Traveling can be a wondrous experience as a college student. The late nights partying, taking photos and enjoying new foods create lasting memories that ultimately make college life more fulfilling. For one SCAD student however, a simple college vacation turned into a seven-month charitable project.
Meet Makumbi John Muleba, a creative solutionist emanating from Zambia. He’s a graduate student at SCAD Atlanta, pursuing an M.F.A. in Advertising. He also attained an undergraduate degree in Branded Entertainment with a concentration in television production and a minor in graphic design.
Being a graduate student isn’t the only attribute Muleba can attest to. He is currently working on a thesis, which is “Delivering Sustainable impact to Zambia through the catalytic power of music.” His musical ability among his other talents, laid the foundation for his social initiative project that effectively changed the dynamic for young women in his home country. When asked what his overall goal is in his musical career, Muleba stated: “I am very passionate about my music and it’s been part of my social and creative fabric. My goal is to bring forth sustainable development to communities and Zambia as a whole.”
Subsequently, he also decided to implement the same ordnance in his music through a social initiative project that focused on providing digital literacy training for girls and young women from local communities in Zambia. It was a seven-month project. When asked what the process was like to create this project, Muleba stated: “I used GofundMe to fundraise $2,000 to buy computers and set up a lab so girls and young women from local communities can gain digital literacy and prepare for 21st century opportunities. I partnered with ZAFEC (Zambia Alliance For Empowered Communities for the social initiative, as well as Asikana Network and PrimeTime Radio to facilitate digital literacy training.” He also stated that “This project made me realize my role as a man and how I can use my skill set and platform to help empower women. As a man, I wanted to take a stance on helping girls and young women by using the catalytic power of music to bring awareness to the issue.”
“Of course this project however, wasn’t a simple process” said Muleba. It took him months to be able to provide these young women with the opportunity to attain digital literacy. Nevertheless, at the end of the program, the young women graduated from the program and Muleba received recognition from Zambian government officials.
Finally Muleba had this to say about the inspiration behind the project:
“Growing up I always knew that I wanted my art to impact and transform the lives of people. As a man, the inclusion of women in conversation and opportunities is always something I passionately think about. I grew up in a household that consisted of women and over time, I got to understand the obstacles they face on a day to day basis. Women are most of the time disregarded in conversations of entrepreneurship, leadership and career opportunities through accessibility to ICTs (Information, Communication and Technology). I want to be the catalyst in accommodating women into those opportunity spaces. We currently live in a technologically advanced time, the digital age. Purchasing the computer, accessories and setting up the lab was the most impactful and sustainable thing I thought of. Zambia as a nation is considered a third world country, to me, that’s something I want to change overtime by equipping our youth who are the future generation with skills that can eventually change the world’s narrative on the African continent.”
To contact Muleba about his project or any further opportunities, you may visit him on Instagram, Twitter, or via email: Makumbimuleba@gmail.com
