When Tisa Mumba was devastated by hopelessness after her father's death, she had no option but to dream beyond her circumstances and work toward a brighter future.
Mumba, 23, opted to take a risk and migrate from Kabwe town to Livingstone, about 470 km south of Lusaka, Zambia's capital, in search of "greener pastures."
"I struggled to do odd jobs in Livingstone to survive. I plaited people's hair [and] baked cakes and scones for resale at the market. And with my little savings, I decided to enroll at Livingstone's Youth Community Training Centre (YCTC) for a short course in food production since I had a passion [for the] confectionery business," Mumba told Global Sisters Report.
In an economy stifled by high living costs and diminished purchasing power, Mumba began her studies thanks to the Zambia Association of Sisterhoods with support from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. (The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation also funds Global Sisters Report.)
She embarked on a transformative journey at the training center, where young people acquire valuable skills in electrical engineering, plumbing, electrical power, carpentry and other vocational fields.
The Sisters of St. John the Baptist (Baptistine sisters) manage the training center, nurturing young people's talents in Livingstone, a tourist town near the mighty Victoria Falls, one of the world's largest waterfalls. Built in 1999 by Celim and the Livingstone Diocese, the center is in Libuyu township.
Mumba's academic journey at Youth Community Training Centre almost ended halfway into her studies because of her inability to pay tuition fees. This further depressed her as she worked to hone her skills in food production and find a stable job among Livingstone's top hoteliers in the flourishing hospitality hotspots.