The Zambia Union of Nurses and Midwives Organisation (ZUNMO), under its Girl Child Education Fund (GCEF) initiative, successfully hosted the 2025 “Meet & Greet” from 22nd to 24th April 2025 at ZUNMO Headquarters in Lusaka.

ZUNMO Vice President for Professional Affairs Ms. Chimuka Sikapoto, interacting with the girls during the ZUNMO GCEF ‘Meet and Greet’ event in Lusaka.

This transformative three-day event brought together twenty girls from all ten provinces of Zambia — the proud beneficiaries of GCEF — for an unforgettable experience of learning, engagement, and inspiration. ZUNMO Vice President for Professional Affairs Ms. Chimuka Sikapoto, the General Secretary Mr. Martin Muloongo, and ZUNMO staff actively interacted with the girls throughout the event, offering mentorship and guidance.

✨ Event Highlights Included:

  • Introduction to the work and mission of ZUNMO
  • Workshops on Personal & Interpersonal Development, Mental Health, and Financial Literacy
  • Testimonies and

    ZUNMO-GCEF initiative beneficiaries having fun and bonding while learning decision making techniques and teamwork.

    motivational talks from current GCEF beneficiaries

  • Career guidance sessions with health professionals
  • A special visit and interaction session at the National Heart Hospital
  • Educational tours including the Lusaka National Museum, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and a drive around the City of Lusaka.

To ensure comfort and safety, ZUNMO provided full sponsorship — including transport and meals — for all participants and accommodation for the girls from outside Lusaka.

The ‘meet and greet’ event was a celebration of progress, purpose, and the limitless potential of the girl child.

ZUNMO-GCEF beneficiaries interacting with healthcare professionals at National Heart Hospital, in Lusaka

ZUNMO implements GCEF Initiative supported by the Florence Nightingale International Foundation (FNIF), the charitable arm of ICN. The Girl Child Education Fund (GCEF) was launched in 2005 with the mission of supporting access to education for the orphaned daughters of nurses in developing countries.  The initiative has been running in Zambia for close to17 years, having enrolled over 100 girls in Zambia, to date. ZUNMO keeps twenty girls (20 girls) on the program per year.

The GCEF provides an opportunity to girls to access education without finances acting as a barrier, acting as proof that nurses and midwives care for each other beyond service.