Home › Who We Are › Our Story
OUR STORY
From a Simple Idea to
Lasting Change
A story of hope, resilience and a belief that people can create better futures when they are given a chance.
People
Opportunities
Lasting Change
HOW IT STARTED
A Personal Experience.
A Bigger Purpose.
Growing up in Zambia, the realities of poverty and unequal access to opportunity were impossible to ignore. Limited access to education, skills and markets affected real people, real families and real communities.
A Chance for Change Foundation (C4C) was born from a desire to respond to these realities by creating practical opportunities that empower people, especially young people, to build better lives for themselves, their families and their communities.
Stronger
Communities
Brighter
Futures
John Sakala
Founder & Executive Director
“With the right opportunity, anyone can build a better future.”
THE FOUNDER'S STORY
Where the Vision Began
I lost my father when I was five, and I was raised by my mother, who worked as a maid. Growing up with limited resources, while surrounded by friends who had more opportunities, gave me an early and powerful understanding of how much a person's life can be shaped by the opportunities they are given.
Those experiences made me determined to change things, not just for myself, but for others too. I believed that with the right opportunity, people can transform their lives and build a better future.
While at university, I began turning that belief into action. In my second year, I invested part of my meal allowance in a small poultry business, starting with 50 chickens. The income from that enterprise helped me take the first steps toward what would later become A Chance for Change Foundation.
C4C was formally established in 2021, initially focusing on entrepreneurship. As we worked with communities, we saw that agriculture was central to people's livelihoods. This led us to expand into agricultural value chains, connecting production with markets, finance and long-term support.
What started as a simple idea has grown into an organisation working to expand opportunity, strengthen resilience and support more sustainable pathways out of poverty.
WHERE IT
ALL BEGAN
50
chickens in John's first
poultry enterprise
2021
C4C formally
established
One belief
Opportunity can
change a person's future.
Same
Passion
Bigger
Impact
OUR JOURNEY
Key Milestones
From a small beginning to a growing organisation, here are some of the key milestones in our journey.
The idea took shape while at university.
A Chance for Change Foundation was formally established.
Expanded our programmes and partnerships.
Launched the ABE chilli out-grower scheme.
Increased our reach and strengthened market linkages.
Growing our impact across more communities.
Investing in People
Growing Possibilities
Learning, Adapting and Growing
OUR EVOLUTION
Our journey has been one of learning, resilience and partnership. We have continuously adapted to the changing needs of the communities we work with, deepening our focus on practical solutions, sustainable approaches and long-term impact.
Today, C4C is recognised as a trusted development partner, working alongside communities, government institutions, civil society, the private sector and international partners to create a more inclusive and prosperous Zambia.