Lumbie Mlambo, Advocate for Clean Water and Empowering Women Globally

Lumbie Mlambo is a mother, wife, and graduate from Indiana University South Bend and Texas Woman’s University. An UNA Women’s member, Global Goodwill Ambassador, and a United Nations Global Water Partner, she is an active advocate for clean water and empowering women and girls to lead healthy and fulfilling lives.

FWM: You have dedicated your life to helping others. Why is service so important to you?

Yes, I have. This service is important to me because no one can live a healthy and fulfilled life without clean water. On the most part, our bodies are made of water, so I can’t imagine anyone going without it. Water is a human right! It’s mostly women and girls in underserved and impoverished communities who are disadvantaged. At one of JB Dondolo’s projects at Matobo Hills, women and girls walk 9 miles or more a day to fetch water for their families. This leaves women with no time for anything else. So, how can girls go to school when they have to assist in the collection of water? At school, there are no facilities with water for girls to care for themselves, especially during menstruation periods. The lack of education puts them deeper in poverty. So, if we’re to close the gender equality gap, we need to focus on women and girls first. To me, the best way to do that is to start with water.

FWM: Share your background.

My background is in technology and philanthropy. However, I’m a mother and wife first. I graduated from Indiana University South Bend and Texas Woman’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. I’ve been working in IT for some time now and I love it. However, I’m called to do something greater than myself to help people in need. Empathy is in my DNA and most likely has everything to do with my upbringing in Zimbabwe, Africa.

I stumbled upon the water issue by accident. Perhaps, it was meant to be. The water crisis exposes the ethical issues women and girls face today. So, I feel I have a duty to play my part to uplift those in need.

Through my work with water, I’ve met experts and scientists and learned a lot from them. Every day I learn something new and apply what I learn. My background in technology is a big plus because we live in a digital world where things change fast and we have to act and adapt quickly so we thrive.

FWM: How are you helping to empower women and girls globally?

By listening to women and girls. When I listen, I get to know what people really need and it really helps to know what to give them. Everyone deserves a chance to be heard. If you give those who haven’t spoken a platform to speak, you will be surprised what great ideas they have, ideas that could help shape the world for a better future and grow the economy. It’s so important to empower the voiceless. We need to give women a large space to play.

My main goal is to provide access to clean water. By doing so we help women and girls and the whole family as well. Since women and girls are the ones who are mostly tasked with the collection of water, the best way to get them out of this cycle is to provide water solutions so they can focus on other things such as entrepreneurship and education to improve and advance themselves.

FWM: Tell us about your initiatives to provide clean water.

Water is a human right. It is a basic necessity. Everyone deserves equal access to clean water. The ethical issues that women and girls face with water can be helped. All it takes is action. So, my organization JB Dondolo, Inc. is focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that are in line with our mission: SDG 1 – No Poverty, SDG 5 – Gender Equity, and SDG 6 – Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. We know that women and girls are the most disadvantaged. Collection of water heavily relies on women who must walk miles to fetch water. So, addressing water first, solves the issue. Our initiatives below address these issues.

Music for Water – This is an annual international music competition to find a song that is water inspired while we benefit a community in need. This year I’m happy to say we’ve partnered with Viva Con Agua Music to expand and benefit Skid Row with water, sanitization, and hygiene. The top song winners get a one-time distribution deal with Grand Mountain International Records (G.M.I.R.).

Matobo Hills Water – This initiative is in Zimbabwe, Africa, where women (mostly widows) lack access to clean water. They walk more than 9 miles a day to fetch water. We have engaged our ground manager Dot Bekker and our value partner National University of Science and Technology (NUST) to assist with testing of water in the lab so that we know how to proceed. We’re in the process of digging boreholes and installing hand pumps. Also, we’re making sure these boreholes are located in the community so women and girls don’t have to walk miles to get water.

Sweet Compassion – This initiative is all year around and nationally in USA. We are showing empathy and compassion to the underserved communities and frontline workers who sacrifice their lives for all of us.

We currently have two campaigns active for this initiative:

JBD x I Support The Girls

We are donating face masks (thanks to Vi Bella and Fashion Community Foundation) and hand sanitizers (thanks to our partner Disinfect & Shield) to I Support the Girls Houston who is working with underserved women and girls affected by the Texas winter storm.

JBD x 2 Brothers in the Kitchen

Together with our youth ambassadors “2 Brothers in a Kitchen” and partners “Vi Bella”, “Fashion Community Foundation” and “Disinfect & Shield” we are delivering cookies, face masks and hand sanitizers to underserved communities across the nation.

FWM: You are an UNA Women’s member, Global Ambassador, and a United Nations Global Water Partner. Why is this work so important to you? What are your goals for 2021?

This work is so important to me because of the opportunity to be on global platforms to share my story in hopes to empower women. It’s a blessing to have a voice to amplify what I’ve learned that needs to told. Also, it’s important to know that I’m being recognized for the work I do together with my team at JB Dondolo, it’s motivation to keep pushing and helping women and girls. I cherish and celebrate every honor I receive no matter how big or small.

My goals for 2021 are to grow JB Dondolo team and get more funding so we are able to provide our services to the communities faster and save many lives.

Gender equality is top on our list. We’ve made it “our agenda” to connect with other women on major platforms and amplify our voices and be the change.

FWM: Tell us about your nonprofit JB Dondolo, Inc and Sweet Compassion. How can we help?

JB Dondolo, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit committed to removing barriers of access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in underserved and impoverished communities to reduce poverty and promote gender equity.

The Sweet Compassion campaign is an all year around initiative in USA with our partners where we show empathy and compassion by thanking the underserved communities and frontline workers who sacrifice their lives for all of us. We deliver cookies, hand sanitizers, sanitary products, and face masks.

To help, you can team up with us on this initiative by emailing us at team@jbdondolo.org or going to https://jbdondolo.org to make a donation.

FWM: What are you looking forward to in 2021?

I look forward to the growth of JB Dondolo, Inc. to ensure we impact more communities in need and see more women uplifted and more girls go to school. There is a rise of women movements across the globe to address the issues women face with gender equality. I hope to engage in meaningful and constructive conversations that help to push the needle so that together we can close the gender equality gap and provide women a larger space to play. My hope is that we are effective as changemakers and innovators and create different kinds of opportunities for women and girls.

FWM: Please share your social media links.

LinkedIn: