Collins Mbesuma says it is an honourable duty to help a group of widows in his home town Luanshya because he understands the struggles of growing up there.
The ex-Chipolopolo and Kaizer Chiefs striker has some charity work going on in Zambia where he has been running the Collins Mbesuma Foundation since 2020 in Luanshya where he was born and bred.
Mbesuma also began his football career in Luanshya at Roan United.
He said the widow’s assistance project is one-half of the Foundation’s work on top of the football academy that now has 100 boys.
“Before I launched the foundation in 2020, we used to give the widows second-hand clothes to sell but then I was advised to form a foundation because, alone, I could not manage this charity work by myself,” Mbesuma told FARPost.
“The numbers were overwhelming as you would expect and so we divided them into groups because we could not help them all at the same time.”
“We also help empower the widows with a little cash for their small businesses.
“For example, for those that sell vegetables, we add a little extra on let’s say the two baskets they buy to buy one or two extras to sell.”
Mbesuma added that it hasn’t been easy doing all this from his pocket but would continue helping in every little way he could.
“When I started my Foundation I used to buy Mealie Meal for a few groups to help them with their month-end needs,” Mbesuma said.
“As someone who grew up in Roan Township in Launshya, I know exactly the kind of hardships that my people go through. Every morning is a mission, a mission trying to make ends meet.
“But for now, this initiative is still from my pocket until we can get some funding. It is a slow journey but we will get there eventually. “
