Day 14- Crossing Borders, Crafting Opportunity

We began just after sunrise, loading the bus in the soft quiet of a Botswana morning and making our way toward the Kazungula border. The journey into Zambia — just under 90 minutes — carried us across both an international line and a widening awareness of how leadership takes shape in different cultural and economic landscapes. Here, the Zambezi River doesn’t simply divide nations; it connects livelihoods, histories, and futures.

Our first stop after crossing into Zambia brought us to the Wayawaya Project, a women-led social enterprise rooted in the belief that sustainable progress comes not from handouts, but from shared ownership and skill. Iris, the founder, welcomed us with a grounded confidence that comes from building something slow, deliberate, and deeply human. She doesn’t make the bags herself — instead, she creates pathways for local women to learn the craft, earn income, and invest in their own families’ futures. The project’s name, Wayawaya — meaning “the art of wasting time” — reflects its values: that slow fashion has purpose, that quality work takes patience, and that community resilience is built one stitch at a time.

In a country where nearly 60% of employed women work in the informal sector without steady wages or protections, Iris knows charity alone cannot transform a community. Wayawaya is a registered nonprofit, ensuring that profits are reinvested directly into the nearby village to strengthen infrastructure, expand employment, and even explore new ventures like banana production — a crop with promising market potential across the value chain. “The best way we can make a difference in our communities is by strengthening the value chain,” she told us, her conviction unmistakable. “Charity isn’t durable — but employment is.” In that sunlit workshop, surrounded by purposeful hands and vibrant craft, it was clear: leadership, for Iris, is economic empowerment made tangible — and dignity woven into every product that leaves the room. We were also treated to a phenomenal lunch from Taco Party, whose locally sourced ingredients and entrepreneurial spark reminded us that leadership takes many forms — even in the meals that sustain a community. Their hot sauce was so good it sparked a flurry of orders on the spot, and the team kindly delivered bottles straight to our hotel — a small gesture that spoke volumes about hospitality and heart.

In the afternoon, we shifted from craft to play — from the quiet concentration of a sewing machine to the spirited shouts of a dusty soccer pitch. At Play It Forward, young leaders are building community through sport, mentorship, and creative expression. Nearly half of Zambia’s population is under 18, and many children navigate environments where belonging and safety and opportunity are not guaranteed. Yet here, laughter cut through the heat, confidence grew with every pass of the ball and older youth guided the younger ones with pride and a sense of responsibility. The coaches — many of whom once stood on that same field as kids — now stand as role models, proof that leadership does not require permission. “Play can be a doorway into purpose, confidence, and belonging,” one staff member shared. We saw it unfold in real time.

As the sun lowered behind the trees, we reflected on what the day had revealed: the borders that matter most are not drawn on maps. They exist in the distance between potential and access, between talent and opportunity. Leadership grows when people are trusted to create opportunity — whether through the arc of a soccer ball or the careful stitching of leather into something beautiful and useful. Day 14 affirmed what our journey continues to reveal: great leadership doesn’t draw boundaries — it crosses them. It invests in others until their voices grow strong enough to carry the story forward. And it shows up wherever human dignity is being shaped, stitched, or coached into existence.

With endless gratitude,

Theresa, Cameron and Class 54