Esther Lungu facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Esther Lungu
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| 6th First Lady of Zambia | |
| In role 25 January 2015 – 24 August 2021 |
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| President | Edgar Lungu |
| Preceded by | Charlotte Scott |
| Succeeded by | Mutinta Hichilema |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 June 1957 |
| Political party | Patriotic Front |
| Spouse | Edgar Lungu |
| Children | 6 |
Esther Nyawa Lungu (born 2 June 1957) is an important public figure from Zambia. She served as the First Lady of the country. This role is usually held by the wife of the president. Esther Lungu was First Lady from January 25, 2015, to August 24, 2021. She is married to Edgar Lungu, who was the President of Zambia. They have six children together.
Esther Lungu was born on June 2, 1957. Her parents came from Zambia's Eastern Province. She was raised in the Catholic faith. Later, she and her husband became Baptists. As First Lady, she worked to help women and children. She also spoke out against child marriage.
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Who is Esther Lungu?
Esther Phiri was born on June 2, 1957. Her parents were Agnes and Island Phiri. They were from the Eastern Province in Zambia. She grew up following the Catholic faith. Later, she and her husband became Baptists. She once shared how they found their shared faith. "When we first met," she said, "Edgar had his UCZ hymn books while I had my Catholic catechism books, until we eventually found common ground in the Baptist faith."
Becoming First Lady
Her husband, Edgar Lungu, became a government minister in 2011. He held different roles, including Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Defence. In January 2015, he became the candidate for the Patriotic Front party. This was after the death of the previous president, Michael Sata.
Edgar Lungu won the election by a small margin. He became the President of Zambia on January 25, 2015. At that moment, his wife, Esther, became the First Lady of Zambia.
Helping Others as First Lady
As First Lady, Esther Lungu traveled with the President. She attended important meetings in other countries. In 2015, she visited the United States of America. She was invited to a conference at the George W. Bush Institute. There, she talked about helping women. She also discussed health and technology.
She was also invited by the health minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Princess Latifa Bint Abulazis Al Saud also invited her. They discussed ways to support women and children in Zambia. To continue her work, she started the Esther Lungu Foundation in December 2015.
Esther Lungu's Community Work
Esther Lungu created a special fund called the Esther Lungu Foundation Trust (ELFT). This fund helps people who are struggling. It uses methods that are good for the environment. The goal is to improve people's lives. The ELFT focuses on several key areas. These include helping people earn money, improving health for mothers and babies, and ensuring clean water.
Providing Clean Water
The ELFT worked with another group, the Muslim Social and Welfare Trust. Together, they installed hand pumps and boreholes. These are like wells that bring up water from underground. They did this in many places in Chongwe District. This area had a big problem with water shortages. The water levels in the Chongwe River were very low.
Empowering Families
The foundation also worked to find families in need. They believe that helping women can reduce poverty in Zambia. They started working with government ministries. These include the Ministry of Community Development and the Ministry of General Education. Their goal was to help more children go to school.
Health and Support
Esther Lungu has also promoted simple health practices. For example, she suggested that washing hands with soap can greatly reduce childhood illnesses. She has also spoken up for older women in Zambia. She donated money to six women's groups in Chilanga. She was proud when her husband chose a woman as his running mate. This was the first time this had happened in Zambia.
In September 2017, the Special Olympics honored Esther Lungu. They named her the 50th Anniversary Ambassador for the African Region. This was at an event held in Zambia.
