A 15-year-old girl from Zambia has made an amazing discovery that could help save lives. Mwape Chimpampa is a Grade 11 student at Naboye Secondary School in Kafue. She has created an organic sunscreen. This sunscreen is designed to protect people with albinism from the harmful effects of the sun.
Her sunscreen, called The Organic Sunscreen, is being developed with help from the Zambia Research and Development Center (ZRDC). The center is working to help her make more of the product so that it can be used by many people.
For Mwape, this project is very personal. Her father passed away from skin cancer in 2017. She believes that if he had access to sunscreen, he might still be alive.
“My father died because he couldn’t afford sunscreen. I wanted to make something that would help people like him,” she said.
Sunscreen is not produced locally in Zambia. Also these frequently priced too high, making it unaffordable for many, particularly those living in rural areas. This is a big problem for people with albinism, who need sunscreen to protect their skin from the sun.
Mwape’s sunscreen is made from natural, locally found ingredients. It has an SPF of 22, which protects better than the recommended SPF 15 for people with albinism. Plus, it’s cheap and simple to use. The sunscreen comes in a spray form and works for many different skin types.
Dr. Chisala Bwalya from ZRDC says Mwape’s invention is a big step forward. “This sunscreen can help save lives and inspire other young people in Zambia to come up with solutions to real problems,” he said.
The 2024 National Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists (JETS) Competition took place in Lusaka. Mwape’s project was acknowledged among the top entries in that competition. Because of this, ZRDC began supporting her with training, advice and money to help improve the product.
The team working on the sunscreen includes doctors, health experts and local farmers. They are now testing the product and preparing to make more of it in Zambia.
Dr. Bwalya is asking leaders in Zambia and across Africa to support projects like Mwape’s. He suggests giving grants, tax support, and setting up partnerships to help turn good ideas into real products.
He also wants sunscreen to be included in basic healthcare services, so that everyone especially people with albinism can access it.
Mwape dreams of becoming a biochemist one day and hopes to create even more health products in the future. “I want to make sure sunscreen is available and affordable for everyone,” she said.
With about 30,000 people living with albinism in Zambia, this sunscreen could help many people avoid skin cancer and live healthier lives.
Mwape Chimpampa’s innovation is more than just a scientific breakthrough it’s a powerful example of how young people can create real change. With the right support, her organic sunscreen could improve lives across Zambia and beyond, proving that even the smallest ideas can have a big impact.
This invention is not just a product it’s a sign of hope, showing what young people can do when they are supported. This also proves that anyone, regardless of location can generate great ideas.
