lives and remind them that they belonged to a wider community.
“We have gathered here not only to celebrate birthdays but also to recognise our shared humanity, restore dignity and remind one another that every life matters,” Mr Kabungo said.
He said the centre understood the struggles widows and children faced and wanted them to know that their circumstances did not make them any less important to society.
Mr Kabungo urged children who had lost their parents or were growing up without parental care not to give up on their dreams.
“To the children, especially those who have lost their parents or are growing up without parental care, I want you to know that you are not alone. You are not forgotten, and you are not without people who care about you,” he said.
He said every child deserved love, care and encouragement to pursue a better future, regardless of the difficulties they faced.
Mr Kabungo also paid tribute to mothers for their sacrifices and determination in raising families and keeping them together, often under difficult circumstances.
He said the celebration was a gesture of love and solidarity intended to remind widows and children that they were part of a community that cared about their welfare.
Mr Kabungo thanked the sponsors, partners, volunteers and organising committee for making the event possible.
He encouraged guests to spend time with the residents, share in their happiness and create good memories together through singing, dancing and celebrating as one family.
He said widows and children needed to feel accepted and valued, adding that showing compassion and standing with them could help ensure they did not feel forgotten or left behind.
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