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Anna Orlia Chifungula

Being the first woman to be appointed Auditor General in Zambia's Ministry of Finance already makes Anna Orlia Chifungula special, but the fact that she acts as mother to 20 children means she leads an extraordinary life.

As well as having three sons of her own, she is now caring for the children of five late sisters at her home in Lusaka. Not surprisingly, she lists one of her hobbies as "playing with the children".

When she attained her ACCA qualification in 1996, Anna Chifungula became the first qualified accountant within the Zambian civil service. She was asked to head the internal audit service and rose to the position of Permanent Secretary - Financial Management. In the summer of 2003, President Levy Mwanawasa appointed her as Auditor General. "I think I can achieve many positive things in this role," says Anna.

Anna has always been interested in accounting from an early age. "I used to raise money for my secondary school in Lusaka by selling tomatoes. I would sell them in different dishes and then work out how much each dish would give me. I would spend all day trying to work out my profit! When I left school, I decided to work for the Ministry of Finance because I enjoyed dealing with money. I joined the salary section as a clerical officer however I felt it would be a challenge for me to move up through the ranks, so I started looking into accounting qualifications - finally choosing ACCA after advice from colleagues.

Anna says that the qualification has enhanced and widened her abilities and capabilities "It has widened and opened up many doors and opportunities. The professional skills I have acquired have led to an improvement in my work and efficiency. The status of the ACCA qualification and its international reputation have improved my standing in society. I am viewed in high esteem because of the contribution which I am making.

"ACCA brings me many benefits beyond status and attractive remuneration. I am able to keep up to date with modern business practice through updates on technical issues, events and trends in the profession worldwide. I am also able to refresh my accounting skills through continuing professional development. All these benefits give me a real sense of belonging to a global accounting family."