Face of Africa Today

David is the brother in law of Tinta, the owner of a restaurant outside of South Luangwa. He just finished college and has a teaching job lined up, but he’s also passionate about art. He painted the murals on the wall of Tinta’s new restaurant, and happened to be helping out in the kitchen when I was there. We had fun looking at his Facebook photo album, where he posts a lot of portraits he makes of friends. I have a feeling the world will be seeing more of David’s work in the future.

Natasha is a licensed pilot who most recently was studying flying in Brampton, Canada. She chose the pilot profession because of her love for travelling, but when asked where she wants to settle down, she says Zambia is her first choice. With more and more tourists seeking the renowned wildlife experiences of Zambia’s Luangwa national parks, there will be a growing need for bush pilots to work in the tourism industry. When we met she was thrilled to be expecting her first baby.

Walking into Mulberry Mongoose, a jewelry business located outside of South Luangwa National Park, visitors are greeted by the jovial sales associate, Sarah. She was raised by a clothing designer, and has aspirations of selling her own designs one day. For now though, she’s perfectly content to be helping bring hand-made, inspired by African nature jewelry to the public. Mulberry’s use of snare wire in their products, and donations to anti-poaching efforts, makes the brand extra special.

Dominique has worked at Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage for 25 years now. During this time he’s become a Senior Handler, and a true specialist in working with chimpanzees. He’s had a wonderful career, participating in exchange programs and studying wildlife in Kenya and Congo, and is now training his son to work with the orphanage when he’s ready. His patience and compassion for the animals was admirable, making my visit to the orphanage unforgettable.