AT the age of 23, while her peers are mostly focused on current fashion trends, or plot ways on how to milk sons of Solomon out of their cash for a soft life, Tionenji Banda is creating a legacy while also uplifting others through her cleaning services.
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The young CEO of Tio’s Cleaning Space, a thriving cleaning and domestic service business, has built her company from the ground up, fueled by a relentless drive to escape poverty and create a better life for herself and others.
Born the eldest in a family of 10, Tionenji’s childhood was far from ordinary.
At just 11 years old, she was forced to take on the burdens of a family struggling with her mother’s mental illness and her father sickness.
As her mother’s mental health deteriorated, she was sent to live with her aunt, only to suffer abuse at the hands of her uncle.
Trapped in a cycle of poverty, she was forced to endure this violation in silence, as her family prioritised their financial well-being over her safety.
Faced with constant hunger and instability, Tionenji began offering her services as a cleaner and clothes washer to her community.
This wasn’t just a job, it was a means of survival.
“I would weep into the night, questioning my very existence. Death seemed preferable to a life riddled with hunger. Every night I would wonder, why am I here?” she shared.
“Hunger didn’t allow for much contemplation. I knew I had to take risks.”
Despite the immense challenges, she never gave up on her education, managing to complete her Grade 12 in 2018.
Tionenji’s determination paid off. After finishing school, she relocated to Ndola, where she formally established Tio’s Cleaning Space.
Her business now employs eight young Zambians, and she has ambitious plans to expand to Lusaka.
“My goal is to help other youths with something to do, because I know how it feels to not do anything,” she said.
For Tionenji, leadership isn’t about sitting in an office; it’s about being involved in the action on the ground.
She works alongside her employees, to show commitment and a hands-on approach which she credits to her difficult upbringing.
“I have a spirit of risk-taking. I can even knock on a stranger’s door and ask for water or accommodation, and I can adapt,” she boldly stated.
“Balindekeleshako mukukula kwandi, I didn’t know how to…behave like a child, I didn’t have that kind of upbringing. If it weren’t for my desire to belong, I would have become a street kid but I fought hard.”
She urged her fellow youths to identify their strengths and turn them into opportunities, regardless of any obstacles that may arise.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba September 4, 2025
