Sylvia Banda is known for her expertise in strategic leadership, resource mobilization, and government relations. Mrs. Banda has served as the Chair of the Zambia Chapter of the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP). With a remarkable 28-year career focused on developing innovative solutions to pressing challenges, Sylvia has built a diverse professional portfolio encompassing entrepreneurship, development, agriculture, and education. She has successfully established four businesses, including a university, emphasizing an inclusive approach that has earned her recognition from corporate organizations, NGOs, and governments.

Her entrepreneurial ventures include Sylva Catering Services and Sylva Food Solutions. The latter serves as a nationwide establishment that trains smallholder farmers to become entrepreneurs, integrating them into the food processing supply chain. Over 20,800 rural farmers, primarily women, have benefited from training in pre- and post-harvest handling.

Sylvia is also a groundbreaking innovator, having more than 67 local and international awards. She made history by being the first person to can free-range village chicken and goat meat, and developing a world-first soup formula featuring moringa and assorted vegetables. Passionate about promoting local food cultivation and consumption, she has contributed to the nutritional landscape of Zambia. Additionally, she has developed formulas for highly nutritious moringa and orange maize cereal porridge for Zambia’s school feeding program, which is in international demand.

Sylvia is a proud Ashoka Fellow, part of a global network of innovators dedicated to social change. Her inspiring journey has been featured in various publications, including the BBC’s “African Dream,” where she shared her passion for Zambian cuisine and discussed the importance of training rural farmers to boost the agricultural economy and improve national nutrition. Among her accolades is the Top 6 Excellent African Women Entrepreneurship Award from Enterprise Africa received in January 2001. And the Woman of the Year award from the American Biographical Association in January 2000.