Fierce and driven, Kachusha Nkosha is a global health expert and WASH innovator. With deep roots in northern Zambia, she learned from her parents at a young age the importance of perseverance and living in the present. In this interview. Kachusha shares her journey from a midwife to becoming a leading female voice in the WASH sector. Hear more about how from her experience as a midwife acted as a catalyst to becoming a leading innovator for health prevention.
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Where were you born and raised in Zambia?
I was born in the northern part of Zamiba, which is called ‘Kawamwa’ in the Luopula province. Zambia has 10 provinces with a lot of districts, so the northern part was where I was born, but I settled and grew up mostly in the central town. This area is called the copper belt, which represents Zambia’s biggest mineral. I did most of my nursing there- 10 years of nursing and then I ran away and joined the WASH sector about 2 years ago. I am still passionate about giving back to the nursing community
How do you feel like your early environment growing up in northern Zambia shaped your passion for being a midwife?
Growing up, I was always the youngest child and I was the smallest. I didn’t know what I wanted to do until later on when I was in my late teens that I wanted to do something with computers. My dad pushed that I do something in nursing and, in African culture, you always respect your parents and even in career. My fear with nursing was that you have to be a good person to be a nurse, you can’t afford to mess up because the people that are sick really need you smiling 24/7. I think it still worked out well, so I’d always seen sick people, i’d always seen vulnerable people, and it felt like the right thing to do.
When I was young, I had a suit that was a small, tiny, weaved, white top and dress, and everyone would tell me that I’m going to be a nurse. I didn’t know what that meant, but I think it’s those conversations that framed who I later became, and I got to love the work after just joining nursing school because I had to live and be part of my profession even before joining. After being told that my great-grandmother was a midwife, it made me pursue midefery after doing the general nursing school.
Tell me about your mom and dad, were they tough?
I think we always joke with other friends that our dads were really tough, but later reflected that to raise tough women, we needed tough dads. He is a very, very good and happy soul. He is just retired and one of the best teacher in the copper belt. He used to teach secondary school in both accounting and finance, so most of the people I would meet in banks would see my name and know Mr. Angkosha was my dad and I would be proud to know that he contributed greatly. He was a single dad because my mom passed away when I was really young, but later remarried a very good woman who raised us. At the end of the day we had that balance, but he was really strict.
People tell me I really resemble my mom. When you see a picture of her, you’ll be like, “aren’t you the same person?” She was a tough woman, she died when I was five in a car accident. She framed how I perceive life. I don’t take life for granted- I don’t argue with people or hold grudges because I learned from her that life is so uncertain. One minute you’re around; the other, you’re gone. Even in a relationship, if a man is argumentative, I know this is not for me. I’ve learned to appreciate life through losing her. Overall, a kind, creative woman. I think I do take after her a lot.
You have won many awards, which achievement means the most to you?
I think my greatest achievement was being recognized at Provincial Labor for Infection Prevention and Control. That was even before transitioning into midwifery, but that helped to frame how I later perceived life and how I later moved on to mentor others on how to be ready before opportunities come. I didn’t wait to be trained- I read more. I believe in continuous development and that framed how I later did things because I was recognized for that effort.
How do you see your work with women in global health and youth programs creating systemic change?
Women in global health has been one of the greatest platforms that has created allyship, more of a sisterhood, because we have a lot of women in leadership facing similar things. We come together to reflect and see how to keep our feminine side while being in male dominated places. Women in global health has really helped to change how I perceive life and the gender transformation component of it is something that I get to live every day because I feel while decisions are made for women, it doesn’t amount to anything if it’s made without them. The community has really helped to build not only my capacities, but it’s helped to frame how I view things, especially using the gender lens. Mostly we get t ofight that gender is about females only, but it helps to strike a balance between seeing males for who they are and females for who they are as well.
What is the greatest piece of advice you have been given that you will never forget?
My dad has always been consistent around saying, “Kachusha, you are the only Kachusha. When you die, we’ll forget about you. Please live your life now.” I have been able to harness opportunities to be able to do things right, to be able to be present for other people, to be able to share pieces of me, even when I can’t share finances- this is what I know. I think that, I have been able to live, not just be alive, but live. There are people who wake up and say no I am depressed and stressed, I can’t do anything. For me, even on my worst days, I’ll show up and no one will even know because I believe and always here him saying, when you die, we’ll forget about you.
It was tough the first time I hear it. When I later reflected, I realized that he’s right. When people die, it’s the close relatives who mourn you for a short time. The other will say their condolences, they won’t know the impact of that. That has been something that I would love to pass on to other girls and women to say, you are here now, but when you are gone, the world still continues to move.
