Beloved TikTok star and humanitarian Dora Moono Nyambe suddenly dies at age 32 on Christmas Day

TikTok star and humanitarian Dora Moono Nyambe passed away suddenly on Wednesday, December 25, at the age of 32.

The media personality is known for launching her nonprofit organization Footprints of Hope in 2019 and building a school in Zambia.

She had chronicled her journey on social media, where she amassed around 4.2 million followers her TikTok page and 110,000 followers on Instagram.

However, this week, on Friday, December 27, a post was shared on both accounts announcing her shocking death.

It read: ‘It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden departure of our beloved Dora. She will be remembered as a loving mother, heroine, peace philanthropist and an extraordinary woman.”

The caption of the post read: “The program for the funeral of our beloved Dora Moono Nyambe.”

Nyambe’s funeral was originally scheduled for Saturday, December 28, but was subsequently rescheduled to December 30 ‘due to unforeseen issues.’

In a separate post uploaded on Saturday, a message read: “The funeral of the late Dora Moono Nyambe which was initially scheduled for an earlier date has been rescheduled to Monday afternoon, December 30, 2024 due to some unforeseen challenges.”

‘We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding at this difficult time.’

“We would like to thank everyone who has signed up to support us, financially or in other forms,” the caption also said.

“Your kindness and generosity have been a source of great comfort and strength to the family during this time.”

A cause of death has yet to be announced, but just over a week before her death, Dora revealed she had broken her leg in a clip shared on December 15 – but it is unclear if that has any connection to her death.

Earlier this week on Thursday, a fellow teacher who had worked for Nyambe’s non-profit organization also confirmed the teacher’s shock in a video uploaded to her main TikTok page.

“I officially announce the loss of my beloved CEO, director, manager and founder of Footprints of Hope School, who passed away on Wednesday, December 25, 2024.”

She continued, “Our sister is buried here in Mapapa at the Footprints of Hope School. Thank you very much for everything.’

Dora’s final Instagram post before her death was shared earlier this week on Monday – and was a collaboration with YouTuber MrBeast (James Stephen ‘Jimmy’ Donaldson) for Beast Philanthropy.

On December 15, she uploaded a separate clip while sitting in a car and briefly panned the camera to her broken foot.

However, her injury didn’t stop her from stopping to try to get a bus to help the children get to school.

She wrote in the caption, “An injured leg can’t stop us! Let’s get a school bus to the children of this remote village. We can do this!!!’

Earlier this month, Nyambe emphasized the importance of a new bus for the children in the village of Mapapa in Zambia.

In a short film she wrote: ‘Our school is free and has saved more than 500 children from SA and abuse. That’s why we really need a bus.’

Dora worked to give children access to education in the village and also strived to prevent child marriage.

On December 20, she uploaded a clip of her stepping in front of the camera with a crutch due to her leg injury.

‘We have been able to stop so many child marriages and create this safe heaven for them. So much more needs to be done for so many,” she wrote.

Nyambe was also open on social media about adopting thirteen children and fostering another 150 to 200 children.

In her last TikTok – which was also uploaded a few days before her death – she shared a montage with the children in the village and her time teaching at school.

Dora could also be seen handing out books to a group of children, and packing food to give to the children in the village.

“When I started adopting, people said I couldn’t do it because of my age and because I was unmarried,” Dora wrote in the text added to the docket. She then added in the caption, “One day at a time.”

On her official LinkedIn profileNyambe studied at the Immaculata Teaching College from 2011 to 2013. And in January 2019, she launched her nonprofit organization, Footprints of Hope.

In a description on the page, she shared: “We aim to educate, feed, house and protect the youth of Mapapa Rural Village.”

“100% of all development efforts are funded through donations to our GoFundMe page. I am the director and president of all operations.”

When it came to her work in the village, she previously explained to her followers that she had simply visited Mapapa with a friend in 2019 while waiting for a visa.

However, after seeing the poverty and lack of education for the children there, she decided to move to Mapapa with her adopted children to make a positive change.

Then one of her daughters was introduced to TikTok, where she was able to reach millions of viewers to share her journey and raise awareness of her nonprofit.

Joseph Schmitt, a graduate of Northeastern University, wrote a book about Dora’s experiences in the village, entitled Under A Zambian Tree in 2023.

“I try to amplify her voice, but I can’t imagine achieving or even trying to achieve what she has done. She’s incredible,” he said Northeast Global News last year in February.

Not long after visiting Mapapa for the first time, Dora told the newspaper: ‘On the second or third day I asked, ‘Why aren’t these children going to school?’

Following her success on social media – especially TikTok – she began receiving donations, both large and small, to support her charity organization.

‘Many TikTok users are young. I think they relate to me, even as a black woman,” she explained last year.

And when it comes to the content she shares on TikTok and Instagram, she said she likes to show hopeful videos of the children.

‘Yes, there are children who suffer. But that’s not all. They’re also great people.’

“They make this amazing art. They like sports. They love to read. I show these other aspects that you don’t normally see in a traditional African story about the poor child who wants help,” Dora added.