Triumphant Foundation Trust clocks a year ‘Sowing seeds of love’ beyond Zambia

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By Derrick Sinjela & Nakamba Mwinji

THE physical tenacity and emotional energy exhibited Triumphant Foundation Trust (TFT founder Holla Kunda-Simbeye has a huge heritage her mother Clara Kalunga-Kunda, as she raised a saint in her daughter from a humble ground.

When this author reached by phone through in Ndola, Ms. Kalunga-Kunda nostalgically reminisced purchasing a unit of eggs (10)) which once boiled Ms. Kunda-Simbeye was tasked to resell as a form of raising domestic income.

On her part the families ‘Kasuli’ a Bemba  reference to a last born sibling, Otensia, a general trader now blessed with a 7-year-old son, Kunda, described Ms. Kunda-Simbeye as a role model and an angel on earth on account of her giving heart.

The day started with the author taking two table spoon taste of jam, proceeded through Burma Road the Central Business District (CBD) to Kasamba SDA Church on Salima road, a stone throw from Blessings Centre, meeting Francis Maingaila at the Buseko lay by, and the duo waiting for Stephen Chinyama and Steve Kata.

Lusaka Province Minister, Bowman Lusaka had been invited to grace a re-union of Master Guides, but did not show face at the time the host pastor, Hendricks Lwendo Habukali married auto mechanic Frank Mibenge and Rhoda Chama, a caterer by profession with an urge that matrimony is a preserve for men and women, thus boys and girls are precluded.

Later, after a visit to New Kasama and Chibolya Township, Francis Maingaila and I were confronted with a deplorable sight as communities in the densely populated area exist in nauseating environmental circumstances.

As noticed, I had digressed but returning to the Triumphant Foundation Trust thought, Holla Kunda-Simbeye and her mother Clara Kalunga-Kunda, do not want citizens, especially widows to endure a life of pain occasioned by property grabbing.

“When my husband died, on 9^th November 1992, I lost everything and had to endure emotional and physical pain,” recollected Clara Kalunga-Kunda.

The establishment – TFT is named after a daughter, Kachifwa or Triumph in English for having overcome odds two weeks before and three months after her birth, in circumstances described as a miracle.

Down memory lane, two weeks before her birth, doctors had intimated to Kunda-Simbeye, to brace herself for a still born child, but the Almighty God, through the Lord Jesus Christ had long term plans different from earthly creations and medical expertise.

“As doctors and nurses prepared the room for her birth, once my labour pains were in motion, God intervened and within 3 minutes of my being operated on in the theatre our Kachifwa was born as a healthy baby. This was not the end of this mystery as the first three months, were horrible for Kachifwa,” said an appreciative Ms. Kunda-Simbeye.

And true to her public acclaim, in both word and did charity begins at home for Ms.  Kunda-Simbeye as she is parenting 26 children, most of home are complete strangers, in Lusaka (Lusaka Province), Ndola (Copperbelt Province) and Solwezi (North-Western Province) aside from biological relations.

“Charity begins at home, I take care of 26 people here, biological relations and a majority not related to us. I do this out of a concern to help,” explained Ms. Kunda-Simbeye.

Asked if she would like to acknowledge or thank well-wishers, for facilitating empowerment to students in college, Ms. Kunda-Simbeye protested that most of the philantrophy exhibited thus far was personally financed as a family.

“Many of those that we help are in College, in Solwezi, Lusaka and Ndola, Copperbelt , Some children are studying law, medicine, and accounting at the Copperbelt University (CBU),” fingers on  her two palms and toes on two feet cannot sufficiently count the number of people offered refuge.

Some recipients of this Good Samaritan care in Grade 1 to 12, college and university spread in Lusaka, Ndola and Solwezi, were two male are studying medicine, with resources provided by Triumphant Foundation Trust Director General, Kenneth Simbeye, husband to Ms. Kunda-Simbeye.

“As stated earlier, Triumphant Foundation Trust is named after our last born four-year-old daughter, Kachifwa, born 22^nd November 2016. Kachifwa is in baby class at Great North Academy, a school run by Dr. Rodzious Siatwambo. When I began seeking maternity services, doctors had raised alarm that she would not be born alive. However, she overcame odds to be born. I have a passion for helping people. I want the voice of the poor, vulnerable child, orphan and widow heard beyond the geographical landscape of Zambia estimated at 752,618 square kilometres. I was brought up by a single parent and very familiar with property grabbing ramifications,” said Kunda-Simbeye, a second born child in a family of five-one boy Lwembe Kunda Simon Junior; herself, elder sister and first born, Besta, Gorretti and last born sister, Otensia.

Otensia is doubling as a general dealer and Triumphant Foundation Trust coordinator, and her mother is proud that kith and kin are very helpful in growing the philanthropic enterprise, whose mission is holistic empowerment of citizens.

“All my sisters and children are supporting this initiative called Triumphant Foundation Trust. I used to sell boiled to supplement domestic income. Though, I completed my education at Masala Secondary School in 2007, I could not upgrade y academic qualification. This is why education must be eased for others. Two decades ago, I could only eat once a day, and I believe God was preparing me for this ministry. I hold a view that in each family, there is a liberating Joshua, ready to rescue members from captivity,” noted Ms. Kunda-Simbeye as she reiterated a need to have voices of girl children heard, with regard to learning and not being married off early.

Ms. Kunda-Simbeye wants girls to be education as a practical means of comprehensively combating Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Zambia’s ten provinces of Central, Copperbelt, Eastern, Luapula, Lusaka, Muchinga, Northern, North-Western, Southern and Western, through a zero-tolerance approach.

“All girls must be educated, so they can become whoever they aspire to be in life. I always believe in expression of true love. You can pray but not love, and once you fail to care for others, then such countenance is all done in vain. Many orphans’, vulnerable children and widows are crying to us to provide food and a chance to be in school. The oppressed need help and I have a calling and energy to help. I really want to be used as a shoulder on which OVC’s and widows can lean on. In this journey, more battles stand in our path but the Lord Jesus Christ, who started this  work shall in both word and deed accomplish it,” vowed  Ms. Kunda-Simbeye as she called her mother in Ndola to confirm the family story.

Once formalities had been done, Ms. Clara Kalunga-Kunda confessed that her experience and confrontation as a single parent was a life of walking in a field of thorns, literally picking mealie meal, from domestic milling plants.

“It was a life of walking in a field of thorns. I weep each time I remember. I did not know or think that my daughter-Holla, would become this helpful. I doubt if she is the same daughter, I used to send to sell 10 boiled eggs. Many days, our nshima was eaten with Kalembula (sweet potato leaves) and Chiwawa (pumpkin leaves). When I run out of groceries; charcoal, I just page Holla, and help is delivered either through Airtel Money, MTN Money or Zamtel Kwacha. I always pray to God to preserve my daughter,” said Ms. Kalunga-Kunda.

Ms. Kalunga-Kunda noted that why peers found solace in leisure, upon the loss of her husband and property, she resisted the temptation of resorting to excessive beer drinking.

“I am in Ndola and very joyful. I have forgiven relatives that had participated in property grabbing,” god-fearing Ms. Kalunga-Kunda said.

And 21-year-old Justina Kunda, completed her Grade 12 education in 2018, and now aspires to become a fashion designer.

“I want to become a fashion designer because of my burning passion. I believe fashion can pay just as well as medicine. My role model is Beatrice Mwansa, who has earned confidence of the market in the United States of America (USA). My passion for fashion has distracted me to emulate the giving heart of our mother, Ms. Holla Kunda-Simbeye,” assured Justina as she prepared mushroom and pumkin leaves for supper.

Natasha Bupe Kunda Simbeye, first enrolled at Muzi Primary School, before completing her Grade 12 at Great North Academy, and is now going for her second year as a medical student at CHRESO University in Lusaka.

“My aspiration is to earn a living through medicine. I believe one can survive as a medical practitioner. My mother inspires us all to work hard. I desire to take over from her in future thus this vow to be diligent in all I do. Though, I do concur with her on the need to place priority on educations, it is not everyone that must depend on it. It is not that easy as others are gifted differently. Many people will not easily assimilate academics as it is not their preferred cup of tea,” said Natasha pointing out that nowadays, younger men and women are prospering as footballers, boxers, artistes and as models.

“My goal in five years is to be like my mother, and I believe it will take less than my prediction,” says Natasha.

Earning a living as a general trader, Ms. Otensia Kunda, born on 28^th April 1993 at Ndola Central Hospital, has a four-old son, Isaac Kunda, in Grade 2 at Great North Road Academy.

Otensia regard her mother as double parent, as she has never seen her father, the late Simon Kunda.

“I have never seen my father, as he died while mother was pregnant, this loss of a father-figure in my life is compensated by my mother’s presence,” said Otensia.