Meet Mama Chanja: The hustler behind the laughs

DAR ES SALAAM: BEFORE the TikTok views, before the mini-series and the auction crowds, Ester Luckson Mwalwisi was just a schoolgirl who made her classmates laugh during graduation plays.

Today, she is Mama Chanja comedian, creator, and businesswoman turning jokes into income.

For her, social media was never only about going viral. It became a stage, a shop, and a salary.

“I started believing in myself because of the comments from my fellow students when we used to perform at school graduations,” she says.

That early applause pushed her to try TikTok.

“I started on TikTok by taking part in different challenges, which helped grow my account and made more people know me,” she explains.

Challenges brought followers. But personality kept them. Her timing, humor, and consistency built a brand people could recognize in one second.

However, audiences now know Mama Chanja with Remy. Their chemistry drives her mini-series and fills comment sections with laughs.

They met in Geita during one of her auction trips.

“During my travels for my auction business, I met Remy. What attracted me most was his sense of humour, which was also well received by the fans,” she recalls.

What started as content turned personal.

“His biggest contribution is that he has become more than just a stranger to me. At this point, he has become part of my family,” she says.

Furthermore, behind the comedy is business. Mama Chanja linked her content directly to her auction business.

“The idea behind starting the mini-series was to attract more customers to my auction business, especially those who follow me,” she says.

It works. Fans watch online, then show up in person.

“They become curious and want to see us live. So, they come to the auctions, and you get the love from the fans while making money at the same time,” she explains.

That crossover has paid off. The income from entertainment helped her buy a car and expand.

Mama Chanja says the biggest lesson is courage.

“If you remove fear and embarrassment, success becomes much easier, even if you do not have a high level of education,” she says.

From school stage to TikTok, to mini-series, to business she calls it a hustler’s journey.

“When you look at where I came from and where I am now, it gives a real picture of a hustler who never gets tired of pursuing her dreams,” she says.

The laughter brought people in. Consistency kept them. And hustle turned them into customers.