Patricia Kamnkhwani

Nationality: Malawian

ABI Class: Class of 2018 - Valedictorian

Current Position: CEO of Bioternity Ltd.

My dream was always to become a career woman. I faced many hurdles in the journey but I am now starting to realise my dreams. My husband fell ill with cancer in 2015 and died in December of the same year. Left with two children and with no income, I bounced between businesses in 2016, sewing and supplying snacks to buses. 

I had started sewing when I was young, without any formal training, making skirts for myself and my sister. But with time, I started to believe more in what I was doing. Ideas started to flow. I started making picnic bags, laptop bags, picnic mats, poof cushions, and more. 

In 2018, I joined ABI and graduated valedictorian of the class. Now an ABI alumni and member of the global ABI family, I look back and realise that I am on a whole different level, fully packed with business knowledge and relevant skills. Through ABI, I now understand what a Christian business should be like. I understand that a business must meet a need in society. ABI helped me to dream big.

 I am now a trained entrepreneur and CEO of Bioternity, a company that I started with four other ABI classmates. We make organic biofuels from agricultural waste to be used as alternatives to traditional charcoal and firewood. I look forward to greatly contributing to my country’s development by providing a sustainable solution to Malawi’s grave deforestation and fuel shortage problems. 

Apply by June 30th, 2019 for ABI Class of 2019, starting in August 2019

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Watch Bioternity Team Pitch to Investors at the 2019 ABI Investor Fair

Lucy Marunga

Nationality: Ugandan

ABI Class: Class of 2017

Current Position: CEO of Pearl Trek Adventures

After law school (2011), finding concrete and stable employment was a daunting task which rendered me part of the staggering unemployment statistics of our country. I spent roughly two years helping out with my father’s business. It was an experience that changed my entire outlook and attitude towards business and prompted a desire in me to set up something that is my very own.

It has been hard to explain to family and peers why I would want to “shelve a promising and lucrative” legal career in favor of Christian ministry. Our education system trains us to be more of job-seekers, to get and stay in corporate employment instead of being innovative job creators. I am beyond grateful to ABI for the platform it has given me to see my vision come to life. I believe businesses should have social impact through engaging with communities. I strongly believe ABI has given me the platform and opportunity to achieve these objectives, serving my community and God’s kingdom through Pearl Trek Adventures, an outdoor sports company I founded upon graduating ABI. PTA aims to use sports as a tool to reach out to disadvantaged youths and women in Uganda. 

I enrolled for ABI program in 2017. I have had the honor of being exposed to world class Christian instructors who were very patient with and equipped me with the skill-set and knowledge I needed to bring my dreams to life.

ABI has walked with PTA every step of the way from ideation to start up and now we are looking to scale the business together with ABI. I am beyond grateful to the entire ABI family for the support on my journey as a female entrepreneur.

Apply by June 30th, 2019 for ABI Class of 2019, starting in August 2019

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Watch Pearl Trek Adventures’ recent movie ad

Eunice Chimphoyo Banda

Nationality: Malawian

ABI Class: Class of 2017

Current Position: Co-founder of Zayane Creations

My passion is to see positive change in struggling women and girls. Sexually abused at 15 years old, I dropping out of primary school, experienced rejection, and struggled to raise a child in poverty.  I joined the ABI family in its inaugural class of 2017 in Uganda where I learned business skills and, inspired by my own experiences, co-founded Zayane Creations.

Zayane Creations specializes in making premium jewelry, bags, gift packaging, shoes and other accessories. But the most important thing is that we employ, train and equip vulnerable women. We work hard to empower them economically, socially, spiritually and psychologically, as well as advocate for their access to essential social and health services. 

Through ABI’s support, Zayane Creations started its operations in February 2018 in Malawi, and has since reached out to a total of 178 women. Furthermore, “skills clubs” have been born out of Zayane's trainings in Lilongwe and Chitipa. Women are making products together in teams, selling them and sharing the income. Now economically empowered, some women have enrolled their children back to school. In five years, the company seeks to reach at least 500 women across Malawi. 

ABI has taught me that you do not inspire others by telling them how great you are, but by helping them discover the greatness in themselves. Zayane Creations is striving to help vulnerable women and girls to discover the greatness in themselves. As Paul Shane Spear once said, "As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” Zayane Creations to changing the world of vulnerable women - one product at a time!

Apply by June 30th, 2019 for ABI Class of 2019, starting in August 2019

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