A LUMEZI woman has turned dusty shelves into one of Chitungulu’s busiest wholesale and retail outlets, thanks to a Constituency Development Fund (CDF) loan.
Besnart Banda, owner of Alibarnk General Trading and Supply in Lumimba Ward of Lumezi District, is reaping the fruits of a K200,000 CDF loan she received in 2024, which has transformed her struggling family grocery into a booming wholesale and retail centre.
Before the loan, her shop was a shadow of itself, with empty shelves and limited stock that barely kept her business afloat.
“Before we were empowered with CDF, our business was at a small scale and we did not have much products on display for sale. But after the empowerment from government, we managed to restock our shop with all these goods,” Besnart said.
According to Lumezi town council, the injection of funds has not only expanded her business but also allowed her to meet the school needs of her four children, buy a small Probox vehicle for running errands between Chitungulu and Lundazi, and consistently repay the loan from weekly profits.
Her story is a shining example of how government empowerment funds, under President Hakainde Hichilema’s New Dawn administration, are transforming ordinary Zambians into responsible entrepreneurs who can manage loans while improving their livelihoods.
Alibarnk General Trading has now become a thriving hub in the valley, fueling Besnart’s dream of one day becoming a multi-millionaire.
Her story adds to the growing chorus of testimonies from rural communities where the CDF has not only built infrastructure but also unlocked doors for women and men with big dreams but limited capital.
By George Musonda
Kalemba September 14, 2025
