Donato Elicio

Donato Giovanni Elicio born in Ruvo di Puglia (Ba) 15.01.1969, married and father of two children, first born‘s name is Vito 17 years old and second born‘s name is Francesca 12 years old. Since 1991up to 2006 I worked for a timber/interior design company as sales manager.

In 2007 Italy started expericing economic crisis that affected the timber industry leaving me without employment, I then decided to move in Zambia, and settled down in Capital City of Lusaka.

In January 2008 with Mr Antonio Sciarrino my partner from Sicily who has lived in Zambia for more than 10 years and is a resident, we started our DO&TO Import Export Ltd.
I remember that when I arrived in Zambia I had a few certainties:

1. To Do Business
2. I wanted a partner… Antonio Sciarrino.

When moving to Zambia as a entrepreneur in my luggage I carried with me all that I could from Italy.

• 10 medical equipment
• My business background
• Pasta
• And the other things I managed through good friends of mine.

Also if my diploma is Land Surveyor and my Father is Farmer that always worked hard in his life, I never thought I would open a company in alimentary trade. Probably because I come from Apulia in south Italy, where agriculture and good food are important in the same way, I realized it could be useful to Zambians, giving them what they could not find easily.

Today, when I look at what I did with my company I realize I didn’t have a prescise objective when coming only thing I knew for sure was that I wanted to work

Fortunately with my desire to work and foundamental support from my Brother and Partner Toni, I defeated all my fears that never took over.

A special thanks to my family, and to my children, also if they were young they were understanding when I left Italy because it was for necessity and not for leave them.

Thanks to Skype I keep in touch with all of them EVERY moment EVERY day!