OP-ED: DO AFRICAN WOMEN EVEN DO POLITICS?
44 African leaders made history in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018, when they signed up for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). The agreement will create one of the world’s largest free trade areas – a single market for goods and services for a population of over 1.2 million people – if all AU members eventually sign and ratify it. The AfCTA is in line with the broader goals of the AU reforms initiative, which intends to move away from the current situation of multiple, almost competing for economic blocs to a single pan-African unit that facilitates the free movement of goods and services across the continent. The AfCTA is a milestone achievement that could change the economic trajectory of the continent. A celebratory photograph of the various leaders who gathered in Kigali was rapidly shared across various media platforms to commemorate the singularity of events. Yet, anyone paying attention quickly noticed one thing about the photograph – there were no women. Can the AU reforms process create room for women in the highest levels of political leadership on the continent? The final round of negotiations for the AfCFTA, unfortunately, coincided with the resignation of Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the first female president of Mauritius. [bctt tweet=”Outside of South Africa and Malawi, no woman has run for president in the Southern Africa region- @tanaforum @nanjala1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] There are now no female heads of state on the continent. Before Gurib-Fakim, we had Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia, Joyce Banda in Malawi and Catherine Samba-Panza in the Central African Republic. Of the four, only Johnson-Sirleaf completed a full term with both Gurib-Fakim and Banda leaving office under tenuous allegations of fraud and Samba-Panza electing not to run for office after serving as a caretaker president. If there are any unifying lessons to be learned from these experiences it is that African women political leaders are often held to higher standards than their male counterparts and that much more work can be done to incorporate women into political governance on the continent. The subject of equality of women in politics in Africa is complex. In the pre-independence era, there are a number of examples of women rising to the top of their societies, particularly in fraught political moments. Today, South Africa is the most un-equal country in the world according to the World Bank, with entrenched poverty directly linked to the “enduring legacy of apartheid”. [bctt tweet=”Madikezela-Mandela was punished for doing exactly the same things that her male counterparts did- @tanaforum @nanjala1 ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Madikezela-Mandela’s experience echoes the experience of women on the continent who form a slight numerical majority of the population but are systematically shut out from high-level politics. She was punished for doing exactly the same things that her male counterparts have done throughout the ages. Women were at the center of liberation movements across the continent; not just in supporting roles but also leading political and military organizations. Madikezela-Mandela was branded a murderer and denied a seat at the table of power in post-apartheid South Africa. [bctt tweet=”Rwanda has the highest number of women in parliament at 63.8%.- @tanaforum @nanjala1″ username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Today, the situation facing African women in politics is mixed. Between 2005 and 2015, the proportion of women in legislatures in North Africa more than doubled from 7% to 18%, while in sub-Saharan Africa it increased from 15% to 22%. Globally, Rwanda has the highest number of women in parliament at 63.8% and, because of the increasing use of quotas, women make up more than 30% of the legislature in most countries in East and Southern Africa. And as mentioned, four countries have put women in the top seat, more than Europe or North America combined. Nonetheless, there have also been significant losses, particularly where women aim for the presidency. Read the concluding part of this article here… Sponsored post. This article was originally written by Nanjala Nyabola, a writer and political analyst based in Nairobi, Kenya for the Tana-High Level Forum on Security in Africa 2018.
5 things you can learn from Talaya Waller’s Ted Talk on personal branding
Dr. Talaya Waller is an internationally known, award-winning personal branding consultant, speaker, and marketing scholar who works with thought leaders from a variety of industries. She combines professional experiences with years of marketing research to build awareness, influence, and credibility for personal and organizational brands. Her mission is to help leaders share their stories and leverage their expertise to make a positive impact on society. Dr. Talaya earned a Doctorate of Business Administration in 2015 and is currently conducting independent research on personal branding. In 2011, she completed an Executive Education at Harvard. She also holds a BSc and an MBA in Managerial Sciences focused on Entrepreneurship. With an online presence of over 35,000 followers and haven being published in Forbes, Fast Company, and The Chronicle of Higher Education, Dr.Talaya gave a TEDx Talk where she shares her insight on personal branding. [bctt tweet=”The future of branding is personal – Talaya Waller” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Watch the Ted Talk here: Here are 5 things you can learn from this TED Talk 1. Technology has caused a major shift in influence. Today, one employee can have more influence, and also consumer trust than their entire organization. 2. People are tired of being sold. In business marketing, we have moved away from humanizing objects to influencing people with other people who they know, like, and trust. Individuals who want to build an influential personal brand can use the know-like-trust formula. 3. Everyone has a brand, but most people don’t manage it strategically, effectively, or consistently. Individuals who have a well-defined personal brand usually generate increased value for their company, whether they work for themselves or someone else. 4. Your personal brand is the most powerful tool you have to accomplish your goals. A branding strategy is essential to success in fundraising, growing a business, or changing careers. 5. Branding is no longer about companies trying to manage our perception. Today, it’s about people creating and sharing human experiences. The future of branding is personal. If you’d like to be featured on the SLA Facebook page? Click here to share your story.
How to deal with that job you don’t like
So you managed to get through school. You aced that interview! The excitement of finally being part of the workforce and getting that paycheck is giving you a rush. But as you slide into your work routine you start to realize something awful, you hate your job. As the initial excitement of winning the job search fades you may realize things aren’t what you expected or you are overwhelmed. How do you survive such a situation? Breathe Becoming an adult is quite a daunting task, with so many things to balance and learn. When you add a job to this mix, it can feel overwhelming. The first thing you need to do it take a deep breath. Try to wrap your head around what’s happening it your life. Focus on the positive It’s easy to have a bad day when you’re only focused on the bad things. I hate to sound like your mother, but you need to begin counting your blessings one by one. What are the perks of your job? What do you enjoy? When you look at it this way, you will discover that perhaps your job is not all bad. Be Realistic There’s a long list of reasons why you might hate your job. Some common reasons are the salary, the hours and superiors. But sometimes, you really have to be realistic about your job. You can start by finding out what salaries are in your field. This will help you understand that you can’t expect to be earning top manager salary on your first day. Secondly, you may also feel as though your boss is out there to get you. But ask yourself, is he really up to that? Is there something that you perhaps need to do better? Consider other factors If you’re staying up late every night to catch up on daytime soaps or not eating properly, you’ll probably be constantly exhausted. Make sure you’re taking care of your body, your mind, and emotions. Feelings can heavily affect your system. If logistics is a problem try carpooling or taking alternative transport, or leaving home a bit earlier to avoid traffic. Wait it out They say time fixes all problems. Sometimes the best solution is to wait it out. Maybe you just need more time to adjust. On the hand, sometimes it may be time to move on from that job. While waiting it out, you can begin searching for other opportunities or perhaps even start that business you’ve been thinking of. Whatever you decide, you need to make concrete plans that will guide your next steps. This will ensure that you don’t end up in the same situation again. Communicate If something else is really bothering you, maybe it’s time to speak to whoever is in charge. Try explaining to them what the issues are without whining, be clear and concise. Be cautious about how much information you share though. Learn from it If you do decide to move on, make sure you take everything as a learning experience. Understand why things didn’t go so well. Know what you want from your next job. How would you negotiate your hours and pay? Finally, don’t let your current situation weigh you down. In order to grow, we need to go through rough patches that will help us fully grow. This article was written by Love Akinkunle. Love is an African writer, content creator and victim of wanderlust. She works in PR, event management, and tour management when there’s writer’s block. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Babalwa Fatyi: Serving my Purpose with my many hats on
Meet Babalwa Fatyi the South African Environmental Scientist who is a wife, mother, poet, author. She is also the managing director for Myezo Environmental Management Services Consulting company, Myezo growth and development institute, and co-owner of the ZenQ fashion line. In recognition of her outstanding contribution towards the development of the economy, Babalwa has been awarded various accolades. She won the Standard Bank 2016 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015, and in 2016, she won the Most Influential Woman in Business and Government Award. What factors have helped you achieve as much as you have? The biggest factor that has contributed towards my success is not contradicting who I am. I aim to produce outputs that are authentic. My outputs should be aligned with my inner being and bring me peace. To ensure this, I’ve made sure that I understand my purpose and that I align my goals with that purpose. That way when I’m faced with challenges, I am strengthened by focusing on my purpose which God revealed to me. Therefore, when I feel out of tune with what I need to do, I talk to friends and to God. They remind me of purpose and keep me on track. Secondly, I am driven by serving others. I see my gifts and talents as a means to achieve greatness. You wear many hats, tell us your secret ingredient for achieving it all. The things that I do revolve around my core and serve my purpose. My responsibility revolves around showing gratitude and taking care of the environment that has been entrusted unto us. Poetry allows me to respect and feed my soul, by nourishing it. My ZenQ clothing line in an expression of my artistic creativity through clothes. I believe clothes can reflect the essence of who we are. They can show how we feel as well as how we wish to be viewed. All these different things are just a tangible expression of who I am. My gifts and talents, which are given to me, to fulfill my role as an environmental ambassador and a steward. So I do not wear many hats but I wear one hat: I wear me. What led you publishing your poetry book “Greetings from My Core”? Poetry to me is an expression of who I am and a conduit through which I could find my voice and reach out to others and request them to engage with me on some of the matters that affect our society. Through poetry, I could share my authenticity, experiences and love my surroundings, including its beautiful diverse people I encounter, who inspire me or bring life to those experiences. This enables me to be more conscious and is also an opportunity for me to give reverence to God. What can you tell us about your company – Myezo Environmental Management Services consulting? At Myezo, we seek to serve the environment, communities, and developers through guidance on how to best take care of the land we have. We help developers with regulations and assessing the impact of developments on both the land and the communities. Through our work, we learn’t that our solutions must be tested by our clients who are our partners. As respect, empathy and listening to others are key in what we do, we must incorporate all the diverse views we face. How has Myezo developed in terms of creating jobs? Our greatest strength is our heart for youth and solidarity to the challenges our country face in terms of unemployment and poverty alleviation. We aim to bring to life the National Development Plan goals by playing a role within our areas of influence and capacity. Through providing a platform, we’ve helped youth penetrate into the job market and therefore provided them with the needed resources to improve their lives and their families. The youth were not only exposed to scientific knowledge but also to self-awareness, project management, and organizational skills among others. What does the Myezo Growth and Development Institute do? At this institute, we do coaching and mentoring through our collaborations with some universities. We contribute to ensuring that there are no wide gaps between what is taught at schools and what industries expect from graduates. Our other collaborations with other organizations include projects such as the Princess D Menstrual Cup. Through this, we hope to put girls back to school and not miss out on learning due to natural biological processes. This is aligned with our environmental stewardship role as this cup reduces the sanitary pads that go to the landfill or medical waste disposal sites. Finally, together with the Tsogang Re Direng Youth Foundation, we empower girls with career selection decisions and also help connect them to skills development opportunities. These include skills such as events management of vintage recycling where they learn practical environment-friendly skills that generate income. What do you do to relax? I’m a very outdoor kind of person. So for fun, I take walks at the nature reserves around my neighborhood. This helps me find peace and tranquility in just giving my self-time to be alone at times and just recharge. I also believe in being spiritually fed and therefore fellowship with other believers. Other than this, I spend time with my husband, family, friends. Listening to the sound of my kid’s laughter and running around brings joy to my life.
Francisca Ogunlade: My Scars are My Strength
Francisca Onyinye Ogunlade is a car crash survivor who decided to make her second chance at life very impactful and interesting. She is also known as the “Side Business Queen” because she helps corporate employees leverage their strength to start and grow a profitable side business in 90 days or less. She is a banker with 12 years experience, a founder of an event tech company and a business coach. In this interview with Francisca, she talks about surviving a car crash, and how she got into the business of event planning and management. [bctt tweet=”Your location should not be a hindrance to your dreams. The internet has made life easy” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Having being involved in a car crash, what impact did this have your life and business? The car crash turned my whole life around. I had two fractures in one leg and also a cranial injury. As if that’s not enough, I had to carry my pregnancy to term on crutches and a cane. The biggest blow was that I lost the use of one eye – imagine having to be very careful when applying eyeliner because you only have one eye! This accident taught me that life and business are always full of twists and turns. Sometimes, you lose almost everything (like I almost lost my life) and you are left with deciding either to remain conquered or rise up to fight the storm. For me, I chose to live and live well. I charge you to do same. From your experience, how can young women maximize their locations? On July 16, 2017, I changed the narration of the events and wedding industry in the Southwest of Nigeria. My team and I planned and hosted a beauty and bride exhibition, and this event has created so much ripple effect within and outside the many states in Nigeria. The interesting thing about launching out from your location is that you are probably one of the few people with that idea and boom, you are in the limelight. In the last year too, I created Nigeria’s first events budgeting app on the Google play store (Eftinzz Events and Budget Planner). All this taught me that your location should not be a hindrance to your dreams. The internet has made life easy. Make your dream clear enough and your location will be your Launchpad. How do you create a balance between your day job and your business? I must confess that this has not been a box of chocolate. I had to identify my support system and carry them along with my plans. They are a part of life. On my part, I had to make some sacrifices which include reducing my social life. Unfortunately, I lost some few friends who couldn’t understand the new direction I was going but we are now on the same page. What are some key lessons from your journey you’d like others to learn from? I could never have imagined that I would go through some of the things that I have been through. However, through every experience I learned the following lessons: Your scars are your strength Your dreams are valid You must be crazy enough to believe in your craze You are human – it’s okay to ask for help What advice can you give young ladies building their careers or businesses? I won’t tell you it will be easy because it won’t be. But the good thing is, even if it is easy, you can do it. Be true to yourself. Never be scared to dream and make sure you live an enjoyable life because your dreams are valid. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.tory here.
How to Invest Collaboratively with Friends: Tomie Balogun
[bctt tweet=”When you invest with others, you take advantage of the power of many – @tomie_balogun” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As a certified financial educator and Instructor, Tomie Balogun has a lot of experience in investing with friends. While pursuing her MBA, she and a few classmates started an investment club. Their passion to achieve financial freedom and make an impact on society saw them successfully invest in various small businesses and assets. However, investing with friends hasn’t always been that easy. Like Tomie, many people have had bad experiences either loaning money to a friend or requesting for a loan. The conclusion: money and friends are a horrible mix! However, the question many ask, is it still worth investing with friends or anybody else?. Tomie gives us tips on how to make this work. The Power of Many Think about the way you ask more people to contribute money to a party, so everyone can have more food options. Investing with other people helps increase the number of resources you raise and strengthens your financial future. Investing in Bigger Things Co-investing in an investment club gives you the opportunity to invest in bigger opportunities, share risks and share higher returns as well. For instance, while real estate is a great asset class that always appreciates, not a lot of young people can invest in it. However, if 5 or more people decide to come together and invest, they will have more cash. Over time, they can earn returns from their initial investment and continue to flip multiple real estate deals. That’s a better option than waiting till your 40’s to eventually own real estate. Choosing the Right Team You might be thinking, co-investing or starting an investment club is great but what about the emotional issues that come with investing with friends or colleagues at work? This can be tricky! The first thing you need to do while selecting partners is to avoid sentiments. You need to make sure that you choose your partners with clarity and objectivity. When identifying people, choose partners who are disciplined with spending money and more importantly, have a strong sense of integrity. Shared values are very important when co-investing. Details, Details, Details! First, you need a legal structure in place to protect everyone’s interest. When this happens, you limit liabilities in investment deals. You can register your club as a limited liability company or a limited partnership. What’s important is to make sure you have the papers to support your words if things go wrong. Secondly, they say the devil is in the details. In creating your legal documents and other admin paperwork, make sure you don’t skim through anything. Practice good financial bookkeeping, assign roles to manage tasks and create a constitution! Remember all information can be important! Make that Money Work Once you sort your membership and legalities, you can then start contributing money. Don’t set unachievable contribution rates, but set goals that everyone can work towards. If everyone believes in the goal, they will eventually build it too. At the end of the day, there are many options to invest. However, investment clubs are both great for collaborative investing and also fun! They are a smarter way to take advantage of the power of many to achieve your wealth goals sooner. So as soon as you can, get your motherland moguls into formation and start co-investing together towards your financial freedom.
9 Business Lessons from My First Year of Business
Like many people, I was faced with the dilemma of deciding whether or not I needed to attend business school to start my business as I had no experience. However, I finally decided to be brave and start my business without any experience. In my one year since starting, I have learned the following lessons. 1. Never take things too personally. When operating with people, it’s often very easy to make arguments, criticism and other relations personal. However, if you want to succeed in the business world, you need to remember that at the end of the day, how you deal with your customers and partners is strictly business and not personal. 2. Separate your business life from your personal life. When you have a friendly relationship with your clients, it is very easy for the lines to get blurred. Sometimes, this can end up in sticky situations where one party does not fulfill their end of the deal. To avoid these situations, it is important to set the lines clear between your business and your personal life. You need to maintain a work-life balance. 3. Be clear about your job description. As a service based business, one of my ethos is going beyond and above for my clients. Sometimes, this results in taking up certain duties (aka unpaid labor) that are not part of my job description. This can get overwhelming. Therefore, it is important to be clear about ALL the services that your offer from the onset. If necessary, you should draw up contracts that reflect your services and your limits. 4. Review your prices regularly. You might be doing yourself a great disservice if in a bid to come across as affordable you under-price yourself. It is important to review your prices as often as possible. Especially when you’re in an industry like social media where your responsibilities are flexible and subject to change. 5. Be accountable. In the absence of a business partner or a co-founder, you need to learn how to hold yourself accountable. This can be as easy as setting small, medium and long-term goals and working toward them. These goals are important to give you a sense of direction and to keep you in check. 6. Toot your horn. One of the few things I still struggle with is putting myself out there as I’d like for my business to speak for itself. But the game has changed and the internet is over saturated. The only way for you to be noticed or to come across as a thought-leader or an expert in your field is if you put yourself out there. There are no two ways about it. Do you want to be the go-to person for a particular service? Put yourself out there and let people know. 7. Have confidence in yourself. When you are running a business, you’re gonna need all the confidence you can muster for the tough days ahead. You will face people who don’t believe in your dreams and your plans may even fail. It is important to keep believing in yourself even when others don’t. 8. Find time to improve your skills. Work/Life can be overwhelming sometimes and before you know it, three months have gone by without you learning anything new. In this ever-changing world, there’s a need to constantly improve your skills. Thankfully we have the internet at our disposal but finding the time can be a challenge. To fix this, make a schedule maybe during the public holidays and learn something that would directly improve your daily activities. 9. Customer service is key. Just because you’re not selling a product to a consumer doesn’t mean customer service is any less important. You’re selling services. Treat your clients with courtesy. Referrals are still king. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Rukky Esharegharan: I am redefining education in Nigeria
Rukky Esharegharan is an early childhood education expert and founder of The Teachers Hub and South Pacific Teachers Academy. This is an initiative she founded to help deal with the lack of skilled teachers in the Nigerian education sector. In less than two years since founding The Teachers hub, Rukky has grown its membership from 1 to 7500 members. She talks to us about her journey building the Nigerian education sector. How did your journey as an educator begin? I first began my journey 16 years ago as a nursery teaching assistant while I awaited my university admission. Initially, I wanted to be a doctor and later a writer. For my degree, I studied English and later published a series of short stories, wrote a novel and started a blog. Teaching was just something I did during the holidays to pass time. Our society does not promote teaching as a lucrative profession for high achievers, so even though I was great at teaching, I never thought of it as a prospective career. Two things changed me. Firstly, my quest to play an active role in my children’s lives led me to study more about early childhood care and education. Secondly, my teaching experience in a government secondary school in Warri, Delta State, opened my eyes to the decay in our education sector. When I met the children, something stirred up within me. Each day I would go home upset and worried about how unmotivated the senior secondary students were. I wanted to help these children but a 40-minute English lesson three times a week was not enough. Therefore, I decided to fully immerse myself in education. [bctt tweet=”I am redefining education in Nigeria, one teacher, one school owner, one parent at a time – Rukky Esharegharan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about The Teachers Hub and the impact it is making I started ‘The Teachers’ Hub in December 2016 with a singular vision ”to equip parents and educators with 21st-century teaching skills.” Though we have schools for education, we lack skilled teachers. The Teacher’s Hub community was founded with the aim to network with, and helping other educators. In the past 8 months, I have trained over 350 educators (teachers, parents, school owners and consultants). The many testimonials have inspired me to keep going. A parent from one of my courses called me to say she had decided to become a full-time teacher after the training with me and I cried with joy. I am redefining education in Nigeria: one teacher, one school owner, one parent at a time. How has social media enabled you to grow The Teachers Hub brand and what makes it stand out? The Teachers’ Hub started as a Facebook group a while back, and we’ll be hosting our first of many Early Childhood Education Conference in April and May across 4 states (Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Delta). Without social media, I won’t have come this far. I have people contact me from different parts of the world and that’s because of the power of social media. What makes The Teachers’ Hub stand out is that I give of myself so freely. When I first started, I had a dear friend call me to say ” Why are you sharing so much for free in your group?” She could not understand when I tried to tell her that I just wanted to help other educators find their way. [bctt tweet=”Without social media, I won’t have come this far – Rukky Esharegharan” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What advice can you give aspiring teacher being held back by the poor remuneration in Nigeria’s education sector? I like to say that ”teaching is a work of the heart.” Do it, not for the money, but for the love of our children, the love and future of our country. Only quality education can liberate us from the mess we face in our country. Make that sacrifice today so that our children will get a better future. Money is important because we all have needs. However, money is often the after effect of hard work, passion, dedication, personal development. Be the best teacher you possibly can be and the money will come. What difference did working with UNICEF make in your journey as an educationist? My current work with UNICEF has opened my eyes even more to the realities of the Nigerian education sector. When one is a teacher or even a school owner or consultant, they don’t fully grasp the decay or damage in the system, unless you have someone show you a bigger picture. UNICEF helped me look beyond the symptoms of our dysfunctional educational system to the root cause. And our team’s solution will address the root cause and not just the symptoms. It’s a very big project that would have a national impact. What lessons have you garnered from your entrepreneurial journey? I have learned that to be a successful entrepreneur, one must be passionate, committed, focused, hardworking, highly self-motivated and be a lifelong learner. Don’t be too quick to say I have arrived, no matter how good you are, because there is always something more to add, to learn, to be. There is this saying that a teacher’s reward is in heaven, what is your take on that? Yes, I believe the saying to be partly true because great teachers are like mothers: our love and commitment to the children can never be adequately compensated with material gains. While I will say yes we have a very big reward waiting for us in heaven, we can and should experience wealth in financial terms, also good health, peace, and satisfaction here on earth. All we need to do is work consistently on being the best versions of ourselves. [bctt tweet=”Don’t be too quick to say I have arrived, no matter how good you are” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Incredible Women in Art: Maneo Mohale — I’m hella queer, and proudly so
Maneo Mohale is one of the most brilliant minds we’ve ever met. She is an arts journalist, writer, editor and a major LGBTQI advocate, who has written for prominent publications and has also created her own platform, The Talon. Maneo uses her extraordinary talent to create a safe space for the LGBTQI community and black women; lending them a voice in order to share their own stories and experiences. We had the amazing opportunity to pick Maneo’s brain and chat about all the things that move her. How did you get into the art industry? The Art industry is extremely broad and feels a little incongruous with what I do with most of my time, (which is write and edit), but I’ve been writing for as long as I remember. I only entered seriously into the realm of arts journalism at university, when I co-founded an online student journalism platform called The Talon alongside an incredible team and editorial collective. I was a writer and an editor for the publication, but I really enjoyed editing there. Soon after, I dipped my toes in all kinds of creative and journalistic writing and then landed my Global Feminism Writing Fellowship with an American feminist organization called Bitch Media, which really skyrocketed by interest in smart and sexy arts journalism. Since then, I’m really getting a feel for the media landscape, and I’m loving the art that I am exposed to by both editing talented arts writers and trying my pen at responding to the waves made in the South African and broader global arts industries as well. [bctt tweet=”The media landscape is made richer and more meaningful with our voices in it – @ManeoMohale” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As an advocate for the LGBTQI community, tell us about what you do, including your work with Platform Magazine I think there’s more than a little danger in forming an identity around advocacy and activism, so I tend to bristle a bit at the solidity of thinking of myself as an ‘advocate’. I’m hella queer, and proudly so, and because of the spaces and access that I’m fortunate to have at my fingertips through the work I do, I try my best to make space while taking space in the world. It’s a seemingly simple praxis, but it’s rooted in the radical and innate belief that we hold each other’s lives, liberation, safety, progress, in our hands. As an editor, for Platform and others, that looked like deliberately and consciously looking for and developing the writing of black women, trans writers, queer writers, etc., especially in spaces where there are more barriers to our publications than most. It’s quiet, gradual work, but that’s the kind of work I love best. The media landscape is made richer and more meaningful with our voices in it, and whatever part I get to play in that is a real source of joy and pride. Who are your two favourite women artists and why? I have a real soft spot for jazz and jazz writing, as I was raised listening to, and soaking up aspects of jazz culture since I was tiny. Lately, I’ve really appreciated how South African jazz has widened to really centralise women and my two favourite artists right now are Thandi Ntuli and Zoë Modiga. They’re electrifyingly talented, and I adore their approach to their craft so much. They make me want to become a better writer. [bctt tweet=”I love the art that I am exposed to – @ManeoMohale” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Who do you look to for inspiration? It may sound really silly, but I’m inspired all of the time, everywhere I look. I’m surrounded by passionate and creative people. They’re my ever-expanding chosen family and just basking in their light is enough to inspire me. Do you have any upcoming projects that you can share with us? I do! Some of them are still in the oven and developing, especially personal creative projects and publications that are forming on the horizon. But the one I’m most excited about it a queer reading series that I’m launching with some of my favourite people in the world. It’ll be a space where trans and queer writers can read their work to an audience and share their process while building a supportive and responsive community at the same time. We have such powerful, thoughtful, and innovative writing produced by trans and queer people here in SA, and I’m excited to lend my hand in creating a space for us to just bask in each other’s brilliance. What advice do you have for anyone who wants to become a creative artist? Find your family, and start where you are. Finding, building and nurturing a community of people who are both supportive and critical is how I started on this convoluted journey – they were the first people I trusted to read my work, and created a bedrock for me to test my ideas for projects and pieces. Also, what inevitably happens is a moment when you all look around the room at each other and say: “We don’t need anyone else to start something gorgeous. We’ve got each other.” As a Black Queer Feminist, how do you navigate through challenges in the creative industry? I think one of my main challenges, (asides from the given ones around navigating the triple whammy of racism, sexism and homophobia), is learning how to take up space while standing my ground, especially around some of the principles and values on which I refuse to compromise. I’m not a particularly confrontational person, and I’m quite a sensitive bean at the best times, so learning how to be firm for myself is definitely an ever-unfolding lesson. When it comes to being fierce for other people, my writers, for example, I can do that in a heartbeat. It’s instinctual for me to be protective. But when it comes to me, well shucks. But we live and we learn, and I think I’m getting better at it,
Mavis Zaina: Slaying From accounting to agriculture
Mavis Zaina is a chartered accountant with over 8 years’ experience in strategic management, accounting and finance. But beyond her accountancy, Mavis is passionate about the agricultural value chain and its potentially high impact reach for poverty alleviation and development. Driven by this passion, Mavis founded Kanjadza Acres. Kanjadza Acres is an agricultural enterprise that grows fruits and vegetables together with employing 10 locals. Mavis’ overall aim is to become a world-class entity participating in the end to end agricultural value chain. Through this, she hopes to create jobs and wealth for her community and eventually Africa. What made you desire to start a business in agriculture? I have always been fascinated by the agricultural value and the impact and change it has on an economy and its people. Specifically, I decided to focus on horticulture because of its high productivity and value. With this passion, I launched my agribusiness journey. It has been quite exciting as the margins made are good and the products are often demanded and used daily in my community. How friendly is the Malawian business environment to young female horticulturists? I think the business environment is challenging. The value chain is highly informal so the hustle is real to find market information that drives production and this results in unpredictability. You have to be as strategic as possible and also very resilient and tough. Males dominate marketing and supply and many assume that as a young female, you are naive and vulnerable. I once harvested a lot of cassava, and cassava must be sold or processed the very day it’s harvested or it changes colour and customers shun it. I went to the market once I was done the harvesting. Knowing it was my first time, buyers undermined me and started changing the agreed prices. Refusing to bow down, I took a chance and went to offload at a new market. My risk paid off as I was able to sell all the cassavas. Although, since I stayed much later, I had to hire security as thieving gangs often disrupt women-led businesses. This is price men don’t have to pay. [bctt tweet=”My biggest mistake was doing too much too soon. I tried to build Rome in a day and lost money and time” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How can the business environment be improved for young entrepreneurs? For the business environment to improve, we need clear and functioning value chains and infrastructure. I also believe in mentorship and so having agribusiness incubators and accelerators is key. These two accompanied by financing options would really do wonders for the environment. Has collaborating worked for you? And why do you think it’s important for women? I love collaborating because synergies created through collaboration can be very transformative. But just like any worthwhile relationship, it requires a good amount of work to find good collaborative partners, not just because we are in the same field, or because we are friends. Collaboration should be done objectively and soberly. Otherwise, most end up in turmoil and discord. Are they any women that have helped you in your journey? I look up to many women in my life. My mother, for example, has provided me with the drive, determination and support system to be able to pursue my dreams. Another woman who supported me is Ngaba Chatata. As a fellow farmer, Ngaba has advised me on horticultural production. It was after I visited her farm that I realized she was living the life I wanted. This challenged me to go an start my own business. Overall, the women in my life have motivated me and provided me with a support system that has kept me going. They keep reminding me that with diligence and focus I will be successful. What mistakes did you make in business and how can other women avoid that? I made and still make lots of mistakes. They make me grow and redirect me. So first, realise that mistakes can be lessons. My biggest mistake was doing too much too soon. I tried to build Rome in a day and lost money and time. So learning to be patient and work one step at a time is one great lesson to learn. Secondly, it is important to draw up a plan, do research and map your journey. Although plans change, having one will grant you focus and purpose. With this, you will also be able to track progress. Lastly, stay in your lane. Do not compare yourself to others. Journeys differ and comparison has a way of killing off your motivation and making you ungrateful. [bctt tweet=”Work on your hustle and keep your eyes ahead. – Mavis-Zaina Kanjadza” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Any final words to our Motherland moguls? Find out what you want to do and do it. Know your purpose and pursue it militantly. You can do anything but only with clarity of purpose and hard work. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.