From Zambia to Hollywood

• Dr Gershom Sikaala’s unusual journey of Faith, Innovation and Investment

DR Gershom Sikaala’s journey from Zambia to Los Angeles has crossed some unlikely territories such as bamboo bicycles, Christian ministry, humanitarian work, entrepreneurship, investment and now Hollywood.

His latest encounter with the entertainment industry came at a private premiere of Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again?, where he was invited by his longtime friend, actor Richard T. Jones, who is part of the film’s cast.

The private gathering brought together actors, producers and other invited industry guests.

For Dr Sikaala, the evening was both personal and symbolic.

“I call it favour. But favour is not just about getting into a room. It is about what you do once God gives you access.”

The statement captures a philosophy that has followed him from his early entrepreneurial activities in Zambia to his current interests in investment, media and film.

The Zambian Innovator

Long before Hollywood, Dr Sikaala was involved in an experiment in African innovation that attracted international attention.

Through Zambikes, he was part of a team that developed bicycles using locally sourced bamboo, demonstrating how an indigenous material could be transformed into a commercial product.

The venture went beyond conventional bicycles, developing cargo bikes, trailers and the bicycle-drawn “Zambulance” to help address transportation challenges in communities where access to conventional ambulances can be limited.

The experience helped shape Dr Sikaala’s approach to enterprise: identify a problem, find a practical solution and build an opportunity around it.

Dr Sikaala is also behind Kabile Consultant Limited that  is expanding Zambia’s mining sector. From its operational 20-hectare mining project in Kasempa, the company is now pursuing the acquisition of approximately 24,000 hectares for large-scale mining.

The vision is to create jobs, develop Zambia’s mineral resources, strengthen local communities, and contribute to the growth of the Zambian economy—starting locally and expanding globally.

His approach to life continues to inform his interests in investment and entrepreneurship, including agriculture, technology, infrastructure and other areas of economic development.

Faith as a foundation

Business, however, is only one part of Dr Sikaala’s story.

Faith has remained central to his identity and public work.

Based in California, he continues his Christian ministry, preaching, teaching and mentoring. His humanitarian interests have also taken him beyond ministry, with initiatives supporting communities in Zambia and vulnerable people in the United States.

He has authored books dealing with faith, purpose, personal development and leadership, including and You Shall Live and Breakthrough Thinking.

For Dr Sikaala, these different pursuits are connected by a belief that influence should produce service and that success should have a wider social purpose.

From business to the big screen

His growing involvement in film represents a new extension of that philosophy.

Through his relationship with Richard T. Jones and his involvement in the Authentic Global Film Festival, Dr Sikaala is developing connections within the American entertainment industry.

Jones is expected to host the festival, scheduled for November 5 through to 7, 2026, in Hollywood.

Dr Sikaala’s interest is not simply in being close to the film industry.

He wants to help create platforms where African filmmakers can showcase their work, meet established professionals and build relationships that could lead to collaboration, distribution and investment.

At the private premiere, he also exchanged thoughts with Hollywood producer and author DeVon Franklin, whose work in inspirational and faith-centred entertainment closely aligns with Sikaala’s interest in values-driven storytelling.

Why Hollywood matters to Africa

For Dr Sikaala, Los Angeles is significant because it brings together several industries that increasingly shape global influence film, media, technology, business and entertainment.

He believes those networks can be connected to opportunities in Africa.

An African filmmaker can gain international exposure. An investor can discover a Zambian opportunity. A creative entrepreneur can find a collaborator. A story from Africa can reach audiences far beyond the continent.

That is where Sikaala sees the potential of his position between Zambia and the United States.

“I love Los Angeles because this city has given me opportunities to influence the world,” he says.

A Bridge between worlds

Dr Sikaala’s career does not fit neatly into a single professional category.

He is a preacher who has pursued entrepreneurship, an entrepreneur involved in philanthropy, and a businessman increasingly interested in media and entertainment.

The common thread is his interest in building connections between ideas, people and opportunities.

For Zambia, he sees potential in attracting investment, promoting innovation and giving local talent greater exposure to international markets.

For African creatives, he sees the film industry as a potential source not only of cultural visibility but also employment, investment and business development.

Favour with a purpose

The Hollywood premiere may have offered Dr Sikaala a rare glimpse behind the scenes of one of the world’s most influential entertainment industries.

But he says the significance goes beyond the occasion itself.

“I am grateful for every door America has opened for me. My responsibility now is to use those doors to create value in America, create opportunities for Zambia, and create platforms that can influence the world.”

From bamboo bicycles in Zambia to business and ministry in the United States, and now relationships within Hollywood, Dr Sikaala’s journey reflects a continuing effort to bring seemingly different worlds together.

His challenge and his ambition is to ensure that the connections he has built translate into something larger than personal achievement.

For him, the real measure of the journey is what those connections can produce for Zambia, Africa and the people who come after him.