By Julia Kurnia
Twenty-five-year-old Richard Chitalu is a pioneer in more ways than one. The youngest in a family of twelve, he grew up in one of Africa’s mining centers, the Copperbelt province of northern Zambia. “I like learning new languages, interacting with different types of people. I’m a faster learner who is eager to adapt different business environments,” he wrote in his profile.
Mr. Chitalu is an avid squash player and a passionate teacher and mentor. He has crafted a unique profession from these hobbies, by offering squash coaching services to various clients in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia.
Mr. Chitalu intends to invest his first Zidisha loan in squash equipment – balls, rackets, headgear and shoes – for his students to use and purchase. The earnings will go toward his long-term goal of attending business school overseas.
Mr. Chitalu is our first member in Zambia, an anglophone country in southeastern Africa that is home to Victoria Falls, an exuberant cosmopolitan culture and hundreds of traditional festivals.
Our lending program in Zambia was facilitated by John Fay, a Zidisha trustee and pioneer of environmentally sustainable development in Africa. John resides in Lusaka, Zambia, where he founded the social enterprise Shared Value Africa, which specializes in market-driven solutions to human welfare needs.
You may view Mr. Chitalu’s profile page here: https://www.zidisha.org/microfinance/loan/RICHARDCHITALU88/5345.html
