Fresh from a 10 day drone training in Zambia which was held in March 2026, a new generation of storytellers is taking flights, literally. Meet Ruth Mwalu Manjata and Maxwell Kaluba, two dynamic youths from Zambia’s densely populated slum communities, part of the Know Your City TV network. Alongside fellow pilot Laika Lizimu, they are among the first three licensed drone pilots ready to reshape how communities are seen and heard.

With drones in hand, Mwalu and Maxwell are capturing breathtaking aerial views of Copperbelt Province, documenting resilience, innovation, and the everyday struggles that demand urgent attention. Their footage doesn’t just tell stories; it amplifies voices from informal settlements that have long been overlooked.

This is youth empowerment in action. Through the People’s Process on Housing and Poverty in Zambia, young people from slum areas are being equipped with practical, future-ready skills. They are becoming storytellers, advocates, and agents of change, proving that when youth are empowered, communities rise.

This initiative is part of the Reversing Environmental Degradation in Africa and Asia (REDAA) programme, which unites Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and South Africa to restore ecosystems, strengthen climate resilience, and improve livelihoods.

By equipping women and youth from slum areas with drone skills, the project is enabling high-resolution data collection for planning, advocacy, slum upgrading, and disaster risk management. More than innovation, this is empowerment. Communities are no longer invisible, they are leading change with evidence, knowledge, and confidence.

Today, we celebrate Mwalu, Maxwell, Laika, and their peers, proof that the future of sustainable development is community-led, youth-driven, and sky-high.