Ayodotun Rotimi-Akinfenwa: Social Media Is My PR Machine
Ayodotun Rotimi-Akinfenwa is a Brand Manager turned Writer, Blogger, Brand/Social Media Consultant, Content creator, and founder of Lifestyle Hues; a fun, lifestyle and inspirational platform where she shares inspiring personality interviews/stories and today’s issues from a slightly eccentric perspective. She has built 8 years worth of experience in Brand Building, Strategy, and Events for international brands across Nigeria and parts of West Africa. Ayodotun holds a BSc in Mass Communication and MSc in Marketing from the University of Lagos. [bctt tweet=”Social Media Is My PR Machine – Ayodotun Rotimi-Akinfenwa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired your decision to start a lifestyle blog? I wanted to able to talk about and showcase matters I’m passionate about, which happened to be a myriad of things. I wanted to lend my voice to subjects like life and lifestyle choices, money, fashion, marriage, faith and more. I also wanted to curate material to add value to readers at all times. The material on the blog is guaranteed to inspire, motivate, inform, educate, remind or entertain readers. I conduct personal interviews with achievers from all walks of life. Blogging isn’t all I do though. I run an SME Brand consultancy to help small businesses build their brands from scratch; on social media, websites and offline. What are the three key things you consider while trying to promote your brand online? I remind myself at all times that Social Media is my PR Machine and every post, article or whatever I put out there, is a seed towards building my image and my credibility. Content Marketing is everything. [bctt tweet=”Content Marketing is everything” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has social media helped to increase your productivity? It has generated inquiries towards the brand and consulting arm of my business. It is the mainstay of my blog’s promotional activities. A huge percentage of my readers have found me via social media What was the major social media campaign or experience which put you into the limelight? For my blog, I would say it was the Nathaniel Bassey interview that I conducted at the height of the Hallelujah Challenge. I wanted to tell his story to encourage people, he hasn’t always been in the spotlight, but had been hard at work for decades. The blog was inundated with so many visits that it shut down for some minutes and I had to work frantically with my website administrator to fix that. I’m just glad people were inspired. A lot of interviews have with people such as Timi Dakolo, Lanre Olusola, Lala Akindoju, Adenike Oyetunde etc, have drawn people to the site. On the social media consulting part, we are still evolving, as most of my clients are small businesses. I simply manage their social media and website content. How have you been able to cope with social media fraud? To be honest, I haven’t had any issue in that area because I always seek to put a face to the clients and prospects I meet on social media. I am not unaware that it has its dark side and I will urge everyone to embrace the verification checks provided by the different platforms like: phone number verifications on Facebook etc, 2-factor verification on Instagram etc. [bctt tweet=”The only way to go is up- Ayodotun Rotimi-Akinfenwa” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Apart from social media, are there any online methods you use for promotions? Just my website, for now, I also make time to contribute to more prominent platforms – blogs and sites to expand my horizon. How would you encourage young females who want to build a brand using social media? Social media is your PR Machine, be consistent with sharing your business story and adding value; the only way to go is up. How has social media helped you grow and build a positive brand image, personally and professionally? Let us know more here.
Patricia Majule: Saving the Environment With Beautiful Paper Gifts
Patricia Majule started the business of manufacturing and supplying of custom party supplies, box packages, favors & gifts in 2014 and has recorded tremendous growth since then. Her idea was born when she noticed that most people in Tanzania were importing paper supplies from abroad, instead of investing in machines becoming manufacturers. Through her business, she has been able to provide quality products made in Tanzania, at lower prices. She takes us through her journey so far and how she’s changing the face of the Tanzanian manufacturing industry, whilst protecting the environment. Tell us about your business and the idea behind it My business trades as Unique Favors Tz,; we make products and provide services ranging from décor ware, gifting and gift supplies. Our products are used for parties, functions, events and can be customized for non- celebration uses, such as, business advertising and branding. The company began in 2013 as Unique Gifts Tz, and at the time we were specialising in gifts. But, we expanded our product line and changed the name officially, and registered as “Unique Favors Tz” in 2014. What ways are you contributing to the protection of the environment through your product type? One of the products we make at Unique Favors Tz is uniquely designed cardboard, made by using the leftover egg shells from chicken eggs (maganda ya mayai in Kiswahili language). Egg shells help curb environmental waste by reducing the waste that would have probably been increased by throwing away eggshells right after usage. In Tanzania , eggs are consumed in large quantities due to the existence of many small scale entrepreneurs selling them in kiosks and bars, and also due to the fact that chicken livestock farming is popular in Tanzania. Secondly, we use paper products to package gifts, as opposed to plastic. Plastic bags are known to be a form of waste which cannot decay; which is why there has been a movement by the government to reduce and completely ban the use of plastic packaging in Tanzania. In five to ten years, my products will have contributed significantly to curbing environmental pollution. What strategies have helped your business grow these past few years? Very good & friendly customer care. Continuous research and product quality improvement. Customer feedback and follow up’s. Great staff and business partner training. The uniqueness of our products. Those are just few of our strategies. [bctt tweet=”I’ve always believed that Africa is full of opportunities”. username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What opportunities lie in Africa and how much are young people tapping into them? I’ve always believed that Africa is full of opportunities and many of them are hidden in industrial operations. Firstly the industrial sector is one of the most untapped sectors in Africa, especially by local natives, yet the most rewarding sector. Majority of the youth dare to start a business with a focus on the retail phase, but they lack the courage and resilience to grow their businesses to an industrial level. Many other youth reach the idea level and fail to proceed to the implementation level. Tell us the setbacks you’ve faced in the course of establishing your business and your survival method(s) Most of our product line and service offering is very new and unique to our community. Therefore, we have spent a lot of our time educating them in order to get buy-in. At times raw materials which are needed for production are scarce; coupled with price fluctuations, this tends to be a challenge. In our society it is not normal for people to see you developing a product and being in industrial, especially at a young age like mine, so there is a belief that somebody else could do my job better, and hence there is little support and a lot of bad-mouthing. But ,at the end of the day our survival methods are to: be courageous, patient, and resilient and know that as long as we are being ethical and legal, everything is fine. Society will catch-up later. [bctt tweet=”Be courageous, patient, and resilient ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What great success has your business recorded in the past few years? Our business has been successful in so many ways. Firstly, by introducing new unique products to the market, we got a very positive response from customers, which lead to significant company growth. Also we have been able to create temporary and permanent jobs to majority of the natives in Tanzania. What makes your business unique? The products we manufacture in- country, the paper party supplies and the egg shell cardboards, are customised and very unique because everything is made from scratch. Most of the party supplies in our country are fully imported from China, so they tend to have common styles and lack that unique style. [bctt tweet=”Have clear and positive priorities, be consistent in pursuing your goals” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are your top 3 books? Smart Money Woman by Arese Ugwu The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin graham Getting Things Done by David Allen What’s the one business mantra you’d want every business owner to know? Have clear and positive priorities and stick to them, be consistent in pursuing your goals. What is your company doing to protect the environment? Let us know more here.
Jobs – SheHive Nairobi Intern
She Leads Africa believes in the power of young African women to build amazing careers and businesses, serve as community leaders and influencers, and eventually take over the world. Our #MotherlandMoguls, as we affectionately call them, are the reason we exist and expanding – to provide them with more inspiring and educational content to help them live their best lives. We’re looking for a intern who’d like to join us in helping pulling together the most amazing She Leads Africa event in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2017. This role is only open in Nairobi, Kenya Role Description: The SheHive Intern (Nairobi) will provide marketing support to the programs team on SheHive Nairobi 2017 event. Reporting Structure: This position reports directly to the SheHive Marketing Associate. Responsibilities: Focus on ticket sales and pre/post event participant management for the SheHive event. Help with participant outreach and communication: WhatsApp message & Direct Message on Instagram and Twitter potential participants Help with influencer outreach and communication: Identify and engage with social media influencers on Instagram for help with promotion (ie. Post Swaps) Identify and engage marketing partners for the SheHive Review weekly experiments with the SLA team Execute and determine how to improve efficiency of campaigns Requirements: The ideal candidates will have an interest in building, growing and scaling communities. You don’t have to have official work experience doing this kind of work but we want someone who is passionate about digital content and can learn quickly. If this role is for you, you’ll be excited to work in a fast paced environment and committed to working until the job is done. Specific requirements include: Time management – ability to work effectively for several hours a day, and to check in and out on time (or give ample warning for why this won’t be possible) Communication – ability to speak professionally and concisely Research – ability to compile mass lists of potential influencers and participants within the area for outreach Basic excel skills Benefits: Opportunity to learn project management skills Opportunity to meet and network with African female leaders Flexible work arrangements Work with a moderately fun team who prefer sweatpants over stilettos Submit your application here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://sheleadsafrica.typeform.com/to/UEG3bT”] You can also click this link to go to the direct application page. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to contact everyone who applies. We will not be able to answer additional questions via email.
First Ever Nigerian Exhibition At The Venice Biennale
What can we learn from the past, how do we find meaning in the present, and what awaits us in the future? These three questions provide the bedrock of the first ever Nigerian exhibition at the Venice Biennale, otherwise known as “The Olympics of Art”. Since 1895 the world’s oldest cultural biennale has risen to become one of the most prestigious art exhibitions. Eight African countries are represented at the prestigious showcase this year: Angola, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tunisia, and Zimbabwe. Nigeria makes its solo debut this year. Though superbly rich in artistic and cultural talent, the country hasn’t had nearly enough representation on the international art scene. Godwin Obaseki, Governor of Edo State and commissioner of the Nigerian Pavilion, says that “opportunities like the Biennale offer a platform to establish national pride and develop a more positive narrative for the country.“ Curated by Adenrele Sonariwo and Emmanuel Iduma, the Nigerian exhibition at the 57th Venice Biennale, titled How about now?, features a rich multi-layered journey showcasing the country’s past, present and future, with an emphasis on the present, or as preferred by the artists, “the now”. Mixing videos, conceptual art, installations, and performances, the exhibition showcases exceptional pieces by award-winning visual artist, writer and photographer Victor Ehikhamenor, acclaimed writer, poet and mixed-media storyteller Peju Alatise, as well as performance artist, Qudus Onikeku. The combined genius of these three artists creates a contemporary, as well as far-reaching exhibition, that tells a fresh African narrative, while presenting Nigeria as part of the global art community. Biography of the Forgotten BY VICTOR EHIKHAMENOR Paying homage to the unsung and unrecorded pioneers of Nigerian art, Victor Ehikhamenor’s “Biography of the Forgotten” amalgamates bronze, mirrors, thread and acrylic to create a pure masterpiece. In this installation, he tinkers with both the dilemma and material form of history while paying homage to the historical Igun Street in the heart of the ancient Benin Kingdom. He sources hundreds of Benin bronze heads from the World Heritage Site that still maintains its guild structure to this day, addressing a fragmented history. Against large canvases, Ehikhamenor alternatively places mirrors and the bronze heads, which bear metonymic weight, as symbols of colonial encounter – the former often exchanged for commodities as valuable as humans, and the latter plundered. In addressing the now, “Biography of the Forgotten” reenergizes historical time and material, reviving the past in an effort to bring meaning to the present. Flying Girls BY PEJU ALATISE Using metal, fiberglass, plaster of Paris, resins, and cellulose black matte paint as primary mediums, Peju Alatise uses her storytelling skills to create a fantastical masterpiece. Based on a book that Alatise is set to publish, the piece describes Sim, a little Yoruba girl who lives in two alternate worlds. In one world she is a nine-year old girl who is rented out as a domestic servant working in Lagos, and the other world Sim lives in a dream world where she can fly at will. Alatise describes “Flying Girls” as a body of work dedicated to girls in Nigeria that offers them a little safe place for them to be children. Right here Right now BY QUDUS ONIKEKU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHUcXhMwXxA Harmoniously combining elements of modern and African dance, contemporary choreography, and aspects of age-old Yoruba spirituality and philosophy, Qudus Onikeku presents his artistry in three sections: Of Contemplation, Of Poetry, and Of Engagement. His dance film brings into clear focus the tensions between the various senses of time, and how an audience can be triggered to remember. It draws from his recent and ongoing work to infuse dance with the energy of Yoruba spirituality, with emphasis on the significance of self, the commune, and the divine in imagining the role of aesthetics, beauty, and art. Onikeku says: “I’m not interested in the present, I’m interested in the now, the present is concerned with the past, but the now is so powerful that it doesn’t have time to think about the past, it’s grabbing at the future. That’s when dance becomes so interesting; it’s constantly inventing the now.” PHOTO CREDIT: Ibeabuchi Benson
Sharon Moatshe: A PR Business Must Not Over-Promise and Under-Deliver
From the dusty streets of Kagiso township in Gauteng, South Africa, Sharon Moatshe has tapped into the world of entrepreneurship at a young age, and believes that she can create whatever door she wants to open. After many months of looking for a job after graduating, the solution was simple, start a business with the limited resources that she had and survive. Currently, she is the Director and Co-founder( along with Unathi Dingiswayo) at PR House of Creatives, a motivational speaker, wife and mother. In her words: she didn’t believe she would end up so great; but here we are. Take a walk with us in this interview as we look into Sharon’s amazing work, and how she’s helping startups thrive in South Africa. Take us on a walk through PR House of Creatives PR House Of Creatives was co-founded by Sharon Moatshe and Unathi Dingiswayo after a long time spent job searching, and the resultant unhappiness of not seeing the change we wanted to see in our lives for ourselves. We were then able to identify the necessity of PR and marketing, pertaining to brand management for SME’s within our community. What support systems are critical to companies like yours? Financial backing to ensure that costs are covered for: the technology used in ensuring we deliver real-time results, keeping up with current news & trends, graphics for content. As well as for our PR travels. Another important thing is mentorship from big PR Firms and structures. PR is not an easy industry for businesses to remain sustainable, your business many come and go because of lack of mentorship. What innovations have helped your business stand out from competitors? For a previous client of ours, Distinkt Vodka, we made media kits with vodka bottles and we had packaged these in potato bags, because the primary ingredient of vodka is potatoes. We draw our inspiration from client products/ services, and conceptualise from that point. What challenges have helped your company grow over the years? We have had challenges with regards to what we charge our clients. We have had to learn that SME’s are still growing and not making much money, but ,we must still charge a price that allows us to grow and sustain our business. [bctt tweet=”Know your WHY, your business exists as a solution to a problem ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What values are critical for success in the PR business? Intergrity. A PR business must not over promise and under deliver! Always be a person of your word. Execute and do your very best to match the concept you sold your client. What is your greatest success story thus far? Our greatest success story has to be TG Foods and Events! We started with the team in the township when they were starting out, we poured our hearts into our work with TG. After a few months of working together the team got their own shop which they cater food from in an uptown busy market! The place is big and beautiful. The teams understands the importance of their brand, even when they keep growing they continued using our services! It’s been beautiful watching them grow from strength to strength and knowing our creative team is a part of this journey. [bctt tweet=”Always be a person of your word” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What’s the next step for your company? Any plans to help small businesses outside the shores of South Africa? We would love to first help small businesses in South Africa grow and sustain that growth, then certainly the rest of Africa will have a piece of our goodness! The first thing businesses cut-out when they sinking/struggling is marketing and PR, which is more like stopping the clock to save time. We want to re-introduce to Africa what amazing impact PR can have for a business. [bctt tweet=”We want to re-introduce to Africa what amazing impact PR can have for a business.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] One phrase that resonates with your business strategy? Creative team of all trades and master of all! Do you run a PR company? Let us know more about you and your story here.
5 Things We Love About Shop & Ship!
We are all about the latest shipping solution from Aramex – Shop & Ship and here are 5 reasons why we can’t get over this new service. 1. Offers shoppers 23 physical addresses across the globe: With Shop & Ship you get 23 physical addresses across the globe making it easier for members to shop from websites that don’t normally ship to Nigeria! Shop and Ship provides physical addresses in 23 countries, that enables members to purchase goods and ship them from as many countries as desired. 2. Delivery within 3-6 days: Presently S&S has the fastest delivery time for shopping at international stores. 3. Cost saving – Pay for just what you order: S&S ensures that shoppers are only charged based on the actual weight of the item(s) bought and not by volumetric weight. What this means is that unlike other regular shipping companies, S&S will only charge for the weight of the product to be shipped, and not its dimensions. This is a sure way of reducing shipping costs. 4. S&S allows for tracking of goods to the point of delivery: Shoppers are able to track their goods from the first day until it arrives at your destination. This service guarantees peace of mind especially with customs bottlenecks and all. 5. Pay for your Shipping in Naira: For added ease, Shop & Ship offers you the option of paying for your shipping using your Naira card when your shipping arrives Nigeria. Join us for a Twitter chat with Shop and Ship! [ninja_forms id=158] *Sponsored post by Aramex Aramex (DFM: ARMX) is the disruptive leader in the global logistics and transportation industry. Established in 1982 as an express operator, the company rapidly evolved into a global brand recognized for its customized services and innovative multi-product offering. Traded on the NASDAQ from 1997 to 2002, Aramex today is a publicly traded company on the Dubai Financial Market, employing more than 18,000 people in 567 locations across 69 countries and leads a strong alliance network providing global presence, and bringing together 40 independent express companies from around the world. The range of services offered by Aramex includes integrated logistics solutions, international and domestic express
How to build a team for your business
A lot of things compete for an entrepreneur’s time, especially during the early stage of business. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you have an ‘A- team’ working in your business. As such, as an entrepreneur knowing how to build a team for your business is of the utmost importance. Building a business with the wrong set of people can cause major setbacks for the business. You need to ensure that you select members of your team carefully; be thorough with the hiring process. Here are tips to guide entrepreneurs through the process of how to build a team for your business. Have a strategic vision for your business Have clear objectives on why you need a team and what you expect from each member of the team. This gives you a clear idea of what to look out for when building a team. Startups are hardly ever the first choice for job applicants The pay and job security in startups is low compared to corporate institutions, this further narrows down the talent pool available for small businesses to hire from. Locate communities (online and offline) where potential members of your team hang out; social media, networking events or your personal network. This can help you easily find people with a passion for what you do, such people can be easily trained to get the job done. Clearly communicate your vision to team members Get them to buy into it. This draws commitment and builds passion in them to drive the vision. The aim should always be to build a single unit Each individual on the team should be dedicated to not only accomplishing their own tasks but that of their team mates. Team members should be able to wear multiple hats and adapt to the ever dynamic nature of startups. Introduce them to online tools for better organization and efficient communication internally and externally. Team members should go beyond people on your payroll Build your team to include people that provide you with support – advisory, investment, emotional (family and friends), vendors and a customer network. Put together trainings and team bonding sessions Create a work environment that rewards creativity and nurtures resourcefulness. Do a thorough background check On social media as well as google. This gives you an insight on what kind of team player they will be. It lets you in on what their views on life might be, as well as their character and moral conduct. Take this seriously as character/attitude is an important factor to consider when hiring as a startup. Show optimism The kind of positive energy members of your team can draw from. Be an exemplary leader In character and excellence. Trust your instincts If you don’t feel good about hiring a particular person on your team, don’t! If a candidate has all it takes for the role, but you feel off about him or her, let the person go. You always have to be on the same page with members of your team. Do you have any tips on how to build an A- Team? Let us know here.
Jobs – Marketing Associate
She Leads Africa believes in the power of young African women to build amazing careers and businesses, serve as community leaders and influencers, and eventually take over the world. Our #MotherlandMoguls, as we affectionately call them, are the reason we exist and expanding – to provide them with more inspiring and educational content to help them live their best lives. We’re looking for a marketing guru who’d like to join us in building She Leads Africa into the number one destination for smart and ambitious African women. This role is only open in Lagos, Nigeria and Cape Town, South Africa only. Role Description: The Marketing Associate (Events) will manage the marketing functions for She Leads Africa events and training programs. Reporting Structure: The Marketing Associate (Events) will report to the Head of Marketing. They will also be responsible for managing a team of 2-3 fellows and additional staff related to large events or campaigns. Responsibilities: Serve as the lead content creator for promotion and publicity of events and training programs Establish and deliver leads and sales goals on a weekly and monthly basis Manage marketing and public relations strategies including media partnerships, influencers, and advertising for events Maintain a marketing calendar with a structured plan of marketing campaigns for each quarter Create “always on” campaigns to consistently market and build the SLA brand in target cities in advance of upcoming events Liaise with the content team to schedule marketing content Utilize data and analytics to drive decision making and advise content decisions Develop a deep understanding of our audience and how best to communicate with them Requirements: The ideal candidates will have an interest in building, growing and scaling communities. You don’t have to have official work experience doing this kind of work but we want someone who is passionate about digital content and can learn quickly. If this role is for you, you’ll be excited to work in a fast paced environment and committed to working until the job is done. Specific requirements include: Intellectual curiosity and an interest in learning new skills Excellent English writing skills and the ability to adopt and change your style of writing Experience in building and growing communities across markets using a variety of content, marketing and partnership strategies Knowledge of digital marketing strategies Social media savvy and being up to date on current trends Able to deliver on metrics-driven results and an understanding of analytics Graphic design and video editing skills are a major plus Benefits: Entry level salary with bonus Opportunity to travel across Africa and interact with Africa’s leading voices and entrepreneurs Flexible work arrangements Work with a moderately fun team who prefer sweatpants over stilettos Submit your application here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://sheleadsafrica.typeform.com/to/eoteH5″] You can also click this link to go to the direct application page. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to contact everyone who applies. We will not be able to answer additional questions via email.
Passion: The key to thriving in your career
There is no career without challenges, regardless of who you are. The only difference between a career that glows; radiating success at all ends and a career that blows; experiencing failures back- to- back, is the intensity of ‘fuel’ used for both the latter and the former. Here, the ‘fuel’ needed is the passion, the zeal and the will to either glow or blow. It takes more! It’s not enough to only have dreams and visions for your career, it’s pertinent to also have a driving force which will lead you to those goals in the long run. In other words, It’s not enough to know what you want to do, you’ve got to know what makes you do what you do because this is what will keep you going when the heat gets hotter. According to Chika Akinwale, founder of Cambridge Leadership Academy, “A vision is fueled by a deep desire or conviction within”. This is where passion comes in. Passion keeps you going… The fact is, challenges will come at every stage of one’s career, but, the truth is that, you have the power to either be burned by the heat or go through that heat and come out refined. Going through the heat is definitely not an easy task in any career; this is why you need to be constantly fueled by passion. The awesome truth about it is that it is not static. It drives you to thrive, even in stagnant times. Passion is like a stronghold, when the heat burns at whatever stage in your career, you will gradually rise above the ashes of your fears. …the language of go-getters Look through the tunnel of time past, you’ll see stories of great men and women who failed countless times in their various careers, yet, in the long run; they became world champions. These achievers were definitely not of the same age, race or gender; they only spoke a common language; the language of passion. The fact is, they failed at one point or the other. But, the beautiful truth is that, they went through the heat from the kiln and came out stronger, with well baked triumphs! The big picture Here’s the big picture: the same heat that makes gold out of a career; can fold that same career. People go through the same challenges and come out with different results. The big question here is: what makes the difference? Passion!The difference between those who come out with solid results and others who are left with melted goals. It takes passion to not just keep holding on, but to keep taking positive steps inspite of the heat, until you get your desired results. It’s all on you! Despite popular belief, the main hindrance to career success is not necessarily financial setbacks or a lack of resources. The main hindrance is you. ‘The you’ with little or no passion for what you do. The driving force to your career goals can be achieved efficaciously when your ‘fuel tank’ is filled with passion. This will only come effortlessly when you love what you do. When you love what you do, failure won’t be an option. Your passion will keep your eyes on what lies beyond the heat. Your passion may not prevent challenges, but it won’t let challenges stop you either. Even with passion, you’ll still ‘sweat’ (that’s why challenges can be synonymous with ‘heat’). It’s high time we understood that without passion, one will definitely be discouraged when the heat in any career starts to burn. You need not be afraid of challenges, only be alarmed when you have a dwindling passion. With passion, you may fall on your face, but you will have the energy to keep rising. At the end of it all, the choice is yours! To either glow or blow, to either be refined or burnt; but, always remember, beyond the heat lies a stronger, more fulfilled and refined you! How do you keep the passion burning in your career? Let us know about you and your story here.
Kagiso Legodi: the little that I have to give means everything to me
“Whatever my mind can comprehend, I can achieve” these words are from 22 year old Kagiso Legodi, born and bred in the dusty roads of Gamashashane Limpopo, a rural Village tucked away from Polokwane CBD, South Africa. A Social Entrepreneur,Writer and Founder of ‘I am She’; a women empowerment initiative that aims to address and redress the social gender inequalities of the past. Kagiso studied Accounting at Tshwane University of Technology; is a certified Emotion coach from MHI leadership firm; and recently she wrote a book, ‘Flooded But Not Drowned’. Tell us about ”I am She”. What inspired you to start the organisation? The reason why I started I am She is because I saw how as women we are still told of things that we cannot do. Some of us dream of only being housewives and most men still see us as objects. Therefore, I wanted to inspire women and to remind them that they are capable of achieving anything, beyond the stereotypes and labels. Why women? I am passionate about women and their well-being. We are living in a developing country whereby a lot of people still go to bed on an empty stomach. Why was it important for you to create and run an organisation like this? I know that I cannot help everyone( I cannot feed every hungry child) but, the little that I have to give means everything to me. My hope is that those who I have helped, will one day go out and help other people too. What are the challenges you face when running your organisation and how do you overcome these challenges? Not having the finances to fund all my ideas. Sometimes people say things like, ‘she thinks she can change the world’. But, I never listen to negative talk and I don’t entertain it. I overcome my challenges because I believe that whatever my mind can comprehend, I can achieve. [bctt tweet=”I never listen to negative talk and I don’t entertain it.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are your words of encouragement to young people out there who would like to be a helping hand? Be in it for the people you are helping, not for yourself . Be selfless and true. Things will not be a walk in the park, but, remember your ‘why’- why are you in it? Is it fame, recognition or your love of people? You recently wrote a book “Flooded But Not Drowned”, please tell us a bit about it. Flooded But Not Drowned is a collection of real life stories by women. These are women who came out strong and victorious from the many storms they encountered. I have featured 7 different women who have been through child molestation, rape, rejection and low self esteem. I want this book to touch lives, bring hope to the lost and heal the broken hearted. I call it ‘a book for the nations’ because of how it will change lives in Africa and beyond. This means you will be playing a huge role in the media and people’s hearts . How do you plan on using this platform? I plan to use this platform to groom myself into the woman I am destined to be. To create a positive name for myself in the media, and most importantly, to encourage other women to work on their dreams and transform their lives. Where would you like the organization to be in the next five years? My vision for I am She is beyond myself and beyond Africa. I see it as an international women’s empowerment platform. A platform addressing and redressing all the social gender inequalities of the past. I want it to teach women to embrace and inspire one another. Facebook: Kagiso Princess Legodi Instagram: KagisoPrincessLegodi Email: legodiprincess@gmail.com Are you involved in a women’s empowerment initiative? Let us know about you and your story here.