{"id":7657,"date":"2025-02-18T07:16:10","date_gmt":"2025-02-18T07:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gracamacheltrust.org\/?p=7657"},"modified":"2026-01-23T02:02:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T00:02:02","slug":"sandra-kambikambi-a-visionary-redefining-entrepreneurship-in-zambia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.gbstudio.co.za\/gmt\/featured\/sandra-kambikambi-a-visionary-redefining-entrepreneurship-in-zambia\/","title":{"rendered":"Sandra Kambikambi: A visionary redefining entrepreneurship in Zambia"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was a leap of faith that defined Sandra Kambikambi\u2019s journey. In August 2020, after fourteen years in the corporate world, she walked away from a stable career to pursue a passion that had been quietly brewing in her heart: financial inclusion. As the founder and managing director of\u00a0MyScape<\/em> Resource Centre Limited, Sandra has since built a social enterprise in Zambia that is changing lives\u2014starting with her own.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to ask myself, why am I so passionate about this? Why am I doing this?\u201d Sandra recalls. Her corporate career in microfinance, had exposed her to a recurring problem: people borrowing money without understanding the consequences. \u201cMany times, loans created more problems than solutions\u2014marital disputes and financial stress\u2014it was heartbreaking to witness.\u201d<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t just a business problem. It was a human problem. And Sandra decided to find the solution.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

From corporate stability to entrepreneurial uncertainty<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Sandra\u2019s previous professional role was that of a financial controller for a microfinance company. But something didn\u2019t sit right. She had seen how financial products were often designed without the borrower\u2019s best interests at heart. When she left, she founded MyScape<\/em>, with the goal of creating financial tools and training programmess that genuinely helped people, particularly women and youth.<\/p>\n

But the entrepreneurial path was not easy. Sandra used her own savings – part of her resignation package\u2014to fund her business. \u201cI started out as a sole proprietor, putting everything I had into MyScape<\/em>,\u201d she shared. At first, things seemed promising, but soon the cracks began to show. High operational costs and an inability to scale sustainably began eating into her capital. \u201cI reached a point where I questioned everything. Was this what entrepreneurship was supposed to be? Should I quit?\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2023 when she was at her lowest, Sandra stumbled across an advert for the Women Creating Wealth (WCW) programme. It seemed like fate. \u201cI applied on a whim and got accepted,\u201d she said. \u201cThe programme turned everything around for me. It gave me focus, structure, and a renewed sense of purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A bold pivot: Training a new generation of entrepreneurs<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Through the WCW programme, Sandra rediscovered her love for numbers. \u201cOne thing I\u2019ve always loved is working with numbers,\u201d she laughed. \u201cMost people hate them, but for me, numbers tell a story.\u201d Through the programme, she reflected on her purpose and realised that her true passion lay in designing financial solutions and training others to use them effectively.<\/p>\n

This realisation led her to pivot MyScape<\/em> from solely being a lending operation to becoming a training academy for entrepreneurs. Sandra launched the MyScape<\/em> Academy, focusing on young people aged 16 to 26. \u201cThe academy teaches financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills, ensuring that young entrepreneurs start their journeys with the tools they need to succeed\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n

The shift has been transformative. Sandra has now reached over 800 participants, with a smaller, focused group of 300 women entrepreneurs who are part of specialised projects.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Uplifting women and building a legacy<\/strong><\/h5>\n

For Sandra, women are at the heart of her mission. \u201cWhen you empower a woman, you empower a nation,\u201d she said passionately. She has built a thriving community of women entrepreneurs, creating platforms where they can collaborate, share ideas, and gain financial independence.<\/p>\n

One of her proudest achievements is the impact she\u2019s making with young people. Through MyScape<\/em> Academy Sandra has onboarded 13 volunteers, all under the age of 35, who help her run the programme while gaining invaluable experience themselves. \u201cSome of them have already landed jobs because of the skills they developed with us,\u201d she said. \u201cHearing their success stories motivates me to keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sandra\u2019s innovative approach is not just about providing financial literacy\u2014it\u2019s about creating opportunities. She collaborates with her participants on grant applications, projects, and group initiatives, ensuring that entrepreneurship leads to sustainable growth.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A defining moment at the WCW Summit<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As a WCW programme participant and the programme\u2019s Youth Advisory Group member, Sandra was invited to attend the\u00a0WCW Summit\u00a0in November 2024, and it was a defining moment for her. \u201cThe theme,\u00a0Breaking Barriers, Building Wealth<\/em>, spoke directly to my journey,\u201d she shared. Before the summit, her focus was mostly local\u2014helping women in Zambia. But the summit opened her eyes to the possibility of scaling her impact beyond borders.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cJust being there has broken barriers for me,\u201d she said. \u201cIt gave me exposure, brand visibility, and the confidence to think internationally.\u201d As a speaker and exhibitor at the event, Sandra showcased her work on a continental stage, proving that even small businesses can have a big vision.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople back home might ask, \u2018What was Sandra doing there?\u2019 But the potential that wasn\u2019t recognised locally has now been validated continentally. For me, that\u2019s a huge achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Looking to the future<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Sandra\u2019s vision for MyScape<\/em> Academy is ambitious yet grounded. She hopes to reach 5,000 young entrepreneurs over the next three years, building sustainable projects that create jobs and financial independence. \u201cI\u2019m not just doing this alone,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to collaborate with partners like the WCW programme to amplify our impact.\u201d<\/p>\n

She dreams of MyScape<\/em> becoming a household name in entrepreneurship education, known for its ability to transform lives. \u201cEvery young person we train, every woman we empower, is a step toward changing the narrative for Zambia and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Sandra\u2019s legacy<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Sandra Kambikambi\u2019s journey is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the power of purpose. Through MyScape<\/em> Resource Centre and MyScape<\/em> Academy, she is equipping a new generation of entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed. Her story is not just one of overcoming challenges\u2014it\u2019s a story of rewriting the rules of entrepreneurship, one life at a time.<\/p>\n

As Sandra herself put it: \u201cThe barriers I thought existed were only in my mind. Now, I see no limits to what we can achieve.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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