PROJECT INSPIRE SPEAKS WITH MALUNGA NEPHAN FRANK

 

Influenced by his childhood,Malunga Nephan Frank is passionate about helping communities solve local problems through local ideas. In this interview with Project Inspire Africa,Nephan shares his story.

 

  Can we meet you?

Yes. My name is Malunga Nephan Frank, a 30-years-old Zambian citizen. My hobbies are reading, writing (books and poems), acing, and innovating.

 

Tell us briefly your childhood experience.

I am the only child of my parents who went their separate ways when I was just seven years old. As a result of their divorce, I did not have an easy childhood. I was moved from an urban area where I had easy access to basic and quality needs of life to a rural area where hardship became the norm of the day. And it is from there that my journey started. This sudden change decorated my academics with different challenges. I was in and out of school because of unpaid school fees and had to repeat classes on many occasions even when my mates were promoted to the next class. But I am grateful that I was still able to finish school.

 

What’s your educational background?

 Even though I had a rough journey academically at some point, I was able to get into the university. I attended Jacaranda High School (Grades 1-2),Seya Basic School(Grade 2-3), Jacaranda High School (Grades 3-4),Johnlegend Basic School(Grade 4-5),Chimphundu Basic School(Grade 6-7) and finally St.Stephen’s Mbwindi Mission School(Grades 8-12),all in Zambia. Today I hold a bachelor degree in natural sciences and I am currently pursuing a medical degree at the University of Zambia School of Medicine.

 

What are your contributions towards making your country a better place?

I have been a very active citizen. I have participated,promoted,advocated and initiated many development projects for the benefit of my nation. I am the founder of The Scientific Initiatives for a Healthy and Developed Zambia(SiHDZ). Our main mandate at the Scientific Initiatives for a Healthy and Developed Zambia is to identify and promote and support local scientific community ideas, initiatives and innovations that seek to provide solutions to locally faced community challenges in order to create sustainably healthy and developed communities. Some of the activities that we do as SiHDZ fall within thematic areas including but not limited to;

1.    Community Health Promotion and Infection prevention activities

2.    Socioeconomic and developmental activities i.e. girl child empowerment, community capacity building and child education promotion and support

3.    Community Disaster Risk reduction and Environmental health activities

4.    Students programs

5.    Mental health

What steps did you take to bring your vision to fruition?

Though the vision hasn’t completely been established accordingly, I had to first internalize the idea. Then I later embarked on assembling the team that would marry into my vision and passion. Secondly, I looked for a startup trainer, built a team and legal registered the organization called Scientific Initiative for a Heathy Developed Zambia shortened as (SiHDZ). It is a non-profit, non- governmental organization founded in 2019 later registered in 2021, under the International NGO Act of 2009 of the Laws of Zambia.

What have been your achievements?

Since starting SiHDZ, we directly and indirectly reached over 5000 people through our different community need assessment activities, rural development programs and health awareness campaigns. Our active engagements online is expanding from district to district in the country. Our organization won 1^st Place on the Now Print Accelerator Program in March 2022. We have also had a lot of collaboration with government agencies and other non-profit organizations. All we want to achieve is to rural problems solved by locally birthed ideas.

What motivated you to do what you are doing? 

My inspiration was drawn out of challenges I personally experienced growing up in a rural community and most of these challenges are still very visible in many rural communities in Africa. My passion is to contribute my quota in solving these problems.

What has been your major challenge since you began your nonprofit?

 The biggest challenge we have faced in funding. But aside funding, is individuality among other youths driving change. Some of these youths are unwilling to collaborate so that we can amplify our message; instead you are seen as a competitor which is not supposed to be so.

How have you been able to raise money to implement your ideas?

Our major source of funding is donations from members of the Initiative. We are still applying for grants and hope to attract international funding soonest.

 

What are your prospects in the next 5 or 10 years?

 To become one of the biggest contributor to health and development for healthy and developed communities within Zambia, Africa and the world at large through authentic, local scientific initiatives.

 

What do you think is the major cause of unemployment in Africa, and how can we get over this?

Our over-dependence on the government to provide employment for its youths has been a major challenge and this is so because of the way we operate our educational system. We need to rejig our education system in a way that empowers our young people to be innovative and solution-based.

If you had an opportunity to speak to presidents in Africa, what would be your message.

Invest more in young people. No nation has a future without its youths. Governments in Africa should concentrate on identifying, promoting, and funding locally birthed ideas and innovation so that we can tame the tides of over importation and achieve the SDGs.

Thank you for reaching your story with us.

it is my pleasure!