The Zambezi Joy Society

Connecting you with the patterns and makers of Zambia.

Find Your Chitenge Cheer

We invite you on a journey to the market... where a bright and beautiful variety of Chitenge cloths hang one over the other in waiting for new designers to scoop them up and shape them into a multitude of uses.

We’ve selected a few patterns and created Chitenge tablesettings and other items, made by seamstresses, weavers and woodworkers from the Zambezi region, for you to infuse your home, meal times and gifts with Chitenge Cheer.

The kind of cheer that also helps to empower small local business women and men.

TAKE A LOOK AT OUR COLLECTION HERE

Who We Are

The Zambezi Businessladies

We have been working for many years with local artisans close to Royal Chundu, in the villages around us or in the town of Livingstone ~ including women who have empowered themselves through small businesses, making and selling Chitenge designs and other traditional crafts, such as reed and wood items. These are the women behind our shop!

The Men Making & Shaking

Many incredible men around Royal Chundu have created items to accompany the tablesettings, such as napkin holders! Bathrewmeo is our dedicated carver and uses both his hands and feet to create his pieces. Mabi, who lives in the Malambo Village next to us, is the incredible artist behind our hand-carved and beaded Zambezi doorbells - which are available for purchase in the link below.

Ring My Bell!

The Zambezi Influencers

We have expanded our reach of artists and suppliers to incorporate more of the families who continue to inspire us with their can-do, will-do, never-give-up spirit and the love and passion with which they create their goods, here on the banks of the Zambezi River in Zambia.

With Love From Zambia

As our shop grows so will our collections that are available to order! We’re excited to have friendly shipping prices and we are able to deliver to anywhere in the world!

CONTACT US

Small Steps & Good Deeds

We're incredibly grateful for all the support our sweet little shop has garnered thus far! Not only for the joy of sharing our vibrant Chitenge cheer and the patterns of the Zambezi with you, but also because it's meant that our Zambezi makers have been able to bring in an income. And more....! With the profit from our Shop Sales, we've been able to purchase what we set out to from the beginning... an industrial, electric sewing machine for Mrs Njapao, who is creating our beautiful tablecloths for the shop! She has been using an old, non-industrial Flying Dove machine that could only be powered by foot. Her new Juki industrial machine can be powered by electricity or by foot (if load-shedding hits). Mrs Njapao was ecstatic with the new machine! Small steps with huge consequences!

READ MORE HERE >

All Shop Profits Go To The Community

There is so much good that we can do through this new endeavour with the incredible Zambezi Makers! We are so grateful to be able to inject the shop profits into the areas in the local community that need it most, especially during these trying COVID times.

Take a look at where the money from our Online Shop goes!

Our Story

There is so much talent and passion all around us at Royal Chundu! We’ve always endeavoured to support local artists through the lodge as much as possible. And after much interest from our travellers, we’re now sharing these talents with the rest of the world too. It was by combining this dream with my love for colourful Chitenge-infused tablesettings for gatherings, simple or grand, with family or friends, that the Royal Chundu online shop was born. An online marketplace to connect you with the inspiring artisans of Zambia, who constantly keep busy, working and creating, to ensure that they can feed and support their families.

Tina Aponte, Royal Chundu Owner

One of the women creating items for our online shop is Joyce Mutakatala. Joyce worked as a housekeeper at Royal Chundu for many years but is now retired. She helps in the lodge laundry when we are very busy and has been making reed mats for the online shop as she is a very committed grandmother with a big family to care for.

Aggie Maseko Banda, Lodge Manager

Mrs Njapao, who lives in a village neighbouring us at Royal Chundu, made all the napkins and tablecloths for our online shop with her old Flying Dove machine, powered by foot. She is hoping to buy herself an electric, industrial machine to help grow her business. We are hoping to help her achieve this goal!

Hessah Silwebbe, Lodge GM

Featured collection

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It’s all in the details

Come gather ‘round friends

Reeds of revelry