Makalela Mositsa: I am on a journey to create a powerful legacy through leadership empowerment
Makalela Mositsa, simply known to some as Kay, is an author, model and social entrepreneur with a passion for helping women realize their true essence. She helps young women make the transition from being ordinary women to becoming future leaders with real impact and deal with the sometimes overwhelming prospect of starting a new business while still maintaining a healthy home. Makalela started writing for She Leads Africa in early 2016. This year, she ventured into leadership empowerment where she coaches high school youth on topics like becoming leaders and starting their own businesses. Makalela offers a wide range of programs and services – from individual coaching to seminars and keynote addresses. Fellow SLAy queen Jeanette Nkwana had a chat with her and got to know a little more about this multi-faceted woman. How did you go from social entrepreneurship to the runway? Modeling has always been a passion for me. When I heard Miss Eagle SA was modeling and empowerment all wrapped in one, I knew that I had to be part of this amazing contest. Miss Eagle SA is a great platform for me to reach out to and motivate as many individuals as I can. Women empowerment has always been my first love and modelling is just fantastic. Getting to do the two simultaneously has been an exciting journey for me. I believe doing what you love is freedom but having everything in one package is indeed a blessing. Why leadership empowerment? [bctt tweet=”Leadership empowerment is synonymous to transformation. ” username=”makalelakay”] It is the art of bringing out the best in others and encouraging them to lead and pay it forward by empowering others. Realising that though a lot of people have dreams and great ideas but still need to be empowered so that they can fulfill their desires is what ultimately led me to this path. Without empowerment, motivation, and encouragement, dreams of world change will remain just that, dreams. What are the top 3 qualities you believe any leader should have? Passion for what you do Full of motivation Aspiration to make a difference You help young women transition into leaders, what is your approach to this? A good coaching process sets the way forward, holds people accountable, enables them to take responsibility for their own direction, opens up the way for greater communication, increases competency, and expands innovative opportunities. These are all ingredients of leader-empowering behaviors, which has been shown to increase psychological empowerment also. If you could, would you travel back in time or into the future? Back in time. What I know now leads me to believe I could’ve been better and done more in the past. I don’t regret the past, but I do feel I could have made a better difference than I did. Where do you draw your inspiration from? I draw inspiration from within. The intense passion that is burning within me always pushes me to reach for my dreams. It inspires me to be limitless and driven, and ultimately be a better person than I was yesterday. What are your top 3 hacks for dealing with school, entrepreneurship and work/family life? Set time for each task- prepare a schedule at night for the tasks I’ll be doing the following day. Attend to tasks in accordance with their priority. No matter how swamped I am with school work and meeting deadlines, I never take for granted the time I need to spend with my family. How do you explain the complexity of entrepreneurship? [bctt tweet=”Everything originates from a thought, what you think you become.” username=”makalelakay”] Many entrepreneurs who have achieved phenomenal things did it without being in possession of formal qualifications. They observed what was happening and lacking in society and thought implemented ideas that could eradicate such problems. Entrepreneurs believe in their own thoughts and work hard to bring them to life, but they also never forget the importance of education, in whichever form. When you are in business you need to understand the market, comprehend the business language and most importantly make others see and understand your brand narrative so they can invest their time and money in it. If you had to describe your life right now using a movie title, which would it be and why? Journey. I’m on a journey to create a powerful legacy that will forever continue to empower others and have a positive impact on the society. Has your age or gender ever been a problem for some of your clients or anyone in general? How did you deal with it? I’m a simple person, just a young lady with big dreams and a strong desire to realize them. People are different, some arrive at their own conclusions about you before getting to know you and others get to know you before judging you or your capabilities. I had moments where I was looked down on because of my gender, age, and appearance, but I always let my work speak for me, I’m confident in my abilities. What has been the greatest lesson you learned building your different careers? If you can think it then you have the ability to breathe life into it. Our imagination is boundless and that on its own makes us limitless beings. We all have greatness within, whether you make it count is your own prerogative. What advice will you give to young women who want to go into social entrepreneurship and women empowerment? Firstly, believe in yourself and in your dreams. Do it because you love it. Never let the fact that people don’t see and believe in your vision hinder you. Finally, be the change you want to see.
TUMELO MATSHENG: I didn’t cry after I was laid off. I was thankful
When it comes to infant enterprises, I always say despise not the days of small beginnings and I am pleased Tumelo Matsheng concurs. Tumelo is the founder of MY MY’S CHILLI, and her small business which she founded in February 2017 is growing. She is definitely enjoying the process of developing her enterprise. She strongly believes that when one door closes another opens, and her newly open door came as an enterprise opportunity. It is easy to be disheartened when finding out you would be laid off work but for Tumelo it turned out to be a blessing. Her former employer approached her to let her know that their business had incurred major financial mismanagement and she would have to be terminated. What the ex-employer also told her was that she had so much potential that she could venture into other things, be it a business or another job. He gave his blessings to her to proceed on with life. Instead of sulking, Tumelo took the advice and made most out of it. This would be the start of her chilli business. I had the opportunity to chat with the humble 27-year-old young Motswana woman from a village called Borobadilepe, Ramatlabama and this is what she had to say. What triggered the birth of My My’s Chilli? MyMy’s Chilli is a homemade chilli that I make. It started off as an experiment. I used to make it then give it to friends and family to taste. One friend, in particular, liked it so much after the third trial taste, and I was encouraged to approach it as a business. I choose to say MyMy’s Chilli was born February 2017, with orders mostly from close family and friends. Tell us more about the name of your product. My name is Tumelo. Tumie and TuMyMy are nicknames. So I opted for the mymy from the TuMyMy nickname to brand myself as My My’s Chilli. How has your background influenced who you are with regards to your work? From an early age, I enjoyed cooking, experimenting and playing with food in the kitchen. The kitchen is my favorite place in the house. When I got laid off from work in January 2017 that is when I became more serious about making my chilli. I didn’t cry after I was laid off. I was thankful. I felt God presented the opportunity for MyMy’s Chilli. What is it about your chilli that makes it uniquely yours? The secret is in the spices I use which I shall not disclose. I choose to remain tight-lipped about it. Tell us more about your range of products. For now, I only make one flavor. I am however working on making other flavors and expanding the range to offer a bit of variety. I will say that it will be something creamy. It is often said that you can’t supply what isn’t in demand. How do you ensure the requests for My My’s Chilly keep coming? I do per order. What helps boost the sales is with the markets I go to. The orders are growing by the day. How did people receive it, and how easy is it for local retailers in accommodating My My’s Chilli? It’s been positive feedback all along. One of the local store (Choppies) advised I must take a sample for food testing and that I need to get a batch code. I now feel at a point where I could afford the Naftec route expenses. I want MyMy’s Chilli to be able to sustain itself without having to fund the expenses myself and it’s in the process. What keeps you going when you feel like throwing in the towel? I can’t afford to give up. God always makes a way. He always comes through, he never fails me. It may take time but God is at work. That is how I work. What advice do you have for African women wishing to be entrepreneurs? Success always demands a little bit more! Be a little more and when someone tells you that you can’t achieve your goals, let it fuel you to prove them wrong. Keep dreaming big. Dreams do come true. Above all let God be God and be humble. If you had the opportunity to export MyMy’s Chilli to any African country, which would it be and why? South Africa. It is the food basket of Africa. I love their food culture (restaurants, shisanyamas, sports etc) and population. Which local woman entrepreneur inspires you? Her name is Eteng Mohwasa. It has been amazing watching her grow. She is an entrepreneur who started off as a baker now she is the owner of Body Signature Spa at The Village. She is a friend, has a bubbly personality and loves God. She uplifts me. I admire her love for god. What’s next for MyMy’s Chilli for the next three to five years? I want to see it on the shelves internationally.
Hanna Ali: Through my short stories, I hope that Somalis will connect to feelings of uprootedness
Hanna Ali is a writer, poet, teaching fellow and so much more. She is the first contemporary author to publish her collection of short stories in Somali. Through her book “Sheekadii noloshayada”(The Story of us), she never shies away from controversial topics, while she proves that where there is pain, there is beauty. She explores the themes of home and (un)belonging in her creative works, and captures the unspoken tensions and hopes of displaced people, therefore, it’s only apt that her work is accessible to the entirety of the Somali diaspora and beyond. Having shared her insights on how to stay relevant as a creative writer during an SLA Facebook Live, Hanna talks extensively about her writing and her decision to publish in Somali instead of English language. Why is it important for you to publish in Somali? I think it’s powerful to say that I am a Somali author who has been translated to Somali. Buying my short stories is much bigger than myself and it’s about supporting this incredibly amazing movement of bringing modern stories in indigenous African languages. Market FiftyFour has given me an incredible platform to publish in Somali and I was attracted to the notion that African stories in African languages matter. They matter because we exist, and we not only deserve but demand brand new, contemporary stories in the indigenous languages. Your work covers themes of displacement, fracture, uprootedness. Why are these important themes for you? These are important themes for me because I was a child refugee, and the experiences that I have had of course affect my work. I also think that a great deal of Africans and of course others in the West do feel a sense of displacement as part of the diaspora experience and the notion that you don’t quite fit in anywhere. Through my short stories, I hope that people (Somalis in particular), will connect to feelings of uprootedness and to know that they’re not alone in their life experiences. There is a poetic ring to your prose, and you consider yourself first and foremost a poet. What is it that draws you to poetry? Poetry, for me, is very raw and it’s a genre that always sticks with me; poems have a way of hitting you hard in that pit in the bottom of your stomach and unearthing all the tense feelings that we carry. My short stories were created out of my poetry and the intent is for my stories to read like poetry in the sense that I want it to be raw and vulnerable and full of meanings that hopefully anyone can relate to and draw from. Do you have a routine to get into writing? What space do you get into for you to be creative? I find that I write at the most random time, whether it’s convenient or not! Sometimes it’s waking up from a dream at 3 am and making notes on my phone, other times it’s whilst working on something else. I wish that I could say that sitting down with a big cup of tea and soft music at home is the magic trick that wills my mind into writing but mostly you just take what you can get. Having said that, most of my best writing has come from sitting outside on a warm day or night so maybe that’s my secret after all; fresh air and warmth. Since storytelling is very important in Somali culture, how do you draw inspiration from your Somali roots in your stories? I draw inspiration from my Somali roots simply because I am a Somali who was born in Somalia and who speaks Somali. I grew up in Europe and therefore my culture is all around me, I’d say it’s hard to not draw inspiration from it! A lot of the topics you tackle are contentious, how important was it for you to veer away from conventional and safe topics? Nothing about me has ever been “safe” or “conventional” and so, of course, my writings have no place being in that sort of category. I wouldn’t necessarily claim that I went out of my way to write contentious topics, but I do think it’s important for any writer to speak their truth and to let their creative imagination take them to where it needs to go to organically by not having an agenda per se but an idea. Also, safe and conventional just oozes out boredom and I hope that my writing is anything but boring. How do you make sure that your writing skills improve? I think that it’s very important for writers to be well-read and to take themselves outside of the bubble of writing by reading different genres and writing styles. Sometimes when you’re in a writing phase, you tend to lose yourself inside of an imaginary world so reading lots and taking time out to focus solely on my doctoral studies helps me to then come back to my creative work with a new perspective. I also find that there are always going to be bad first drafts and accepting that is an important way to improve. What is your advice to young African female writers on getting published? My advice is put yourself forward and apply to as many writing competitions as possible alongside online magazines and other creative platforms that are continually looking for submissions. It’s important to know that rejection is an essential part of any creative work and that you should never let that steer you from your goal. Ultimately, you must be the greatest believer in yourself and your work and eventually, the world will catch up as well. Just do it! DO YOU HAVE A STORY TO SHARE WITH US? SHARE YOUR STORY HERE.
The Aspire story: Showcasing the beauty of mentorship and power women in Sierra Leone
Africa has a growing population of girls who need constant support in terms of guidance and counseling. They need to be handed on the blueprint for leadership, confidence and self -esteem mostly through role modeling. Our societies need to share our stories of our successes and failures so that our girls would be challenged to lead better lives. We are looking at changing the narrative to create a scene were girls will seek to accomplish their goals and aspire to be like the leading women in Africa, this can only be achieved through mentorship. [bctt tweet=”The Aspire story showcases the beauty of mentorship and inspires women around the world to work together.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In 2016/2017 a powerful collaboration between Power Women 232 and Girls Empowerment Sierra Leone was established. Power Women 232 is a network for women professionals in Sierra Leone. The network aims to bring professional women and entrepreneurs together to promote career advancement and development in all fields, through networking, leadership development, social events and community service On the other hand Girls Empowerment Sierra Leone nurtures and enhances the leadership skills of young girls to become effective advocates and social change agents in their communities. In August 2016, they launched ‘ASPIRE’ to mentor secondary school girls from various schools in Freetown. The program was in the form of large group workshops, small group mentorship and experiential field trips focusing on 3 C’s – Communication, Community Development, and Career Exploration. The aim was to directly impact the lives of 30 young Sierra Leonean girls by providing them with the skills, resources, and networks to become leaders and change agents in their communities. All 14 Power Women mentors were assigned to 3-4 girls each; they were matched by specialized questionnaires in hope to create best-fit relationships; each power woman played a big sister role spanning a yearlong of camaraderie. Field trips to tourist monuments, spending the day at office and centers that were their career of choice. Trips to the bank, the airport, hairdressing saloon and early learning centers. The girls had an opportunity to catch a glimpse of their real-life sheroes in their most vulnerable states behind closed doors, in the comfort of their homes and the rigidity of their corner offices. The women shared their daily life struggles such as multi-tasking, fighting to succeed in male-dominated careers, handling a full day’s job when on their period. The discussions ranged from discussing boys, dancing, cooking, to books and music. Most importantly the program allowed them the chance to learn new skills, ranging from topics such as: Utilizing journaling and writing as a means of telling our stories Utilizing resources to effect and change our future Budgeting & Fundraising Savings and investing for our future Conflict Resolution and effective communication Building and maintaining peer positive relationships The focus on teambuilding, communication, and self-esteem helped develop positive behavior within the group of girls that were mentored. Mentor mentee relationships encouraged some of the girls to aspire to remain dedicated to their academics as well as seek further mentor relationships due to some of the strong relationships that were cultivated. The partnership between Power Women232 and GESSL is a reminder of how powerful women are when they work together. This relationship has garnered more interest in girls and Power Women 232 has taken on education, health and empowerment for young girls as their community service project for 2017/2018. The project was launched with a donation of 200 power hygiene packs and hygiene information booklets to adolescent girls at The Beheshti Islamic Secondary School in Freetown. Their aim is to provide 500 more packs to young girls across Sierra Leone and introduce sustainable hygiene practices. The group did their first fundraiser hosted by Ms. Anita Erskine on Saturday 18th November 2017 during their 2nd Annual Networth Ball an event that attracted the movers and shakers in Sierra Leone’s business environment with a good media coverage which includes been featured on Bella Naija. One cannot deny that the Aspire story showcases the beauty of mentorship and inspire women around the world to work together. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here
Peggy Moele proves that Aquaponics is an innovative way to breed organic food for African communities
56-year-old Peggy Moele is one of the few women in South Africa practicing aquaponics and aquaculture-agriculture in her 10 hector veg and fisheries farm. The new system of aquaponics and aquaculture has helped Peggy win awards and getting much recognition and a helping hand from the Department of Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in her country, South Africa. She was one of the few women of a group of farmers funded to go on an excursion tour and workshop in chines province to learn about the modern solutions to organic farming and fisheries in early 2017. Khethiwe Mndawe interviewed Peggy Moela after receiving her award as woman farmer of the year in her municipality and nomination nationally at the Woman in agriculture awards 2017. Peggy was born and raised in rural Bushbuckridge, growing up with values that depend on the land farming to create sustainable solutions for the community to never go hungry. As a young woman growing up in the nomadic homelands, the poverty of the families around her always touch her to work towards how she can bring solutions for other families and greater way of making a living. “I started out running a catering business, unable to find work in my area yet seeing the poverty and lots of lands always draw me to agriculture I came from a poor background and I’ve always see the challenges and need of the people in my community and it has always been a wish of mine to create employment” said Peggy Running Jubilee farms with her son they had decided that they wanted to go into fisheries and explored those possibilities after a visit for an official from the department of agriculture, in her province who expanded their knowledge and supported then in kick-starting building their first pond. After having built over 10 ponds and growing they started with 360 Tapia fish from Mozambique practice and Aqua phonic and aquaculture fish farming and organic veg farming and their journey in China studying the different options toward organic farming and fisheries. Mrs. Peggy Moele got her first recognition after winning as the female entrepreneur farmer of the year 2016, she was selected as the top female in agriculture in Bushbuckridge again in 2017 and awarded at the Provincial agriculture female awards by the minister of Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries 2017 and nominated in the nationals for her unique and developing farming business in her 10 hector farm. A system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as snails, fish, crayfish or prawns in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. With pigs and cows that she has bread over the years, she had discovered with her son the proactive of aquaculture, using excretions from the animals being raised can accumulate in the same pond water, increasing toxicity. “With the aquaponics system, we use the water from an aquaculture system which we feed to a hydroponic system. The by-products are broken down by nitrifying bacteria into nitrites and subsequently into nitrates, which are utilized by the plants as nutrients, and the water is then recirculated back to the aquaculture system”. “We have been doing most of the work ourselves in putting these systems together and they have produced many results and accelerate the vision or organic farms and fisheries for the community and working toward commercial supply.” Said, her son, Boka Moele, Manager of the Jubilee farm “Seeing that I came from elders who always ventured into farming, feeding the communities and sustaining themselves through farming. It was easy for me to decide to go into farming. I took all my profits and saving from my catering business, and in 2011 I approached the chiefs in my village area and bought about 10 hectares of land” said Peggy Moele They started to use 6 hectors of the land and cleared, to begin seasonal crop farming. Things were very difficult in the beginning, I couldn’t afford any workers, those that worked for me, I would offer them and their families groceries and vegetable to sustain them as we were struggling and still growing. “After the department had heard about my farm in Bushbuckridge, they came to view our farm our progress and to hear what challenges we were facing. The official then introduced us to aquaculture and fisheries, he showed us how to build our first pond and ever since we have built much more on our own to cater for our fisheries business. We have since been breading the Mozambique Tilapia fish. Initially, we started with 360 fishes in 2013 and we are amazed at how much the fishes continue to grow and multiply. We have since been having a good relationship with the DPT of agriculture and they have been very good to us in assisting us and I am so grateful” said Mrs. Peggy Moele Today we have close to 20 ponds in counting, a good irrigation system and they have been adding their keep of cows and pigs. The farm sustains itself with the season veg crops they farm and they have opened not to various student and agriculture researcher to use and practice form. “We are so proud of her and we believe she is the best representative of women youth farmers. We hope form today onwards mayflies will follow her. It is inspiring to see our women in mud and surrounded by flies other that plastic hair and makeup because we admire that when they touch the land they subdue and multiply its uses to feed the nation and with this they can lead the men working with the land and producing form it to a point of economic contribution” said Minister of Agriculture and rural development and affairs in the Mpumalanga province, Mr. Vusi Shongwe They have hired a few young people and families in her surrounding communities, who work and contribute to the development and economic transformation of sustainable farm in the Mpumalanga province that is going commercial and exploring n bigger
Joy Kendi: Your 20’s are not for chilling. Work hard now, so you can relax later
Joy Kendi is a lifestyle blogger, vlogger and content creator who covers everything from fashion, beauty, and travel. She has built her creative career from the ground up, constantly teaching herself along the way to allow for continuous growth in her profession. Joy is a SLAYboss and runs things on her own terms earning her global recognition and her story below tells us that this journey is only the beginning of far greater things to come. When did you first get into blogging? I’ve always been interested in fashion, ever since I was a young girl. I wanted to get into design after high school but most of the schools I applied to didn’t offer scholarships and I don’t come from a wealthy family so I had to scrap that idea. I took up styling right after college for about six months and I hated it. So I quit that and the blogging bug hit me. Back then, when blogging was still quite relevant and at the time it was just a hobby, I had been following a few blogs. Never thought I could make money off of it, until about a year later when Nancie Mwai (popular blogger in Kenya) got the opportunity to go to Germany because of her blog and my entire mindset on it changed. Then I decided to focus on it more and figure out how to make it more of a business. I knew nothing at the time but I just hit the ground running, going to different offices, telling them about me and what I can offer them. That’s really how I learned most of the stuff I know now, through trying and getting rejected. Weirdly enough, everything didn’t change until I shaved my head and I’m not sure why but going bald was the first step in getting people to see me as a different person and not just a regular blogger. [bctt tweet=”Your 20s are not for chilling, work yourself to the core now – @justjoykendi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I realized that fashion is very limiting, especially in Kenya, so I started to expand more into beauty. Then tried travel and food and all that turned into a lifestyle direction for me. Less than two years ago, lifestyle blogging opened a lot of doors for me because it meant I could do anything – be it advertising phones, makeup, hotels, restaurants, airlines, even countries! What three things do you consider while creating content and/or partnering up with a brand? My biggest thing to consider when I’m partnering up with a brand is to answer the question – do I or will I actually use the said product? If I do use it, does it go with my brand? And third, will this propel me in a positive or a negative direction? When it comes to content creation, I think about: 1. How much work is it and how much time will it take on my end because that’s how I figure out my rate. 2. What have other content creators within the continent done in regards to the product that I need to create content for? 3. Is there a possibility of collaboration with others? If I know a friend or fellow blogger who can do it too, I will always try to bring them in and we both benefit from the job. Was this your career of choice? What would you be if you hadn’t gone the blogging route? If I wasn’t doing this I’d probably still be working in TV/film production. When I was still in school, I was interning at a local TV network, KTN and I was also working in a production company, behind the scenes doing things like writing scripts. I got burnt out for a while though, which is why I eventually quit at the beginning of this year and solely focused on content creation. [bctt tweet=”I went to the University of YouTube and watched how other people do photoshoots and edits” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You take 90% of your images, manages your blog and brand on your own. Is there a particular reason why you chose to be a one-woman team? Well when I first started out, my boyfriend would take my pictures. Due to our different schedules though, I realized I needed to learn how to do this on my own. When starting out you don’t usually have a flowing income to be able to pay photographers so they would usually do it as a favor to build their portfolio as you build yours. If they get a paying gig, they will pick that over you thus leaving you stranded once again, so getting a photographer wasn’t an option for me. I went to the University of YouTube and watched how other people would do things like editing, photo shoots, what cameras to use, what kind of specs to look for and with that information, I slowly started to invest in myself. [bctt tweet=”I write all my proposals, attend meetings, create content, and do my own accounts” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I saved any money I got to buy my own equipment i.e. camera and lighting equipment, a laptop, computer programmes etc. It is important that I have a say in what I do, and have control over what goes on with my work such as the editing process. Before now, I used to have a manager who was actually very nice but sometimes we’d bump heads over things like working with certain companies so these among other reasons is why I decided it’s better to learn and do everything myself. It’s a very stressful job I can’t lie – I write all my own proposals, attend all the meetings, create the content, send to the client, wait for approval, do my own accounts… It’s so much work but it’s how I prefer to work and also means I don’t have to pay anyone else. What challenges have you faced as a blogger so far? Getting
Mona Faces: Taking over makeup artistry in Uganda one face at a time
“The future is female and African”- is a phrase I’ve heard many times but it was only after my conversation with Mona that I had the feeling of having met a true embodiment of this phrase. Mona is the young entrepreneur behind the brand “Mona faces” which has taken the Ugandan makeup artist scene by storm and is certain to leave an everlasting mark on the entire African continent. I had the opportunity to conversate with Mona about her business, her life, and her future. Who is Mona? Umutoni Monalisa, also known simply as Mona, is a self-taught makeup artist, a self-proclaimed perfectionist and a connoisseur of beauty. Mona is a 25-year-old entrepreneur whose passion has led her to the path to mastery of makeup artistry and who is set to take Uganda and indeed Africa by storm, one master class at a time. Mona holds a degree in Office and information management which she obtained from Makerere Business School. [bctt tweet=”I taught myself how to do makeup through YouTube – @monafaces” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How did your entrepreneurial journey begin? Shortly after Senior 6, unfortunately, my father passed on leaving me with the formidable responsibility of taking care of myself and my siblings in whatever I could. I remember thinking to myself that it was now my responsibility to take care of my family. In my senior six vacations, I started working for Bold in Africa- an upscale fashion boutique in Kampala- have I had the opportunity to meet and be mentored by the founders of the brand, Nunu Mugyenyi, and Angel Kalisa, who taught me how to run and manage a business. Having learned the fundamentals of business from these two ladies, I partnered with some friends in my first year at university and opened a retail outlet- buying clothes from downtown and reselling them to clients in the urban areas. With all this taking place, I still nursed a deep passion for beauty and makeup. I started reading lots of magazines, watching tons of YouTube videos, following makeup artists on Instagram and learning from them with the dream that I would be able to someday turn this passion into profits. With the help of a friend who worked at blush media, I organized my first ever photoshoot showcasing my talent, to my surprise and delight, my work went viral within a short amount of time and as they say, ‘the rest is history.’ I officially started Mona faces in October 2014, which is when the pictures from my first professional shoot went viral. Women have often been told to choose between work and family, what are your thoughts on this? Can a woman have it all? Women can have it all- but not all at the same time. I think a woman can have a wonderful career as well as a great family, what matters is the timing. A woman might decide to first focus on her career or her business until it grows to the point where she can step back from it a little and give her attention to her family and vice versa. But then again, I’m single so I wouldn’t know. All I’ve known for a long time has been work, work, and more work, but I do believe that it’s all about timing. [bctt tweet=”Women can have it all- but not all at the same time – @monafaces” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you could have any superpower in the world, what would it be and why? Invisibility. I’d like to be invisible because I love working behind the scenes. What would you say African entrepreneurs should keep in mind to grow their brands? African entrepreneurs must stay hungry, that’s the most important thing they should keep in mind. I think a lot of female entrepreneurs get comfortable very easily- if she can pay her rent, and look good in the process, maybe buy a car- then she is satisfied. I think the goal is to achieve as much as possible and never let yourself get comfortable. At the time that I started Mona faces, there were no recognizable makeup studios in Kampala, I had to learn and build my brand and in the process sort of paved the way for other makeup artists to be able to join the industry as well. If you could have anyone in the world as your mentor, who would it be and why? I have been blessed with so many people in my life that I count as mentors already, right from my very first bosses, Nunu Mugyenyi and Angel Kalisa, who still mentor me to this day, all the way to friends and family. Ann Kansiime also plays a huge mentoring role in my life, I admire her success and ambition. Internationally, though, I’d say powerful women like Oprah Winfrey are a great inspiration. Honestly, If I could have every successful businesswoman mentor me, I would. I admire powerful business women across the world. [bctt tweet=” You can never fail, you can never fall, you simply learn – @monafaces” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is your greatest business lesson? Like a lot of people, change terrifies me and it wasn’t until I realized- you can never fail, you can never fall, you simply learn- that I finally started getting comfortable with change. My greatest business lesson so far has been the fact that you never know whether what you are doing is going to succeed or not, but you should keep in mind that at the end of the day, you cannot fail and you cannot fall, you can only learn. Tell us about your toughest day in business, what challenges did you face and how did you solve it? First, there have been so many tough days, I almost fail to pick one. My business is extremely people-centric, which basically means, people’s opinions matter a lot. On my toughest day, I’d done the makeup on a bride and she was very happy with my work. However, during her function, someone took a few unflattering
Kim Windvogel: I love posting pictures of my body that is not the standardized idea of beauty
Kim Windvogel is an online writer who writes under the name Blazing Non-Binary. Being Non-Binary means that you are fluid in your gender. Kim believes that they can be masculine, feminine and all the other energies present on the gender spectrum. Their writing focuses on breaking the taboos of sex, of being fat, of loving yourself, of questioning identity and the experience called life. As a Non-Binary, they do a lot of panel discussion on representation and access. Kim who graduated with a degree in classical singing from the University of Cape Town is also the co-founder of a non- profit company called FemmeProjects NPC. In this article, the controversially inspirational, versatile creative, Kim Windvogel shares their story to becoming a gender activist and advocate for body positivism, among other things. Tell us about yourself I grew up in a home that supported me in my journey to form my own opinions about life and I think that is why I am as opinionated as I am. I went to predominantly white schools and this shaped a lot of my understanding when it comes to my experience of race relations in a post-apartheid country such as South Africa. What you do I co-founded a Non-Profit Company called FemmeProjects NPC. We go into schools and facilitate feminist sexual and menstrual health workshops to teenagers going through puberty. We help them understand what is going on with their bodies and allow them to ask the burning questions they are afraid to ask their parents for fear of judgment. Currently, I am working in collaboration with Women’s Net South Africa, Coloured Mentality and Soul City to create an online campaign around the 16 Days of activism. We are creating a #16waysfor16days campaign, calling on online users to showcase what they are doing to change the way they and the world treat gender marginalized people, calling on people to discuss this in their online and offline circles. As there is a big digital divide we have provided workshops to explain how social media works with various organizations in the weeks leading up to 16 days of activism. [bctt tweet=”I have a lot of feelings about the world and I knew that I needed to share that with people” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What inspired you to become a polygonal creative and what challenges have you faced in the creative industry? I had a lot to say and a lot of feelings about the world which needs to be shared with people. Specifically people in my country and my continent. I love posting pictures of my body that is not the standardized idea of beauty. Another passion of mine is writing about masturbation, self-love and being colored. Creating workshops for young women is my passion, the type of workshops I hoped to have had access to as a kid. If you are creative, you should have a responsibility to create and then to share that with the world so that others can go through the same stream of consciousness you went through. [bctt tweet=”I have been fat-shamed, body-shamed, and shamed for having bodily hair – @Blazingnonbinry” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I have faced challenges like being fat-shamed, body-shamed, shamed for having bodily hair. Other and more dominant challenges include being silenced in spaces I thought were safe enough to talk about the issues that gender non-binary people experience daily. Representation for genderfluid people is lacking and therefore, I decided to take my power and to write my own story. That is the power of social media. We should all seize that power. Tell us more about FEMME and all about the work the organization is involved in Femme is a rough acronym that stands for Freedom of Education Motivates Empowerment. We create workshops for young people about puberty, mentorship, and their potential career paths. We hand out menstrual cup which is a sustainable sanitary product that is made out of medical grade silicone and lasts for 5 years. This means that learners do not have to miss school due to lack of resources. We train other facilitators to go out into their own communities and to do the same empowerment we do with them. Femme is my baby and I co-direct it with two wonderful partners, Loren Loubster and Kelly Koopman of coloured mentality What do you enjoy most about the path that you have chosen? I get to live the type of life I always wanted to lead, speak my mind and manage my own time (which is a very difficult thing if you are not disciplined!). I get to meet the most amazing people who are on the same journey to try and change the world in their own way. What are you most proud of in all that you’ve achieved so far? I am proud of my self-published anthology: Resist: The Paradox of Love and Other Societal Disorders. I wrote and curated it, but had someone who assisted with the layout and an amazing illustrator who did the cover illustration. The work that is included in this collection was written over a period of three years. Some of the pieces are old and some I wrote two days before going to print. I organized my own launch and was surrounded by people who enjoy poetry and who listened intently as I shared my story. I am proud that an introvert like me (someone who writes predominantly online) brought people together and shared their work in person. It took so much out of me and I didn’t know that I had the courage, but just when you think you cannot do something out of fear, it is that same fear that drives you towards success. I am also proud that in 3 years of running Femme we have facilitated 4000 learners, registered our own Non-Profit, opened a business bank account, and that we are all people of color blazing the trail for those who come after us. What future plans do you have for your career as a creative and for the work you do
Emma Mogaka: We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives
Emma Mogaka is the Executive Director of a grassroots organization called Rural Women Peace Link. She is also an all-around superwoman fighting for local women from various counties in Kenya to have an equal opportunity to participate in governance and development. The organization, run by an all-women team, mobilizes the participation of local women in peacebuilding, governance, and development. Their main focus is women from the rural area because these are the women who are marginalized the most. Tell us about Rural Women Peace Link. How did it come about? Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL) was founded in the early 1990’s by a group of women peace builders. The significance of its name was to capture the critical issues the Community Based Organization (CBO) was addressing, namely rural women who had a passion to promote peace. Their vision then was to help rural women to network, gain self-esteem, be empowered and promote and maintain peace in their respective areas of origin. Our main thematic areas are: Women’s human rights pillar: This pillar seeks to advance recognition and appreciation of women’s human rights in their communities against socio-cultural restrictions and negative perceptions. RWPL achieves this through training rural based women and girls on their rights through community education on legal education, human rights reproductive health and issues of bodily integrity and increasing access to justice. Peace building and conflict mitigation pillar: We strengthen the role of rural women and youth groups in mitigating violence in the community, monitoring conflict through early warning indicators and mediating conflicts. Women’s economic empowerment pillar: the focus is on grassroots women and women survivors of conflict and gender-based violence to promote sustainable livelihood management through offering life skills and entrepreneurship trainings. We also provide seed grant to facilitate start-up activities as well as linkages to financial institutions, partners and donors. Education support and mentorship pillar: RWPL supports and encourages beneficiaries, mostly bright promising girls from vulnerable backgrounds, to take up opportunities offered through formal education in schools and colleges. Leadership and governance pillar: RWPL mentors women leaders through capacity building training and exposure enabling them to participate in leadership effectively in different areas and also to vie for electable positions. What led you to join this organization? RWPL resonates with my passion for women and girls. I joined RWPL in January 2015 as a program coordinator for the leadership and governance program and became the executive director in January 2016. RWPL provides a platform for me to reach women and girls at the grassroots level. I have had an opportunity to meet amazing women doing remarkable things in their communities. RWPL works with 11 women network leaders whose stories shook me to the core. They have grown from ordinary rural women to women leaders. One of the women was nominated to the County Assembly of West Pokot after the just concluded 2017 elections. Through teamwork, I have seen RWPL staff grow and together we are actualizing the vision of the organization through the support of our board members and technical advisor. [bctt tweet=”We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives or parents.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why is empowering women important to you? Empowering women and girls is important to me because it enables them to become aware of who they are and what makes them authentic. They become aware of their capabilities, their likes and dislikes, their boundaries, their options and opportunities and all these enable them to develop into authentic human beings. It is important that the girls and women I empower live a healthy life. We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives or parents. I empower girls so as to give them the opportunity to get an education and pursue their dreams. This way, they too get to help in breaking the cycle of poverty and strengthening our economy. I am a mentor first and foremost because my experiences and knowledge positively influence the development of women and girls in their limiting environment. They do not always have to learn from mistakes because they get guidance. Do you feel like this revolutionary work you’re doing for women is your life’s purpose? Yes! In 2012 I attended a leadership training and I remember doing the passion test. We were required to complete this statement: When I am living my ideal life, I am… We had to write 10 things we would be doing if we were living our ideal lives, then prioritize them. Mentorship was number 1 on my list. Then it hit me that I actually talked to women and girls every chance I got. Totally unstructured mentorship! [bctt tweet=” I cannot support another woman if I’m drained and empty – Emma Mogaka” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Who are your top three women role models and why? My mum is my most real role model! She perfectly demonstrates work-life balance – she worked full time and raised five children. Her passion for women inspired me and I have watched her support women and encourage them wherever she is and whenever she has an opportunity. Selline Korir. Founder of RWPL, Selline has worked in several international organizations where she has touched the lives of women and youth. I met her in 2014 when I was looking for Women Human Rights Defenders to profile. As I was interviewing her I knew this is one woman I would love to learn and develop under. I approached her for mentorship and I have been growing under her wing since then. She gives selflessly to causes she believes in. Leymah Gbowee – The first time I watched ‘Pray The Devil Back To Hell’ I was amazed, impressed and awakened. Leymah demonstrated movement building in Liberia. She, together with other Liberian women, mobilized women for a cause (Peace) – religion and social standing notwithstanding. The results speak for themselves.
Rinsola Abiola – Intellectual Capacity is key to career impact in politics for young women
Ms. ‘Rinsola Abiola is the SA (New Media) to the Speaker House of Representatives in Nigeria, President APC Young Women Forum (APC-YWF), Board Member – Young Women in Politics Forum (YWiPF) and a Youth Representative for the APC Board of Trustees Her career journey in politics is one that has taken precision and determination and an example worthy for young women looking to make a change from a political platform to emulate. [bctt tweet=”The representation of women in politics and governance is dismal – @Bint_Moshood” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is your career role? I’m a Public Relations consultant and a young woman in politics. I currently head the All Progressives Congress (APC) young women forum, a support, mentorship, and capacity building group for young women aged 18-35, who are members or supporters of the APC. I am currently the youngest person appointed to the APC board of trustees, and one of the three youth representatives. When did your career in politics begin? My full-fledged political participation began in late 2013. Before then, I was a member of civil society, through a number of youth-focused NGO’s. The decision to join mainstream politics was informed by a desire to be part of the process, as opposed to sitting outside of it and offering criticism. I came to the realization that a political office would enable me to do so much more, and for a larger number of people than I could as an individual. What impact can women in politics bring to a nation? The involvement of young women through mentoring and capacity building would ensure the grooming of a new generation of women who are prepared to hold both elective and appointive positions and have a clear strategy for engagement. Are there special qualifications you need to have a head start in politics? For basic political involvement, no. But when it comes to the elective office, there are minimum requirements established by law, e.g – completing a secondary education. For appointive positions, one would require certain skills or qualifications in order to be deemed worthy of such a position. Intellectual capacity is key and formal education provides a level of refinement which helps a great deal. It is also important to have good communication skills – this entails knowing the right way to engage a particular type of audience, from the highly educated to the not so educated. What can young women do to be taken seriously in a male-dominated field? Same as anyone needs to do if they want to be taken seriously, have something to offer, add value, develop a good number of skills required and seize good opportunities to prove your mettle. Be loyal, dedicated and committed to the ideals of your environment. Take a professional approach to everything and distinguish yourself. [bctt tweet=”Do not leave room for doubt, and know how to be firm without being forceful or harsh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What roles have you held in the past and how did that help in getting you to where you are now? I served as the founding PRO of the APYF in 2014, and some months later, as the PRO/Secretary, when the APC Young Women Forum was formed, I also served These roles increased my knowledge of what young people actually desire from the government. I learned communication skills and how to view time as one of my most valuable resources. Most importantly, I learned how to have a strong work ethic. I’ve worked with a magazine brand, in a bank, I got the required certification in public relations, a profession I had always admired and set up a firm [bctt tweet=”Politics is expensive and you need resources – @Bint_Moshood” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As one of the executives of the Young Women in Politics Forum (YWIPF), how will this help in empowering other young women to pursue a career in politics? I’m set to begin a peer mentoring programme with young women both here in Abuja and other states of the federation, which will be aligned with the objectives of YWIPF. Also, knowing that a Forum exists for young women with similar interests will encourage many to join, as one thing I have noticed is that some are interested but are just at a loss as to how to begin.