WIDOWS TURN TO E-COMMERCE FOR INCOME

HOPe Africa, Zambia Diaspora Chamber and Lubaud Digital Mart partner to create income-generating opportunities for residents of Umoyo Widows and Orphanage Centre.

By Francis Maingaila ♥️

Lusaka, Zambia24 — 10 October 2026 — Widows at the Umoyo Widows and Orphanage Centre in Lusaka are being integrated into e-commerce and delivery operations under a partnership between HOPe Africa, the Zambia Diaspora Chamber of Commerce (ZDCC) and logistics company Lubaud Digital Mart.

The initiative seeks to help the women earn supplementary income through sorting goods, inspecting inventory, coordinating deliveries and serving as authorised agents, linking humanitarian support with opportunities for economic independence.

HOPe Africa Executive Director Dr Francis Fagjot John said the partnership formed part of the organisation’s broader humanitarian work aimed at connecting communities in Zambia and the United States through service, collaboration and sustainable development.

The arrangement follows HOPe Africa’s adoption of the centre for a 12-month period, during which the organisation plans to hold monthly birthday celebrations for residents to promote dignity, inclusion and a sense of belonging.

However, the latest partnership seeks to extend that support beyond celebrations by introducing income-generating activities that could help widows strengthen their household finances.

Under the arrangement, participating women are expected to handle and inspect goods, sort inventory, coordinate the handover of packages to delivery fleets and undertake selected local deliveries.

The activities are intended to give the women practical experience in e-commerce and logistics while enabling them to earn additional income from their involvement in the business.

HOPe Africa said the collaboration would also introduce Lubaud Digital Mart’s e-commerce and delivery services to the Zambian domestic market, while creating an avenue for Zambians living abroad to access services for purchasing and delivering goods to relatives and other recipients back home.

The initiative brings together diaspora leadership, private enterprise and community-based humanitarian work in an effort to connect commercial opportunities with the needs of vulnerable groups.

ZDCC president Freud Musanu recently met HOPe Africa representatives and volunteers in Lusaka to review feedback from activities held at the centre and discuss plans for expanding the initiative.

The meeting was attended by HOPe Africa country coordinator and event organiser Delphine Lengwe, alongside volunteers Dyna Kayanike and Nambozi L. Makopwe.

During the engagement, the centre’s management and residents were introduced to Lubaud Digital Mart’s operational model and the proposed roles the women could play in handling and distributing goods.

The organisations have not disclosed how many widows will participate, the expected earnings or the volume of goods to be handled through the initiative.

The partnership was also marked by a celebratory gathering at Zoran Café in Lusaka, attended by representatives of HOPe Africa, ZDCC, volunteers and community partners.

HOPe Africa said the collaboration reflected its commitment to combining humanitarian assistance with economic empowerment, with the broader objective of helping vulnerable communities build greater financial independence.

The long-term impact of the initiative will depend on the business generated, the income earned by participating widows and the sustainability of the opportunities created.

Through the partnership, HOPe Africa, ZDCC and Lubaud Digital Mart aim to strengthen links between diaspora networks, businesses and grassroots communities, using commercial activities to complement humanitarian support.