The Sisters’ Path to the Prestigious Opus Prize

I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit congregation of Zambia for winning the prestigious Opus Prize Foundation Award. This international recognition affirms not only the significance of their ministry but also the resilience and innovation. They have consistently demonstrated strongly reinforced values through their participation in the Sisters Blended Value Project (SBVP) and the capacity-building support provided by Strathmore University. It is through this journey of learning, coaching, and transformation that my story with the congregation unfolds – a story that began long before the award and one that showcases the grit, vision, and quiet determination that continue to shape their mission.

In 2024, the sisters from the Religious Sisters of the Holy Spirit congregation were nominated by their superior, Mother Rosalia Sakayombo, to participate in the SBVP – Social Entrepreneurship Program (SEP) Scale held in Lusaka, Zambia. Before long, Sr. Lontia was elected the class president for the program at the beginning of the module by her fellow sisters. Sr. Lontia, Sr. Edna, and Sr. Mariana, all very calm and soft-spoken sisters, joined the training armed with a vision. The vision was James Corboy Secondary School, which was a plan on a piece of paper at that time. The sisters, with enormous grit, undertook the training and coaching, faithfully attending all sessions together. The sisters seemed to have figured out everything except one thing: a dormitory for the learners. Despite the limited funds, the sisters had a plan for setting up the school. However, when it came to the dormitory, they seemed to have no idea where the funds would come from. It was during this SBVP training that the sister met with Dr. Njiraini, a certified coach who also serves as a senior faculty member at Strathmore University and the academic and research lead at SBVP. During one of our interview with Sr. Mariana, she remarked, “I would like to thank our coach Dr. Njiraini, she challenged us to think of what we have and use it  for the time being as we look for alternatives zaas we save some funds from the fees…, it is at this point that we opted to convert one classroom that was not in use to become a dormitory.”

Fast forward to June 2025, during an impact visit in Zambia, we reunite with Sr. Mariana and Sr. Lontia in Mazabuka, in the Southern province, approximately 125 kilometres south of Lusaka, a three-hour drive away. Upon arrival, we are impressed by the beautiful facility the sisters have established – the James Corboy Secondary School. We are curious to see how the sisters co-created the dormitory specifically. Before long, we were on the school tour, and all of us were amazed by the brilliance of the whole process. The class, now the dormitory, is the last room on the first floor, strategically positioned at the junction of the ramp heading downstairs and the wide balcony walkway serving the first floor. What a perfect fit. One would assume that the room was designed to be a dorm. Inside the dorm, there are very well-spaced bunk beds with a pink theme. What a spectacle! As we left the premises on our way south to meet another congregation in Choma, we couldn’t help but talk about the school. We kept scrolling through the photos. Our hearts were full. Truly, it is not always about the donation; sometimes, we have all we need, it is just a matter of thinking outside the box, and outside the box, the sisters dared to step. The school was opened in January 2025, and so far, so good.

Having opened the school and crossed that hurdle, the sisters knew deep down that this was just a makeshift solution, and they had to strive to make ends meet. A permanent solution was needed; a dormitory was inevitable. The students were flocking in at a fast pace. The sisters kept saving every Kwacha they got, knocking on doors and reaching out to friends and funders.  Looking for funds is not the easiest thing to do; the sisters had this in mind, and that is the reason they opted to start where they were with the little they had. With an incomplete school but armed with determination and skills, the problem was half-solved; the solution for the other half was nigh! They continued knocking on doors and writing project proposals.

My phone beeped at 0715 am on Friday, 14th November 2025, it was Sr. Lontia who sent me a WhatsApp message. Her congregation had just won the prestigious Opus Prize Foundation Award a day earlier, a USD 1 million award. Sr. Rosalia Sakayombo, who is the superior of the congregation and Sr. Juunza Mwangani were feted in the award event that was held at Xavier University in Louisiana, USA.  You know what that means to the kids and the community!

 Article by Paul Bikundo