Zambian Community in Birmingham

Where they come from

Zambia is a landlocked country in southern Africa, home to Victoria Falls, which it shares with Zimbabwe, and to a thriving copper industry. English is the official language, and Bemba, Nyanja and Tonga are widely spoken. Zambians in Birmingham include healthcare workers, students and professionals.

The community in numbers

At the 2021 Census, out of a city population of 1,144,919, 54 Birmingham residents described their ethnic group as Zambian.

Working for Birmingham

Zambian nurses, carers and doctors work in Birmingham's hospitals and care homes, and Zambian professionals work in education, finance, engineering and business. Zambian students study at the city's universities, many in health and science subjects.

Birmingham grew rich as the city of a thousand trades, and that spirit of making and doing is still strong. Today the trades sit alongside healthcare, education, finance, law, logistics and technology. The Zambian community brings energy to that mix, from people starting small businesses to those caring for patients, teaching in classrooms and keeping homes and workplaces in good repair.

Culture and community life

Nshima, a maize porridge, is the heart of every Zambian meal, eaten with relishes of vegetables, fish or meat. Churches and community groups bring families together, and Independence Day on 24 October is celebrated with music and dance. Zambian music, from kalindula to modern Zambian pop, is played at gatherings, and football is followed with passion, especially since the national team won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012.

Birmingham's strength lies in its variety, and the Zambian community is a welcome part of it. As the city continues to grow and change, that contribution will remain part of the story of a place that has always looked forward.