MWAKA LENGALENGA
Lusaka

TWO Zambian students from St. Mary Queen of Peace have made their school proud by winning first prizes at this year’s 98th Zambia Agricultural and Commercial Show. Chizinga Lusungu, a Grade 12 learner, won first prize for Best Overall Design and Technology.
Chizinga entered the competition with a creative idea called Trade Mart, a platform that will help small traders do business more easily.
For the competition, Chizinga designed a model of a building that represented the website. Although the website was only an idea and not fully working, it showed how technology could help people trade.

Chizinga said the idea came from seeing hardworking Zambian traders, such as people who sell local products to visitors. Many small business owners want to reach more customers but find trading rules and documents difficult to understand.
She said the Trade Mart idea will explain these documents in simple language so that beginner traders can learn and grow their businesses.
“I wanted to create something that would help traders and make trading easier for everyone,” Chizinga said. Chizinga, who is also the president of the school’s JETS Club, said joining the competition was a way of inspiring other club members to dream big and work hard. After finishing school, Chizinga hopes to study civil engineering because of a love for designing structures and helping communities.
“I want to contribute to society and make the world a better place, Young people should use their ideas to solve problems and help protect our future,” she said. Another winner was Renita Ngulube, a Grade Four learner from Mary Queen of Peace School, who won first prize for her essay on Fostering Trade and Investment.
In her essay, Renita explained why Zambia is a great place for trade and investment.
She wrote that the country’s peace and political stability make it easier for businesses to invest and grow. Renita’s mother, Joyce Ngulube, said she was proud of her daughter for working hard on the research.
“She spent time asking questions and learning about trade, investment, and what attracts businesses to Zambia,” Joyce said. “She discovered that Zambia’s political stability and investment incentives make it a good place for investors.”