Key steps to Maximizing Your next Cash Bonus
Everyone can relate to that feeling of excitement when receiving a bonus and all of a sudden, you feel that your financial problems have come to an end. However, after a month or two, not many can account for how the money was spent, it seems to disappear with every other money that comes into the bank account (i.e. regular earnings). It’s that time of the year again when most companies will soon start announcing their financial results and employees can expect to receive communication on bonuses. Most bonus payments these days are performance related so if you receive one, it comes with a feeling of success and fulfillment that your hard work is finally being recognized. Regardless of how much you are expecting to receive, it is important to carefully plan how you’ll spend it so that you can receive the most value out of it. Proper planning will ensure that you are able to account for every penny that comes in and motivate you to work even harder towards the next bonus. So how can you really maximize your bonus? First and foremost, you need to reward yourself for all the hard work. You have worked hard all year, dedicated your time and talent towards your company, and fully earned the bonus so you deserve to celebrate and treat yourself. Splurge on that expensive item that you’ve always wanted to buy or indulge in your guilty pleasure without feeling guilty for once. However, keep this to 10% – 15% of your bonus earning and try not to go over the threshold in order to fully maximize the amount. If you are a parent or working mother, you might feel the need to also spoil your family. Why not? They have supported you all year and been patient with you on those days when you’ve had to work late nights or work away from home so they also deserve to be rewarded. Spend about 5% to 10% on the family and kids and buy everyone lovely gifts to appreciate them for their support towards your achievement. Consider allocating the remaining 80% of your bonus in the following order: 1. Pay off any debts that you owe The cost of servicing debts is going to be higher than any income you are likely to receive on savings or investments. Except if your debts are non-interest bearing with no repayment commitments, it is more effective to pay off your all your debts before you think of saving or investing your bonus earnings. [bctt tweet=”Treat your bonus differently from your regular earnings” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Put money into long-term savings or investments Any money left after you have cleared your debts should go into your long-term savings or investments. On average you should be putting 10% to 20% of your normal earnings into long-term (or retirement) savings or investments options on a monthly basis, so if you can, try to spend at least 10% to 20% of your bonus earnings in the same manner. The money can go towards your pensions, ISAs, other long-term investments products or even your personal business venture. This money is important for securing your future in the days when you don’t have the energy to work as hard as you are working now. Just as the saying goes to ‘make hay while the sun is shining’. If you have not already started saving and investing towards your future, then maybe you can start with your bonus this year. It’s never too late to start and $1 invested today can go a long way in the future with compound interest. 3. Top up your short-term savings or emergency fund If you still have money left after saving for the future, then you can use it to top up your short-term savings. This is the money you put aside for the short term emergency spend that you don’t plan for (i.e. unforeseen events) or the rainy day. Naturally, you should already be putting aside at least 10% of your regular earnings towards this account to cater for the unexpected spending commitment. The recommended practice is to have about three months of income in your emergency account as a minimum. Anything left can go into your miscellaneous account towards your next holiday or luxury spend savings (to fulfill your ‘wants’). To conclude, the bonus is a special earning that you’ve worked for and it’s important to treat it differently from your regular earnings. A fully maximized bonus is more memorable and being able to account for every amount makes it feel even more rewarding. A financial planner can assist you with savings and investments options that suit your goals, life commitments and risk profile (capital at risk). Good luck with the announcements. Hope you smile to the bank by getting a bonus payment that rewards all your hard work over the last year. Got a story you’d like to share with us? Share their story with us here.
5 Simple Steps to finally launching your business idea
Was one of your new year’s resolutions to finally get that blog, podcast or business idea off the ground? Well, if so, I’ve got great news for you! I recently sat down with the amazing Tobi Olujumni who shared 5 simple steps that you can take to turn this dream into a reality. For anyone unfamiliar with her, Tobi is the founder of the WTALK, a Multiplatform Entertainment & Faith Network which empowers Women to explore Faith via entertainment. W360 is the membership streaming service of WTALK set to redefine Faith within global entertainment. She is a powerful communicator and sought after preacher of the Word of God. You can read the tips that she shared in our interview below: 1. Start small but do something First of all, I would say, start small. Start small but do something. I think that in the day and the society and the culture in which we live now, everyone expects you to have ten thousand followers or a hundred thousand followers, or what have you. And you’re almost deemed unsuccessful if you haven’t attained that. All of these things are just massive distractions. If you have something on your heart to create, I would say start small. If you want to start a blog, start writing. Start writing on your notepad. For example, it’s so funny because someone asked me about how I do status updates. Well actually, some of my status updates come on the train and I put it in my notepad. Then I get a kind of a nudge a few weeks later and I think “Oh, that’s for this time!” and I post it. So first, I would say, start small but do something. That’s big! Because, you know, I have a lot of people that come to me and they’re like “how?” or “what should I do” and I’m like “just do something!” It doesn’t have to be fantastic. I am a perfectionist but sometimes that can work against me because sometimes some things need to go out. Some things need to resonate. It’s not about the camera angles, it’s the message that needs to reach the person who needs it most. So that’s why I would encourage whoever it is to start and do something. 2. Be consistent And then I would say, be consistent. Be consistent because people like to trust that you’re going to be around. That’s how you build a community. That’s how you build a following- if people trust you; that you’re going to be around. And, if you think about it, if we look at any of the big, massive brands, we trust that they’re going to work. For example, if I log onto Netflix, I trust that the shows are going to be there. That’s because of their consistency and I think, as you show up and you’re consistent, people will build a trust towards you. People will build a trust towards your voice. 3. Know your voice The third one I would say to everyone is, what’s your voice? It’s incredibly crowded. It’s incredibly noisy. People are getting notifications left, right and center. So, what is your voice? It goes back to knowing your identity because I think your voice flows from your being. For example, I’m not creating anything today that doesn’t flow organically from who I am. You only have got to spend about an hour with me and you’ll know that’s true. So, I would say, what’s your voice? I hear people say they want to be the next Oprah. Good for you but Oprah exists and she doesn’t look like she’s going anywhere for now. What’s your voice? Because your voice will resonate to the place it’s supposed to be sent. 4. Be persistent and be determined And, after consistency and knowing your voice, be persistent and be determined. Your idea is not going to grow overnight. If you get it overnight, you’ll probably lose it overnight. It’s about legacy. It’s about building deep roots. Like at this moment, I’m not overly concerned with having millions of followers but what I am concerned about because we’re in our infancy at this stage (we’re under 5 years as a company), is building deep roots. Roots that are so deep our infrastructure is laid and it’s tight so we can build upon that. If your infrastructure’s dodgy, if the foundation’s dodgy and you’re trying to get to 100 followers, the whole thing’s going to collapse. The fact is, if you don’t want the long endgame, I would challenge you to question why? What is your why? If you just want to make a little bit of money- you can do something else that is less stressful. If you want it now, I would challenge you to question your why. If you get your why, then you’ll know it’s definitely a long run. 5. Be passionate You must be passionate about what you’re doing because you have great wins and you have days where you’re just like “oh my goodness!” And I just think, the thing that keeps me going is my why and my passion. It’s the passion- seeing who you’re hoping to help or who you’re hoping to bless or who you’re hoping to communicate with, it’s those things. Having a little reminder on your phone is really helpful too. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Positioning Your Brand Strategy for The Nigerian Market
Brand strategy is the process of positioning your brand in the mind of your target market. The goal of every brand should be to be top of mind in their customers’ heads – that is whenever a customer thinks of your product, your brand should be the first name that pops in their head. For instance, whenever you think of ordering a cab, the first name that comes to mind is usually Uber, or, if you want a cold, non-alcoholic drink, Coca-Cola comes straight to mind. The aim is to be the top of the market niche of your brand, the customer needs to specifically identify your brand as distinct from others in the market. Brand positioning occurs whether or not a company develops a brand strategy, for every market, there is a market leader and less recognized brands. Every company has to craft a brilliant and progressive approach to positively position its brand to grab the attention of its target audience constantly. Basics of Brand Positioning The basic four elements of brand positioning are: Target market: Who are your customers? What is the major demographic constitution of consumers that your brand appeals to? Market definition: What level is your brand competing for? How is your brand relevant to customers? Brand promise: What is the most convincing, logical or emotional benefit to your target market that your brand has over your competitors? Legitimacy: What is the most credible evidence you can present to confirm that your brand would deliver on its promise? Brand strategy styles There are four branding styles prevalent in Nigeria, choose the ideal strategy for your brand and implement. The big bosses battle This branding style is usually for brands that are in a prominent market category with the market leadership margins within fringes of each other. Examples of these are Coca-Cola versus Pepsi and Jumia versus Konga. These two categories of brands are very similar and are constantly competing to gain market share. It is honestly a battle for the big bosses due to the amount of money and time it takes to successfully attempt this strategy. Big Fish, Smaller Pond This idea is the basis of most specialist and personalized brands. It is based on the idea of creating a niche within an underserved market, which is basically identifying a sector of an existing market whose needs have not been met by market leaders and positioning your brand as the solution to this market gap. For instance, there are several platforms that cater to needs of career women and female professionals, however not a lot are youth-focused, which is where She Leads Africa comes in. Fundamentally, this style avoids going head-on with the market leader but focuses on a specific niche. Game changer This brand positioning reframes an existing market in new ways. It gives customers new and innovative benefits that make market leaders and your competitors so irrelevant that your brand becomes the new market leader. If the needs or expectations of your customers change, you differentiate your brand from competitors by highlighting its distinctiveness or marketing your brand in a revolutionary way. Take Jameson’s foray into the Nigerian market, for instance, other drink companies brand their product as aspirational lifestyle brands or luxury brands, to be honest, aspirational branding is the de-factor brand strategy for products similar to Jameson. However, Jameson took the alternative route and branded as an artsy, cool kids brand, which has sporadically fast-tracked its market penetration in Nigeria. Another example is Wanneka Hair, the hair extension retailer that achieved Instagram fame by using unique brand storytelling, unique content, influencer marketing and several other techniques to achieve market leader status in a saturated market. This branding strategy will highlight your distinctiveness and help you beat the market leader, however, your strength must be backed by good quality product and service. This style gives a feel of exclusivity, community and a unique experience for its customers. First mover When there is no other product or service like yours and you are the first of your kind, you have first mover advantage and you get to invent your market. This strategy is for brands that do not fit into any existing market. Examples of this strategy are Uber and Printivo. The taxi-hailing app market did not exist before Uber created it, so also a Nigerian online DIY print provider had not been invented before Printivo. The benefit of this strategy is that your brand would be the default market leader because you literally created this market. However, this strategy can be risky because you might not find the right product-market fit simply because the market does not exist because there is no need for it. There are several brands that flopped in an attempt to fill a need that doesn’t exist, don’t join them. This strategy comes with several copy-cats, nonetheless, patents and trademarking might help, but if your product can be easily imitated, ensure you get enough head start to gain as much market share as possible. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Effective ways to ensure a successful job interview
You have managed to leap off the pages of your curriculum vitae and cover letter and have been invited to a job interview for a prospective job role. Of course, you are stressing out, yes you are one step closer to grabbing that dream but the pressure is mounting and you have to prove yourself one more time (and now there is no paper to hide behind!). How do you ensure that you are successful in your next job interview? Prepare and prepare and prepare Preparation is your friend and is going to ensure your success. One of the first steps should be to find out from your future employer if there is anything you can prepare ahead of the interview. If they are obliging, you could go further to find out the format of the interview and who will be on the interview panel. This is something you can (and should) also find out from current employees. Read over your curriculum vitae and cover letter, be familiar enough with them so that you can address any questions on them. Know why you included specific details – what were you trying to get across about yourself? If this is the first time you are applying for a job, make sure you are able to highlight how your background has equipped you for this position. The same goes for a position you are applying for within the same sector as you are currently employed. If you are looking at branching out from what you have previously done then it is necessary to be able to illustrate how your skills are transferable. For example, if you all your experience is limited to corporate and now you intend on moving to a government department, detail skills you acquired during your corporate experience and how these could be applied in your new setting. Preparing for this pre-empts the inevitable question about why you are making a change and goes one step further in showing that you have thought about how your past experience, although different, translates. Practice You could go about practicing by either going through a mock interview or even more informally just chatting through some questions. This is a must in ensuring that the actual interview is not daunting. Work through some basic questions such as personal background to start off with. Then move on to specific experience and education. Make sure you can also address questions about the new position and company. Would you be able to answer why you are leaving your current position? Or some of the more sticky questions such as what makes you different; what is the biggest challenge you have faced and what is one quality you would change about yourself. Make sure that you do not over-practice, you do not want to come across as rehearsed during the actual interview. So walk that fine line between practicing and coming across as rehearsed! Questions During the latter part of an interview, it is inevitable that you will be asked whether you have any questions for your prospective employers. It is imperative to ask questions and in order to be able to do so, you need to factor this into your preparation. Questions can relate to the working environment; the type of clients and if you are aware of who the interview panel will be ahead of time – questions can then be addressed to specific people. For example, if you know the head of the department will be part of the interview, try to research some of the work she or he has recently been a part of so you can ask a more detailed question. Remember, inasmuch as an interview is about you being judged, it is also your opportunity to assess whether this position is the best fit for you. So if work/life balance is integral to your happiness then be sure to ask about this in the interview. Current Employees Try to connect with current employees. They can assist in shedding light on what the work environment is like and what the position you are applying for entails. A good starting point for connecting is LinkedIn. More often than not you will have connections in common, which makes connecting a lot easier. They can also help you figure out if the position advertised is really what is described or in substance is something else. Current employees can be a great resource for understanding our potential work environment and role. Outcome of the Interview Before you leave the interview, be sure to find out how the communication following the interview will go and who you can contact if you would like feedback. Whether you secure the position or not, feedback is key. You have an idea of how you would like to come across but did that materialize and is there anything you could have done better? Of course, these are more critical to know if you did not secure the position. So often when we fail we want to forget about the experience entirely. But knowing what did not work will put you one step ahead in terms of preparing for the next interview. Do not read notes up until the last moment before you enter the interview. Take some time before to try to relax! It is really difficult to do, especially when you know you need to ace the interview, but having that sense of calm will translate when you go into the interview. Small things like speaking slowly are also important and are sure to ask for a minute to think something over if you are unsure – there is no need to answer immediately! And lastly but most importantly, be yourself and do your best. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
10 easy ways to maximize Valentine’s Day sales
Valentine season can be a really busy for retail businesses, it is therefore important that business owners maximize the opportunity to increase sales at times like this. If you have been in business for up to 2 years or more, you might want to refer to sales data from previous years. This sales data can be used to prepare and determine ways to increase sales volume. Having the right products is good but promoting what your business is offering just in time for valentines to build up sales is even better. To achieve this, use the right communication channels to reach your target audience. Get as much exposure as you can, reach out to past customers as well as potential ones. Here are general tips you can apply to drive up sales this coming Valentine. Curate gift combinations (gift baskets/boxes) Put related products together. Be creative with your ideas, make the combinations simple and appealing. Make sure you consider your target audience and whom they will be buying the gift for. Create an experience with service combinations Valentine’s Day is mostly about pampering loved ones. Depending on your target audience, put together indulgent packages. If your business is in beauty and hospitality, this is something to consider. For instance, if you own a spa, you can combine various treatments and offer as one package for valentine. Create a bundle comprising the range of products you offer. Make sure the products are related and make them available as readymade options so buyers can simply grab and go. An example of such bundle is a Perfume gift set by Victoria’s secret containing a shower gel, body cream, and perfume. When you can, offer to wrap gifts for free or include it as a service to provide convenience to your customers. Partner up Collaboration during peak seasons can be at an advantage for you and your business. You can team up with reputable local businesses to create joint packages. For instance, if you’re a florist, team up with a baker to create a package for valentine. Create a buzz Hold a fun contest to engage your followers on social media and create a buzz around your business. Make sure you are well aware of rules/restrictions associated with putting up contests on various social media platforms. Make sure you time your promotions to capture early and late shoppers. Get the word out and announce your last minute gift deals. Make gift card options available Most last-minute shoppers are usually open to this, usually because most times they do not have a clear idea of what to buy. Design a gift card that’s appealing and gives a good impression of your business, be sure to include terms and conditions when issuing these gift cards. Think beyond valentine’s day Take advantage of valentine’s day rush to build a database your business can use in the future. You can present visiting customers an option to sign up / subscribe to your business website, app or whatever platform your business operates. [bctt tweet=”Prepare your staff to deal with the pressure of increased sales a peak seasons.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Most importantly, remember to have fun even as you help others express love this season.
Emeline Nsingi Nkosi: Never sell yourself out – stand up for what you believe in
Emeline Nsingi Nkosi is a confident and experienced bi-lingual actor and presenter based Accra, Ghana presenting for GHOne TV. She is currently presenting and producing a lifestyle and entertainment show called ‘The Core’. She has interviewed the likes of Asamoah Gyan, Ozwald Boateng, Abedi Pele, Azumah Nelson, Sarkodie, M.Anifest and many others. Emeline has a background in Fashion Textiles. She was named Hilary Alexander’s “Secret Seven to Watch” and nominated for the Ethical Award at Graduate Fashion Week 2012. During her final year in the university, she created a visual dissertation on natural hair which awakened her love for presenting and producing. Emeline founded M about Town, a London based Lifestyle show in 2015. Highlights include interviewing Rosario Dawson, Ian Taylor and documenting the Ethical Fashion Forum Summit and Fashion Africa Conference 2015. Emeline has been writing and interviewing celebrities for ThandieKay.com since early2016, concentrating mostly on inspiring individuals, she has interviewed Angela Bassett, Ade Hassan, and Zuriel Oduwole. She has joined Alexander Amosu’s prestigious LuxAfrique and covers Art exhibitions, Luxury Travel, Restaurants and Fashion in London and internationally. Emeline Nsingi Nkosi makes us proud to spell our name W-O-M-A-N! [bctt tweet=” Pace is better than haste – @emelinenn ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What things have you learned about life from being a media personality? Everything is about great PR and image, it’s no coincidence when you see more of an artist or actor in the media, it’s all carefully curated, and nothing is random. Your mood can really impact your work, if I have an argument with someone I care about, I can’t leave it to linger, otherwise, my day just feels dark and negative and you need to able to put on a happy face for TV. Life can sometimes feel lonely especially when knowing who to trust, surround yourself with people who really have your best interest at heart. Tell us about an interview you conducted that taught you the most? My interview with the boxing legend Azumah Nelson. He shared that his ill wife had found out that she wouldn’t survive just before he was about to have one of the biggest fights of his life. Although he didn’t want to fight, he felt he couldn’t cancel it as it was sold out. It taught me that sometimes you have to put your work before your own needs but also that at the end of the day, what really matters the most is those you care about, without them life feels meaningless. What’s the one question you wish you’d asked someone you’ve interviewed but never did? When I meet key personalities I have an idea of what I would like to ask but if it’s not possible, I tend not to dwell on it. The only person I wish I could have probably gone for a coffee, drink or dinner or maybe all three was Angela Bassett. I interviewed her for ThandieKay at a beauty brand launch that she had collaborated with. When I went to sit next to her, I felt such warmth and love. We spoke skincare and American Horror Story. What should every woman try at least once in her life? Travelling alone. It gives you such self-confidence and belief in your strengths. Before visiting my cousin in the US, I spent the first 7 days alone in New York and at a Yoga ashram in Monroe. It was both thrilling and petrifying. I’ve never relied on my senses and my gut as much as when traveling alone to various places. Advice for aspiring media entrepreneurs? Start: What can you do today that will impact your career positively? Look at how your favorite media entrepreneurs started and how can you replicate that for you? Get onto casting websites such as Starnow and look for opportunities if you want to get into presenting. Head to relevant networking events Get onto Linkedin, build your network. Hone your skills, can you do a part-time course? Check out Coursera or Masterclass What app do you most often use? Sleep Cycle. I’ve used it for around 983 nights as of today, I’m obsessed with my sleep and getting enough of it. What can you not miss on TV? I don’t watch TV at home but when I’m traveling I’ll put on the TV to see which channels are in that country and which programmes they watch. At home, I’m more of a Netflix chick, I’m currently waiting for the new season of The 100. What is the best advice you have ever been given? One of my uni teachers told me to slow down and remember that I have a long career ahead of me. For one project, I must have put about 5 different design ideas into one and she reminded me that if I am to have a long career ahead, then why use up all of my ideas in one go. I want to achieve everything yesterday but actually, there is no need, pace is better than haste. What’s the key to developing a successful personal brand? 1. Being authentic to yourself and your audience, I’m really not good at lying and then remembering that lie, so I can’t pretend to be something I’m not or will be found out. At the end of the day, there is only one you and those that like you will stick with you. 2. Knowing what you stand up for, so when opportunities arise you know if they fit. For example, although I love red wine, I’m not a big drinker, so an alcohol brand sponsoring one of my shows wouldn’t really fit, it’s not me and I can’t stand there pretending to like something that I don’t. 3. Never sell yourself out – stand up for what you believe in, don’t be swayed easily but be flexible. Rooted in a tree but flexible like the branches. What brings you the greatest joy? Simple things in life, the sun, warmth, my partner, mum, brother, those close to me being happy and fulfilled. When I see a project
If you want to achieve your goals, stop focusing on them
A lot of us have set out the goals that we want to achieve in 2018. Whether it’s business, family life, financial, career or social goals we have set them out and we expect to achieve them by 31st December 2018. How successful have you been in the past? Personally, at the end of the year, I find I have achieved 50% or less of what I set for myself to achieve. So what am I doing wrong?. I stumble across an interesting TED talk by Reggie Rivers, his first bold statement was that “IF YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE GOALS STOP FOCUSING ON THEM!” This caught my interest as it goes against what I had learned so far, I listened to the entire presentation. [bctt tweet=”Break your goals into tasks that’ll bring you closer to the goal.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Reggie broke down that focusing on the goal makes you unable to use your energy on actually achieving the Goal. Moreover, more often than not you are not in control of the outcome and are only in control of your behavior and reactions. We all want to make money in our business by the end of the year, but you can’t force customers to buy from you, you can make the product as good as possible, yes, but you really can’t guarantee the outcome i.e. profits. For instance, if you want to lose weight you end up weighing yourself every week. Of course, those who struggle with weight like I, realize that this does not lead anywhere fast. In fact, you end up frustrated and abandon the whole weight loss journey. You are focusing on the outcome. He suggests that you should focus on WHAT IS IN YOUR CONTROL, your behavior. Hmm… what does this mean? He says that you should focus on your behavior, which you are in control of, to achieve your goal. [bctt tweet=”Focus on what’s in your control – your behaviour” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Assume you are able to achieve the goal and perform the tasks to achieve it. In the weight loss scenario, you should focus on what you are eating, how much you exercise and what you drink. We need to break the goal into smaller tasks that we can perform easily and fast while working towards the main huge ambitious goal. Reggie suggests that you should have tasks that you can perform TODAY, TOMORROW and THIS WEEK. I like the idea that you break up your big goal into smaller manageable bits. What does this achieve? You remain motivated as you achieve something every day and week. Every small step moves you closer to the big goal. You can dream big and break the large goal into smaller action points and you end up achieving an ambitious goal. This works even when you need to save or invest. This I can testify to. You keep on revising your plan every so often and thereby are able to make necessary changes to move you closer to the goal. This is particularly helpful in business so that where you can change a strategy that does not work before you lose too much money. It helps you be disciplined on simple tasks and eventually bigger ones. This is a way to get rid of bad habits like procrastinating. If you are accountable on a daily and weekly basis you notice your weakness and work on it more often to improve yourself. It actually keeps you on track as you end up spending the necessary time, without getting distracted, to achieve your eventual goal. Normally when a task is huge we are quick to allow ourselves to be distracted away from it. In conclusion, I think this is a great concept to adopt in business and generally in life, deal with what you are in control of. Forget what is not in your control because you can’t change it anyway. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Adedolapo Osuntuyi: I have had moments when I felt like giving up but tenacity gave me the strength to move forward
Adedolapo Osuntuyi is the founder and president of Dolly Children Foundation, a non-governmental organization focused on improving the plight of indigent children in Nigeria through Education; emphasis on quality education for all. She is a fellow of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), West Africa Regional Centre, a US Government Initiative. The desire to start a foundation like this came in secondary school after reading her classmate’s story featured in a newspaper; during the anniversary of the NGO that took care of her from childhood. This story, as well as other close experiences, motivated Adedolapo to start Dolly Children Foundation (DCF) on April 13, 2006, during her undergraduate years at the University. Adedolapo graduated from the prestigious University of Central Lancashire, Preston UK, with a masters degree in Child Health & Social Care. She obtained an Africa – America Institute Scholarship to study Social Sector Management Course at the Enterprise Development Centre, Pan – Atlantic University. She has gained experience in child protection, early childhood and community development programs and over 5000 children in 22 communities have benefitted through various interventions of the organization. Tell us about Dolly Children Foundation Dolly Children Foundation (DCF) is an organization with the mission of improving the plight of indigent children in Nigeria through Education. Our main interventions are targeted towards eliminating child illiteracy in rural communities, reducing child labor, and abuse as well as absenteeism in public primary schools. We do this by providing a conducive environment for learning, empowering educators, empowering less privileged children. What has been achieved so far? The foundation has reached out to over 6000 children through the following interventions: Reading Clubs Our weekly reading club meetings which hold in the public primary schools and the communities we serve. Children are encouraged to read at least a book per term. Also, they are expected to learn new words, act drama, compose and develop their own thoughts from every book read. The reading materials and educational activities carried out in the clubs are initiatives that inspire excellence, leadership and increase their literacy abilities. This initiative has resulted in a marked improvement in the interest of children towards reading and has improved their ability to express themselves. Sponsorship Programmes The Sponsor A Child program has assisted children whose parents lack the financial backbone to support their schooling. I must say here that most of the children we sponsor have either lost a parent or both or are caregivers to their parents. Before our intervention, these children were unable to access desired and quality education which hindered their learning processes. Over the past year, DCF has provided sponsorship inform of educational aid and welfare to these children. Back To School Initiative Basic educational tools, school uniforms, shoes, bags etc have been provided to children with financial needs by the Foundation. The initiative has also helped in bringing out – of – school children back to school by covering tuition fees, and needs. This has helped to motivate over 5000 children to go back to school, as well as boost their confidence, and participation in school activities. Training and Workshops for Public Primary School Teachers In the past year, over 70 teachers and still counting have been trained in DCF workshops. Workshops and training sessions are organized for teachers to bring them up to date on 21st-century teaching methods. These workshops have focused on topics like Numeracy made easy, 21st-century teaching methods, phonics, understanding your learner, managing diversity in your classroom e.t.c After School And Summer School Tutoring Programmes Our extra tutoring programmes which are available after school and during the summer break is targeted to help children from low – income backgrounds that are lagging behind academically. Our motive behind these interventions is to engage the children in academic exercises that would effectively improve their academic performance, reduce child labor, and child abuse. Child laborers, street children, and dropouts have especially benefitted from this program since inception. School Building Projects School rebuilding is a project we took on from 2015 where we refurbish public primary schools with dilapidated structures. We move into these outdated facilities to upgrade and equip them with the necessary educational materials and infrastructures. Thus far, a block of four classes, a staff office, library, and store have been built from scratch. The project estimates to provide a healthy learning environment for over 1000 children by the end of 2018. The bottom line here is that no child should be left behind. Our approach to these interventions is a holistic one whereby children lagging behind in school would catch in our reading clubs, if they are not catching up in the reading clubs, they would catch up in our after-school and summer programs, if they still need support, they would get it through our back to school initiatives. What do you enjoy the most about running the foundation? I enjoy seeing smiles on the faces of children who never thought their dreams of being supported through school would be a reality. These are one of the cores that motivate me to do more. What relationships/partnerships have been instrumental in growing the foundation and what other partnerships do you hope to develop for more impact? Relationships with friends, mentors, colleagues, and acquaintances have helped the foundation in growing thus far. This has also linked the foundation with interesting and wonderful partnerships. I will always be grateful for platforms such as Enterprise Development Center (of the Pan – Atlantic University), Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) RLC West Africa for every value-added knowledge gained so far. I aim to explore new funding, training and partnership opportunities in the social space that would enable the foundation to produce more impacting success stories. Connecting with other NGOs through mentorship is something that is dear to my heart. What challenges do you face running the foundation? A major challenge I face in running the foundation is the belief system of some community members. You can imagine how tasking it can
Budding entrepreneur: Here’s why you need a Lawyer in Your Corner
Naivety and misplaced trust have seen many individuals lose money and opportunities they have worked for in business. Doing business with a friend can contribute to its success as there are cohesion and team spirit at work. However, delve into a little research and you will realize that many have also been swindled by friends they considered family. When setting up a business especially a partnership it’s good to get your agreement in writing and sign contracts. This will draw boundaries on which the business will operate. [bctt tweet=”A Lawyer brings perspective to your business.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Most millennials excited by the start of something new forget that there are legal obligations that their businesses should meet. This is why it’s paramount to involve a lawyer from the onset of your business. A Lawyer brings perspective to your business. Instead of seeing the business as a friends venture or a short-term money-making investment. Lawyers see the bigger picture and plan for circumstances that we may not foresee as we are busy trying to build the business. Change is inevitable, mindsets change and people who were previously on the same page about the direction a business should take begin to disagree. This situation is dangerous as it can lead to the death of the business or the destruction of a brand if no prior steps had been taken to advise on what should be done in such a situation. That’s why it’s important to involve a lawyer early on at the start of the business albeit the extra cost the lawyer will add to your young business. In the long-term, you will realize this is cheaper as opposed to calling on a lawyer only when things go wrong and you are in court. [bctt tweet=”A lawyer will go out of their way to ensure your company’s intellectual property is protected” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Our current world is such that you can do everything by yourself online including registering a company in a span of one to three days. You can draw contracts to use in your business transactions using templates provided online. Such liberties are great but they should not delude us into thinking that lawyers are not key to our businesses success. A lawyer will go out of their way to ensure your company’s intellectual property is protected. In a business partnership between friends, they will bring the law on board to ensure no one is cunning enough to overwork the other and still expect to reap from the others hard work. Here are some reasons why motherland moguls should enlist the knowledge of lawyers in their businesses. A lawyer is your voice of reason. Most businesses sprout from our passions. This means we may not be very objective while making some decisions. We are tempted to use trust as a currency while dealing with our customers or partners just to get the business on its feet. This means we may end up with bankrupting the business due to bad debts. Lawyers come in handy as they assert themselves and insist on contracts with suppliers and customers. This saves motherland moguls from cons as there will be no loopholes to be exploited in the business. Lawyers offer security and protection A lawyer’s roles are to pre-empt situations and ensure we are not victims of unscrupulous people who we are doing business with. In situations where certain circumstances cannot be avoided, they ensure the law is on our side. Many times we are ignorant of what is required of us by law and lawyers protect us from our own ignorance. Lawyers have connections and a clientele base like you The right lawyer will hold your hand and help you know the ins and outs of the business niche you have chosen to explore. They have other clients like you and so they have been on the journey you are just beginning. Lawyers will offer insights that may prove very useful in the long run to a start-up. In addition to offering legal services, they can be a marketing tool for your business as they speak of your business to potential clients. Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Natasha Wagiet: Positively impacting her community the pro bono way
pro bono (def) Free legal services that are offered to people who do not have the financial means to afford legal representation. In South Africa, all attorneys are legally required to provide a certain number of hours of pro bono services each year in order to remain in practice. Natasha Wagiet brings an immediate sense of calm to a room, her warmth of character is infectious and you can’t help but feel comfortable in her presence. She currently works as the Pro Bono Coordinator at the Mitchells Plain Office (in Cape Town) for ENSafrica, Africa’s largest law firm. Natasha’s family background ensured she would have a passion for education, given her parents being the first in their respective families to obtain tertiary qualifications and further obtaining postgraduate qualifications. Natasha completed her Bachelor of Laws at the University of Cape Town followed by a Masters of Law at the University of the Western Cape majoring in corporate law. Her next educational pursuit is her Doctorate, with a possible focus on the role of the corporate sector and pro bono in facilitating access to justice. There is no “typical day” at the pro bono office for Natasha and that is what she loves about it. Some of what she attends to involves consulting with clients, both walk-in and those with appointments. The pro bono office also presents sessions as part of their enterprise development and legal education. Natasha also assists and reviews corporate social investment proposals as well as mentors students to prepare for moots. [bctt tweet=”Find a mentor, preferably more than one, and learn as much as you can from them.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Natasha is proudest of the simple feats that the pro bono office manages to achieve on a daily basis – assisting an 88-year-old woman to sign her will, helping her take ownership of her property and empowering her wishes through her will, going after an ex-husband who has been avoiding maintenance payments and managing to garnishee his wages to ensure the ex-wife receives the maintenance payment she is legally entitled to. It is these “bread and butter” issues, what affects the daily lives of people that Natasha and the pro bono office manage to touch on and positively impact through their hard work. It is about using the law to empower communities, such as Mitchells Plain, that have so often been underserviced or felt as if the law was beyond their reach. A further initiative to be celebrated is the Gogo Project, which Natasha spearheaded, whereby employees of ENSafrica were given the opportunity to donate blankets for the elderly in Mitchells Plain. Instead of doing a handover of just the blankets, Natasha organized for a lunch that was catered for by a business from Mitchells Plain, further enforcing her support for community upliftment. The elderly were provided with a buffet lunch as well as a talk about dignity before they were handed the sponsored blankets. One can imagine that working in this sector can be emotionally strenuous but Natasha has found key ways in which to equip herself to address this. She lives 30 kilometers from the pro bono office and uses this driving time to mentally prepare for the day on the way to work as well as to destress and process the day on her drive home. Natasha also finds it important to truly focus and be present wherever you are – when spending time with family and friend, enjoy doing that and be there. It is also important to find other hobbies/ activities that fulfill you. For Natasha, that is being created through makeup (she recently completed a course on it). I asked Natasha to describe herself in terms of a make-up item; she decided on deep gold eyeshadow because it is both bold and warm. [bctt tweet=”Surround yourself with people who ground and challenge you, who can be real with you.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Natasha’s advice to aspiring women who would want to work in a similar role is simple – find a mentor, preferably more than one, and learn as much as you can from them. She further advocates job shadowing and volunteering to make sure that working in this sector really is for you. Natasha believes that this is definitely a “calling and not a job” and as such you must be sure that your passion is in the right place. Natasha knows she is working in the right place for her because she is inspired by “the ordinary men and women who sacrifice in order to provide a better life for their children. I see them and am in awe of them every single day”. Know of anyone impacting your community? Share their story with us here.