Chinese Chamber Donates 200 Hospital Beds and 200 Sewing Machines to First Lady’s Office

By The Zambian Economist Analyst | 30 October 2026

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Zambia (CCCZ) has handed 200 hospital beds and 200 sewing machines to the Office of the First Lady of the Republic of Zambia, with the items destined for hospitals and women’s cooperatives that have not yet received such support. Her Excellency Mrs. Mutinta Hichilema received the donation at a ceremony held in Lusaka today.

In receiving the donation, the First Lady expressed gratitude to CCCZ, noting that the hospital beds and sewing machines will make a meaningful difference in the lives of many Zambians and support her Office’s work in improving healthcare and promoting economic empowerment.

She said the donated items will benefit hospitals and cooperatives that are yet to receive such support. She also observed that improving the lives of Zambians requires collective effort beyond government, pointing to the partnership with CCCZ as part of that effort.

What the donation actually is

The gift is a joint contribution from five companies under the CCCZ umbrella: Sanhe Manufacturing Zambia Limited, Wonderful Group, JCHX Mining Construction Zambia Limited, Good Time Steel Company Zambia Limited, and Lian Chao and Yue Ventures Limited. CCCZ President Mr. Li Tie said the donation is intended to support women’s empowerment and contribute to the well-being of Zambian citizens, and he thanked the member companies that funded it.

The mix of items tells its own story. Hospital beds are a direct input into a health service where equipment gaps remain common in district facilities. Sewing machines are productive assets: placed with cooperatives, they become income-generating tools rather than consumables.

The diplomacy behind it

Speaking at the same ceremony, Ms. Etambuyu Anamela Gundersen, Permanent Secretary for International Relations and Cooperation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, said the donation reflects the warm relations between Zambia and China.

Ms. Gundersen said Zambia-China relations are anchored in mutual respect, cooperation and a shared commitment to improving the well-being of citizens. She described the donation as a shared investment in human development, community empowerment and the strengthening of bilateral ties.

China remains one of Zambia’s largest trading partners and a major source of foreign direct investment, particularly in mining, construction and manufacturing. Donations of this kind from the Chinese business community in Zambia sit alongside the larger commercial relationship.

What it means for business and policy

For the cooperatives that receive the sewing machines, the practical question will be follow-through: training, materials and market access determine whether a donated machine becomes a livelihood. For hospitals receiving the beds, the equipment eases pressure on facilities whose budgets for capital items are often tight.

The First Lady’s point about collective effort beyond government is one that has shaped Zambian social policy debates for years. Corporate social investment from the private sector, foreign and local, has become a visible supplement to public services in health and skills development.

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