Yukabeth Kidenda: I Want To Celebrate And Dignify The Teaching Profession
Teach For Kenya is one of many independent chapters of the Teach For All Non-Profit organization, that is currently being set up in Nairobi, Kenya by Yukabeth Kidenda who is both its CEO and founder. Passionate about education and mentorship, Yukabeth is on a mission to build a movement of ethical leaders to drive reforms in Kenya’s education ecosystem. In this article, Yukabeth talks about her passion for teaching and her dream for education in Kenya. What inspired the Teach For Kenya initiative? Teach for Kenya is not the first of its kind, there are actually 50 other partner networks that exist all over the world. Teach For All was started by Wendy Kopp, an American who actually started it as Teach For America initially. Her inspiration came from coming face to face with the inequities in education in her hometown and feeling a burden in her heart to help bridge those gaps. From the success of that, she decided to replicate the model across other countries. When I was done with college, I decided to take a gap year and went to serve as a teacher in Honduras, Central America. That entire year was 365 of the happiest days of my life. I came back home, but for one and a half years, I couldn’t find a job. That really made me question everything that I had believed. For a long time, I had this belief that education was what gets you to be successful. I questioned that notion a lot and began to think – How come the education that I received didn’t prepare me for this slump on the road? How come this great education made me sit at home for over a year jobless? Why didn’t it help me sell myself to a potential employer? That is when things in my mind changed, I don’t want to just help people get access to education, I want to help them get access to QUALITY education that will enable them to thrive in this 21st century. That’s why I dedicated my life to working in educational organizations. I started with adult learning and corporate training, then worked with Microsoft with their education team to push ICT training and certification. Thereafter I joined Metis where I was running a fellowship program for educators across all sectors and went on to work with the African Leadership Group as a leadership facilitator and now getting ready to launch Teach For Kenya. I had been mulling over this with one of my mentors, Kennedy Odede for about one and a half years and by the beginning of 2019, I just decided to get on with it and actually do something. I think right now the country is ripe for such a great innovation and I’m glad to be at the forefront of it. Why is education important to you? I have a vast background in education, all the way back to my time in high school when my mother was diagnosed with cancer. My parents really valued education a lot and still do, my siblings and I all went to very good schools. My mother’s illness did take a financial toll on the family but one thing I took note of, was that my father did not make us switch schools at any point. We could have saved so much money by going to other schools that were not as costly and I could not understand why he chose to make that sacrifice. As I got older I realized the kind of doors that getting a good education and being exposed to that kind of learning could open for me. During my university years, I approached my dad and told him that I want to support other people who don’t have people rooting for them the way he rooted for us. My dad and I soon started doing a lot of projects in the community, going out to various areas, providing books, toiletries, things that just make the learning environment more habitable and more comfortable for the students. That really generated the passion I have had since then to do more in the education field. 3. How is it going with putting together the launch? It’s been a scary, engaging, challenging but exciting process all the same. One thing that has worked in my favor, is that this is my dream job. I’ve always wanted to work with people who don’t have anybody cheering them on and supporting them. Teach For Kenya puts me in that unique position where I have basically taken the responsibility to run this organization that will help mentor recent graduates and put them in a position where they come face to face with the challenges facing their community, transitioning them on to the alumni face of the program and watching them go out into the world to impact and join initiatives that are seeking to address these challenges. So I’d say right now that the education space in Kenya is very ripe. There are so many people who are very receptive to the idea of Teach For Kenya, and think it’s been a long time coming so the support has been overwhelming in a good way. I plan to pilot this program with our first 20 fellows in January 2021 so what I’m focusing on right now is doing community research and going out into the areas where we will potentially get to speak to the communities, the teachers, students, and parents and find out what their needs are and how our skills can best match those needs. It’s a lot of work but I feel like all of us as citizens of this country and this continent needs to do our part, this is me right now choosing to do my part. I hope this encourages anyone who may think that their part may be too small – we’re all pieces in a puzzle of a beautiful bigger picture and by doing our part, we
ILHAN OMAR: From Refugee camp to US Congress
When I think of a Boss in 2020, I think of Ilhan Omar. Omar echoes Lupita Nyongo’s Oscar speech when she said “No matter where you come from your dreams are valid”. Ilhan Omar took this to heart as she began her campaign to the House of Representatives in the US Congress. She is now known as Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, but her journey to Congress has been something of a dream. Omar is a Somali native, who was a refugee in Kenya before she relocated to the United States. She was recently elected to the US Congress in a historic fashion. She is the first East African (Somali) woman as well as the first of two Muslim women elected to the House. The US House of Representatives today is comprised of Boss Ladies who have worked their way to the top. Ilhan Omar’s story stands out because of her resilience and compassion as she introduces new bills on the US House floor. THE BEGINNING Ilhan Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia in October 1982. She grew up in Somalia until the civil war when she and her family were forced to flee the ongoing civil unrest. Omar spent four years living in extreme poverty at the Dadaab refugee camp in Garissa, Kenya. She and her family overcame obstacles and were able to relocate to the US after securing asylum in 1995. She was raised in the United States from the age of 12. Her upbringing in the United States sparked her interest in politics. Omar shares stories of her youth when she went to political meetings with her father and saw the lack of female leaders in the political sphere. She went on to study political science at North Dakota State University. Her studies of politics gave her the tools needed to embark on the journey to becoming a political pioneer in 2019. THE BUILD UP If you have been following Ilhan Omar’s story, you will quickly realize that she is an outspoken politician. Her journey to the US Congress is a buildup of courage in the face of opposition to anything that goes against the status quo. Omar’s political stance on many issues, especially immigration comes from her experience as an immigrant. She once said in an interview… “For me as an immigrant, who didn’t speak the language, when I had struggled as a kid, my dad would say: Once you are able to communicate with people, they are able to connect with you beyond your otherness…” Omar’s ability to connect with the fellow immigrant who may be struggling with their new environment struck me as a compassionate quality. She understands the immigration issues and can give a voice to the concerns of the immigrant population in the national conversations happening in the US Congress. BOSSING UP She was the Director of Policy Initiatives for the Women Organizing Women Network, based in Minnesota USA, where she was advocating for East African women to take initiative in civic and political leadership roles. According to the WOWN website, the purpose of the organization is to “Empower all women, particularly first and second-generation immigrants to become engaged citizens and community leaders regardless of political affiliation”. The WOW Network seeks to encourage Diaspora women to engage in civic conversations that bring light to the issues that immigrants face in the United States. From the role as director of this network, she was able to gain the confidence to launch her campaign for office in the United States Congress. The boss lady emerged as she fought hard to win a seat in the House of Representatives. She was elected to the US Congress in 2018 and re-elected in 2020 . If you’d like to see more content like this, please join our community. It’ll only take 2 seconds.
Colleen Higgs: Digital publishing has brought new opportunities for publishers
Colleen Higgs started Modjaji Books in 2007 as an independent feminist press that publishes southern African women’s fiction, poetry, and biographies. She felt African women deserved to tell their stories on an authentic and conscientious platform. Many Modjaji book titles have gone on to win numerous prestigious literary awards both locally and internationally. In this article, Colleen Higgs talks about her work and what it takes to be a feminist publisher. What are the top three things someone needs to consider before opening a publishing business? Do you have enough starting capital? Publishing requires money up front and it takes time to earn that money back. Think carefully about why you are doing it. After many years of publishing, you might find it tough to deal with all the many demands made of you, the lack of appreciation for what you have done for writers and how little money you make from doing the work. What is your focus going to be? It is good to have a very particular focus, it will help you to find an audience and to make decisions about what to publish. Tell us about your work as an independent publisher. Being a writer I understood what it was like to want to get published and the inflation and deflation of the relationship with a publisher. It didn’t prepare me for all the work that it takes though, the ongoing attention to the big picture and to detail that the publisher has to manage. Publishers do a vast number of things. You don’t just read through submissions and select books to publish. There is a huge amount of admin. You work out a vision and focus for your company and keep a firm eye on the money and cash flow. You must constantly maintain relationships with all the people you work with: printers, writers, editors, illustrators, artists, proof-readers, shareholders, accountant, book-keeper, bookstore owners and employees not to mention participating in book fairs and doing interviews! Why was it important to open Modjaji Books as a ‘feminist’ print? Modjaji fills a gap by providing an outlet for writing by women that takes itself and its readers seriously. Having lived through and enacted publishing only women, I became aware of how this has been a deeply political act. When you think about the way publishing is owned, media is owned, who gets to make the decisions, and how women are represented, here and internationally it just made sense. Women do have a different experience of the world – not just because they are women, but because of the way power is structured and filtered. I had experienced my own writing not being taken seriously because it is too ‘confessional’. I wanted to make a way that other women could be published where a set of values and perceptions that were not patriarchal and were not centered in the “Dead, White, Male canon” would make the decisions about what should be published. Many of your authors have been nominated to win prestigious literary awards. How do you feel about this? Modjaji has been lucky enough to publish the work of very talented writers. I like to think it is also because we have done a good job of editing the manuscripts and because of how the company is positioned and how we have framed and spotlighted particular works. We have published a lot of debuts short stories and poetry collections, many of these have won prizes, and yet they are books that most commercial publishers would not touch. How has society changed by reading your published books on infertility, stillbirth, homosexuality, etc. I have seen how these books have added to a growing discourse on topics that were taboo or not in the mainstream but now have a more prominent place. I’m proud to have had Modjaji Books be at the cutting edge of this kind of publishing here in South Africa. Haven run Modjaji for twelve years, have you faced any challenges running an African press? Yes, there are challenges, we are not supported by government policies that help us to grow and increase our sales. Recently the SA Book Development Council funded our participation in the SA Book Fair. I don’t think this goes far enough. I think there needs to be an active policy of buying local books for libraries. If we as independent South African publishers knew that even as few as 500 of our really good titles would be bought by the library system, it would make it all much more viable. Trade routes and avenues of distribution into other African countries are not nearly as strong as are those to Europe and the US. It would be great to see work on this taking place at a national level Publishing is a very expensive industry. As a publishing brand, how do you approach your need for commercial success? I have to confess I have not focused too much on commercial success! I thought that if I published something that needed to be heard it would be commercially successful. This has not been the case. I have tried to publish books and voices I have loved. With the increase of digital books, self publishing, and rumors of the “death of print”, how do you plan on staying relevant in the industry? If one continues to publish books that are well written, powerful and have a clear voice, a particular story, we as publishers will remain relevant in my opinion. It is important not to get stuck in a particular mind set and to be open to new technology and to new voices and perspectives. Having said that, there have been many changes in the last 12 years. Social media has become a force for publishing books, and for writers to connect with each other. Digital publishing has brought new opportunities for publishers. Self-publishing has its place, but there is still a great deal of room for publishers to work
Annesophie Achera: Bringing African fashion to the forefront of the retail industry
Annesophie Achera is the founder and creative director of AAchera Designs, a chic African fashion brand born in Nairobi, Kenya in 2011. She created the unique clothing line for women to feel bold, vibrant and confident and has since taken her brand across the region to Rwanda, Ghana and across the pond to the US and the UK. Annesophie takes pride in her designs as they show her love for the African print and African culture unabashedly. A fashion force to reckon with, Annesophie has had quite the journey and in this article, she shares her eagerness to do a lot more for the burgeoning fashion industry in Kenya. On how my career in fashion began… A few years back, I would make my own clothes to wear to family functions, and would always get positive responses about the clothes I designed. People always wanted to know where I got this dress or that top and it became so frequent that I started getting a few orders here and there and with the constant push from my family, I decided to start my own line. Being in the company of my cousin Liz Ogumbo, a well-known fashion designer based in South Africa and my mentor also got me very interested in the fashion industry. Having worked with True Love magazine as a stylist also helped me learn my ways around styling people from all walks of life. What inspired my fashion line – AACHERA… I’m very passionate about fashion and style and I personally like dressing for occasions – every day is my runway. That is what inspired me to create a line for both myself and for people out there who love fashion and want to look and feel confident in what they wear. I currently have two fashion lines. One is a luxury line which mainly has stock for occasions – this was inspired by wanting and appreciating the finer things in life. I recently rebranded the line and what inspired that was the need to have local fashion businesses in the retail space, I felt the need to fill that gap and bring African fashion to the forefront of the retail industry. My thoughts on the fashion scene in Africa… I think the fashion scene on the continent is doing quite well. I always say Africa is the new luxury at large as a brand in itself. The industry is really thriving in West and Southern Africa and it is picking up quite fast in East Africa as well. I have done business in Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, and the US and England – so as a designer in Africa, you have quite a big market, especially in the diaspora because they tend to prefer locally made clothes to support their own. The African Development Bank (AFDB) stated that fashion in Africa is sustainable mainly just by the virtue of creating employment opportunities for our own here, especially for a lot of women and creating a positive working environment. How I think the fashion scene in Africa can improve… One challenge I think we face a lot is the challenge of production, and this is something I am constantly working on and gradually overcoming. It is a case of either growing your in-house production team or taking your designs to the factories and that is always a challenge if you are a small business. I wish we could have more people taking in small – scale orders so that the businesses that are just starting out can still get the same quality of clothing. My fashion do’s and don’ts… Don’t – wear clothes that do not fit. They give the impression that you’re either not too confident with yourself and it kind of reflects badly on you as a person. What you wear says a lot about you without you having to say anything at all. Do – have a good base/foundation to your dressing. By this, I mean what you wear inside your clothes should also be as good as what you wear outside. Wearing the right size bra, good clean underwear, provides a positive base for what you will wear on top of all that. Your style should be a reflection of who you are. Lousy foundations = a lousy fit = lousy confidence. Don’t – rush into trends I prefer to make classic pieces that can be worn for a long period of time. Trends tend to die out quick and you end up wasting money and time on pieces that won’t serve you a long time. Buy clothes that you intend to keep forever. Quality over quantity any day. Do – have a signature style. Be known for something. You don’t need to be a fashion designer or a stylist to be known for that particular style. How does one get to know their signature style? One should ask themselves various questions like who are you really? What do you like to do? What do you stand for? My top 3 fashion icons, locally and internationally… Asiyami Gold Elie Saab Michelle Obama What motivates me to create and develop new designs… My motivation comes from different things. I look to different cultures, I try to learn and understand them to appreciate what they offer in terms of creativity. When I travel I take time to engage with different people from different parts of the world and get to learn the history of the place and the people and understand why certain things are done in a certain way. All this inspires my designs in one way or another. Some of my collections stem from a personal story that I’m relaying in my work. AAchera is basically made to incorporate African cultures into the design and telling an African story through our textiles and collections. When it comes to designing, I look a lot to the seasons we experience. I use different colors according to the season and pick small elements fro what is
Chioma Ogbudimkpa: On creating Redbutton and using Green Fashion to meet the SDGs goals
Chioma Ogbudimkpa is a certified project management professional who has served in different capacities and projects across 5 countries and different industries. She has put in over 9 service years in FMCG, Consulting and Real Estate. Chioma is also a sustainability advocate and a Green Champion. She has been actively involved in the ‘Going Green’ Initiative from the YALI Network since 2015. She started her entrepreneurship journey with the launch of her women’s wear label, Redbutton in 2017 to explore her creative side. Following this, Chioma has received a seat at the table of various local and international platforms; she is a ‘She Leads Africa’ (SLA) Accelerator beneficiary of 2017, a 2018 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur and the winner, Creative Business Cup Nigeria 2019. She will be representing Nigeria at the Global Creative Business Cup in Denmark this July. She’s also an alumnus and beneficiary of the Nigeria Creative Enterprise (NICE) program 2019 powered by the British Council. She has a Bachelors in Project Management Technology and a PGD in Strategic Management & Leadership. Chioma loves to cycle and play scrabble at her leisure time. What led you to fashion at the beginning and what led to the switch to sustainable fashion My mum owned a fashion house back in the 90s, that’s where and when I started to sew, sketch and play with fabrics. I found that I was always stitching something (till date..lol), my mum’s tailors were tired of me because nothing they make for me stays the same. I loved to experiment and add my own touch here and there. It was fun and engaging so I continued on this path up until I started working in the corporate space. I made my work clothes and sometimes, people wanted me to make clothes for them when they realized I made the dresses myself. It was extracurricular until 2016 when I decided to start the business properly. I enrolled in Martwayne fashion school while I was still working, just to get a professional grasp of fashion designing and the business of fashion. Following that, I launched Redbutton in 2017. Because I am a Green Champion, it was only natural for me to incorporate sustainability into my fashion brand. I started to research ways I can be green, while still maintaining fundamental design principles. There are several ways I have built in ethical fashion principles in my processes, including using recyclable paper packaging, ensuring minimal waste, ethical production processes and fusing sustainable materials. What are the possible career options here? It’s quite evident that the Africa fashion space is experiencing the highest rave she has ever had, and doesn’t seem like it will decline anytime soon. The demand and interest in the over $50bn industry have been incredibly progressive which also implies that there are tons of career opportunities, even in a sustainable fashion. Some common ones are textile producers (in knitting, weaving, dyeing, etc). Even here in Nigeria, we are yet to scratch the surface in exploring our indigenous woven fabrics from different tribes. We also have fashion designers, illustrators, machinists, thought leaders in ethical fashion (not very popular in Africa but there are) who are consultants, show curators, editors, etc. Where do you see this line of business taking you? Building a strong ethical fashion brand that promotes African craftsmanship and design innovation, and of course, a profitable fashion business that will birth several other ethical fashion advocates and workers is my overarching goal. Our zest for color, patterns and the intricacy in our embroideries are phenomenal and it appears we are not exploring what we have enough. This is what I want to project to Africa and the world by exploring eco-friendly materials and African art. What are the challenges in the fashion business, and how do you manage them? Production is slow and expensive. But I have realized through this journey that the process and result are far more important than the speed. It’s also more expensive to run, because eco-friendly materials are not exactly cheap (more expensive than regular fabrics), meaning that your pieces will not be cheap. But once you can properly project your value and find your target market, you will be just fine You use water hyacinths for some of your products, why water hyacinths? What was the reception like at the UN? It was just an experiment, to be honest, I didn’t expect that it will be this serious o..lol! I was researching on sustainable fabrics, something different from our woven fabrics, I bumped into this social innovation enterprise who also up-cycles waste for furniture and home decor pieces. I found that water hyacinths can be dried and woven into panels like our Aso-oke. I said, ‘I never saw anyone try this out in fashion, is it even possible?” The fact that it wasn’t popular in Africa drew me further into the research. I tested it and realized it could work but the dress will be dry clean only, no machine wash. We are constantly exploring more eco-friendly materials we can fuse into our designs to create statement pieces. Some of the water hyacinth pieces we fused with Adire were showcased at the 4th UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi and received resounding acclaim from assembly members and delegates. We were published in the Kenyan dailies and featured on the UN Environment news updates. Between April and today, we have shipped over 50 pieces to the US and UK, following the contacts made from the UN event. This is a testament to the fact that, even though our designs have the African aesthetic, they are also globally appealing. Got any advice for younger fashion entrepreneurs? Some say the industry is saturated, well maybe in some context. But also remember it is growing incredibly and the demand is looming. There are several ways to stand out. Look around you, look inside of you, talk to people that have the capacity to help you discover new territories. You can tweak your strategy, innovate,
Kenim Obaigbena: on becoming a Media Mogul – woman in film
“I wanted to tell stories that matter”. Kenim Obaigbena is a Nigerian-British-American filmmaker and entrepreneur. With a background in fine art painting, creative writing, photography and photoshop editing, Kenim began her film career in 2007, now she’s focused on her production vehicle OVG Media where she produces and directs films, documentaries, drama series and other scripted content for broadcast TV and digital media. She was raised in the United Kingdom, Nigeria, Togo, and the USA. She has lived in many cities around the world, making her both a true global citizen and a versatile filmmaker. At the age of 15, Kenim founded Scoop Magazine with her two sisters, the teen publication was distributed across Lagos, Nigeria. While she formed a lucrative business in three years, she decided to focus on her studies and attended Tufts University. At Tufts she discovered her love for filmmaking and spent her summers interning for music video directing legends Chris Robinson and Benny Boom as well as the production company Anonymous Content. By her junior year at Tufts, she was producing and directing music videos for her fellow schoolmates and billboard artists like Timeflies and All Out. In school, she also covered high fashion events like Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and global music festivals, including ThisDay Music Festival, which brought in pop stars like Beyonce and Rihanna. Graduating from Tufts in 2011, soon after the versatile filmmaker worked on big budget film sets, some including ‘Selfless’, and ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’. For several years, she produced live news coverage and documentaries for the 24-hour news network, Arise News, and worked on various projects with high profile global leaders, from former US Presidents Obama and Clinton to Nigerian President Buhari. Kenim has dabbled in other business ventures from real estate investing, to tech and her pop-up bus service, Rainbow Shuttle. Now she is focused on her production vehicle OVG Media where she produces and directs films, documentaries, drama series and other scripted content for broadcast TV and digital media. [bctt tweet=”Making a film is like starting a new business – Kenim Obaigbena: @ovgmedia” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”]” Tell us a little about your background. Did you study filmmaking? I studied communications and media studies. But I did start making videos in college. I’ve been in film for 12 years and 14ish years in media. I’ve done every type of filmmaking under the sun, from News to music videos, commercials, Promos, docs, dramas, and even artsy film, you name it. Right now my focus is on docs, tv dramas, and features. A few years ago, I came to the realization that I wanted to tell stories that matter. Stories that inspire a progression of nature in people. That could be a documentary, a sci-fi, a drama, whatever it is, it hopes to inspire people to be better in their lives. Has filmmaking and storytelling always been your passion? How long have you been in the industry for? I’ve always loved telling stories. I started young. My sisters and I started a magazine when I was 15. I’ve also always done creative writing as a child. It runs in the family. When I was in high school I started taking painting seriously, it then evolved into photography and photoshop editing. But I wanted more so I moved into film. I’ve been in film for 12 years. As a filmmaker, do you always have a full picture of what the story is going to be at the start, or does it reveal itself to you along the way? It always starts out as a clear vision, but as I develop the story the vision can change, or become a more tangible version of its original state. With documentaries, it’s a bit different. Yes, the story reveals itself along the way. But with a doc its important to be focused. Have a hypothesis and stick to it as much as possible. Otherwise, you can easily fall into the trap of making a film for 10 plus years/. Your recent documentary – This is Nigeria, highlighted Nigeria’s culture of corruption and election rigging. Why did you decide to investigate such a sensitive socioeconomic topic? In Nigeria the poor are invisible. They are neglected, underpaid and mistreated. I wanted to give them a voice. I also feel we live in a demokery, and more people in the media need to speak out. People should be encouraged to vote for who they believe in and not who they think everyone is going to vote for. It’s the only way to make real change in this country. What motivates you? How do you come up with ideas and stories to tell? Purpose. My best ideas come in intense and vivid dreams. I give God all the credit for that. [bctt tweet=”In Nigeria the poor are invisible. They are neglected, underpaid and mistreated. I wanted to give them a voice – Kenim Obaigbena: @ovgmedia” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Besides -This is Nigeria, what other documentaries have you created? At this stage, I’ve created so many for broadcast tv and youtube. I’m always creating digital content as well which you can find on my YouTube channel. How do you go about funding your films/ documentaries? And what advice do you have for others wanting to fund their projects? Keep making DIY content until you either create enough wealth to self-fund or get someone to believe in your talent and business structure (because every film is a business) to invest in you. If you are creative and lack business acumen, partner with a solid producer that can bring in financiers. I’m designing an online course that goes into the practicalities of independent filmmaking. How to get funding, how to make films on a budget etc. I will announce it soon, but for now, I have a series on my youtube channel called ‘The DIY Filmmaker’, which also gives practical filmmaking advice. With a lot of Nigerian women in film coming out to create and show their talent, do you think the filmmaking
Adelaide Odhiambo: The experience I gained as an employee has helped me run my own business
If sitting at your desk, working on the same thing month after month year after year, chips at your soul, it can feel like Lingchi, the Chinese form of murder where 1000 small cuts are made all over someone’s body over a period of time, a very slow painful demise. Or perhaps, your job is constantly threatened and you are not sure if you will survive the next decimation. In the face of all this, it is tempting to dump it, take a leap and start a business. As you contemplate becoming self-employed, read how Adelaide Odhiambo, left a prominent position to start Bluewave Insurance. In just two years, this firm, in partnership with Kenya’s biggest insurance company, has launched Imarisha Jamii a micro insurance product targeting low-income earners. On taking the leap… Taking the leap is not easy it means coming out of your comfort zone and forging into the unknown. What ‘would-be’ entrepreneurs do is, they toy with the idea and talk about it endlessly to everybody and anybody. They never move to conceptualization mainly out of fear. Jim Carrey in his commencement speech of 2014 said, “we choose fear disguised as practicality. We think what we want is impossible to reach and ridiculous to expect, so we never ask.” That is the tragedy of ‘would-be’ entrepreneurs, they see the leap as one move which increases their fear, understandably, because of the risk. Instead of thinking of the leap as one massive move to launch the business, it could be several baby-steps made over a period of time that finally realizes the dream. As Adelaide was studying actuarial science at Nairobi University, and even after getting her first job, she dreamt of becoming an entrepreneur. “Jubilee insurance asked us to come up with ideas that could improve the insurance space, I immediately started thinking and begun to notice problems in the insurance industry. We were using an archaic system that still relied on people working the back office to manually key information into the computer. Then driving to and from work I noticed how poor people were the most vulnerable yet could not afford insurance.” Then the idea hit her, to use technology, to provide cost-effective insurance for the poor. “I decided, instead of submitting the idea, to develop it.” It would take 15 years for the business to take off. On gaining experience “The experience I gained as an employee has helped me run the business. At Jubilee Insurance, I was shadowing two CEO’s so every time they went for a strategic meeting I would be with them. It demystified running an organization, for instance, I realized that simple decisions were sometimes sufficient to move forward the largest insurance company in the country.” After a while, Adelaide went to Apollo worked as head of products then landed a prestigious position with Microensure as country manager. “Microensure was an eye opener because they do insurance in the most unconventional way. While working there I would give my spouse, who was a software developer, concepts to develop,” she said But her employment history was not without its challenges… “When I was put in a hostile environment, I just saw the good side. So I absorbed everything and learned as fast as possible,” she continued Then when she realized she was not growing and the environment became untenable. so she left to start Blue Wave insurance. “The most valuable experience I ever got as an employee was to cultivate confidence. Because when running your own outfit, at some point you may feel like you are bullshitting but I have learned to be bold despite this feeling. [bctt tweet=”The most valuable experience I ever got as an employee was to cultivate confidence – @AdelaideOdhiamb” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] When I was employed, I remember I went for a meeting with executives of a leading telecom company. I sat in the room listening as everyone was speaking jargon, like whole sentences in abbreviations. Truth is that I had no clue what they were saying. Then, they turned to me, as the insurance expert, because no one in the room had any idea. I spoke confidently and it was okay. So that’s how I approach business meetings with boldness because whatever I know is of value to someone in that room, there is that one thing you know and they do not.” On getting the business up and running in a short timeline It is said fortune favors the prepared mind which is true for Adelaide. Because she had been working on the business, little by little, days after leaving Microensure, she was already working on a website and reaching out to past clients, relationships she had formed as an employee. “I left paid employment with a lot of drive, and hunger to make it. I was scheduling meetings and even got a contract from one of the old customers that paid me fifty thousand.” Building a successful business takes time and multi-billion deals don’t happen overnight, so Adelaide celebrates the small victories. “I celebrated surviving a whole month without a salary. Celebrated the website going up. I celebrated sending 10 emails and receiving 2 responses, out of my sheer hard work. Infact, I even celebrated that I was doing what I wanted, that was a success to me. I did not set high expectations. When people do not meet their high expectations, they get upset”. [bctt tweet=”I did not have that ‘fear of failure’ because failure would have been not following my dream – @AdelaideOdhiamb” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Lean startup Although Adelaide had an insurance background, she needed a developer to set up the enterprise. “My husband who is a programmer, and entrepreneur, encouraged me to design the user experience, which is the initial part of programming. I learned through Google but I am still learning because every solution is different.” The first time she put the lessons to work, fired by the drive to succeed, she did it overnight… “I remember my husband telling me all
Yanoh Jalloh: Fixing severe disparities and health inequities in Sierra Leone
From developing reproductive health programs for young girls in Kabala Sierra Leone, to managing high level projects funded by the center for Disease Control. Yanoh Jalloh is well equipped to provide high quality research, programmatic and training expertise to organisations focused on health and development in African countries and the United States. Born to Sierra Leonean parents in the United States, Yanoh’s passion to contributing to healthy sustainable societies by providing evidence based research driven programs, tools and resources has always been evident. Over the last decade, she has garnered the necessary experience from working with local and international Non-Governmental organisations in Africa, to high level university research institutes in the United States. In this interview, Yanoh Jalloh shares her career journey with young women in Sierra Leone, and her hopes to inspire and encourage them along their own journeys. [bctt tweet=”Women interested in public health – do not get into this industry for the money. It is a field that can be riveting, emotional, draining, but very fulfilling – @YKayJ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Describe yourself in one sentence? I am a motivated, skilled and experienced international development specialist with close to a decade of’ experience of working with hard to reach populations of youth and on projects in Sierra Leone. What motivates you to develop healthier societies in Africa? Though I was born in the states, my family is originally from Sierra Leone and I have always felt a compelling call to respond to the severe disparities and health inequities in Sub- Saharan Africa. Tell us about your public health background and how it relates to your Sierra Leonean heritage? I obtained my Masters’ in Public Health with a concentration in Global Health in 2012, in 2011 during my practicum experience, I started working on the ground in Sierra Leone with the NGO Helen Keller International. It was during this experience that I was able to hone in on my research and evaluation skills as I worked on a project which aimed to redesign the national child health card. I also evaluated a multi-faceted nutrition intervention that was being implemented in several clinics throughout Freetown, Sierra Leone. Since then, I have been working both domestically on abroad on both short-term and long-term projects that mainly aim to improve health outcomes. I have also worked with organisations in providing evaluation support and planning. What are some career challenges you face? I am in my early 30’s but I started working in this field in my mid 20’s. Age has often been a barrier and a challenge. When you are young, you often lose opportunities to candidates who may have more years of experience, but are not necessarily as seasoned as you in a particular skill. I am also told I look a bit younger than I am, so this has also been a barrier. Trying to balance a family and a young daughter has been so fulfilling but has also been a challenge. I have had to turn down opportunities as it conflicted with my family life, though I do not regret it, other opportunities that were more appropriate came along. What are 3 things you have achieved in your field that you are proud of? Designing, leading, and teaching the first online Health Policy Course to MPH students at the College of Medical and Allied Health Sciences in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Developing health and sanitation courses for 300 youth in Kabala, Sierra Leone Leading alongside my amazing colleagues an adult immunisation campaign across New York City, during this campaign we partnered with 100 organisations and educated the providers about the importance of adult vaccines. What advise can you provide to other women who want to go into health consultancy? You will receive a lot of no’s before you receive a yes. I would also advise to be very flexible, early on I had to take on unpaid or very low paying opportunities to build my portfolio, you must use these opportunities to advance your experience and to build contacts as well as to network. Finally, do not get in this field for the money, it is a field that can be riveting, emotional, draining, but very fulfilling, you must get in this field because you want to see change. For the Women|Change|Africa Bosschiques Build Program in Collaboration with WCA Creatives & Nadia Marie &Co Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Mendy Lusaba: Creating jobs in Zimbabwe through Housekeeping
Mendy Lerato Lusaba is a Social Entrepreneur making changes in the domestic work industry. She is the Founder of Chris and Geo Domestic Placement Agency which recruits, trains and places socio-economically disadvantaged women as domestic workers. The innovative agency also offers unique housekeeping services of weekly maids for those that do not need full time stay in maids hence slowly disrupting the sector. She also founded the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe which is a network of Zimbabwean maids with a focus on capacity building and advocacy work. DWAZ has members in Zimbabwe, South Africa and is growing daily. In this article, she talks about how she took advantage of her background in HR to create more jobs by starting her own business. [bctt tweet=”Meet @mendylusaba – a Social Entrepreneur making changes in the domestic work industry and creating jobs in Zimbabwe.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about your professional background? I have a B.Sc. in Human Resources Management, a Diploma in Labour Law from the Institute of People Management and Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Zimbabwe. I’m also a Mandela Washington Fellow 2018 Alumni and a YALI RLC Southern Africa 2016 Alumni. I have done Entrepreneurship Training with Empretec, ACT in Africa. Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and Social Entrepreneurship training with the Udugu Institute. So far, I have worked in the energy, mining, catering and hospitality industry in the Human Resources Department holding management positions before going into entrepreneurship full time. I write articles for different publications about domestic work and I run a blog. I have written a handbook for domestic workers. Because of my bubbly nature and being a motivator, I am often invited to speak at various women’s events nationally. What led you to start the housekeeping business? When I had my first child, I struggled with getting the “perfect” maid. In a space of 6 months, I had changed maids four times! I realized that it was very difficult to get the perfect maid when you needed them. Upon further research, I discovered I was not alone. Majority of working women need a maid but struggle to get one on time. I also realized that there were also so many women who needed jobs as domestic workers but did not know where to start. Coupled with my background in Human Resources Management, I realized I could provide a solution. I simply had to bridge the gap between the employers and the employees, hence the birth of Chris and Geo. My work drives me and I have a great passion for what I do. Running my own organization brings me great joy and seeing one woman’s’ life transformed by simply being a maid is enough reward. Seeing a previously disadvantaged child go back to school because her mother can now afford it is enough satisfaction. [bctt tweet=”Business success is a combination and a recipe for many things – @mendylusaba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about Chris and Geo Chris and Geo is an organization that was formed with the family in mind. It recruits, trains and places socially and economically disadvantaged women as domestic workers. It offers fulltime stay-in and stay-out maids and also has contract maids that are available on specific days to the clients. Chris and Geo offer on-the-job training for maids. Through Chris and Geo, I realized there was more that goes in the sector. From working with the maids, I realized they were vulnerable and they also needed capacity building hence establishing the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe. My work is more of a calling than anything else. Domestic workers are very important with almost 70% percent of urban households relying on the help of domestic workers. It is also, amongst one of the oldest professions. Unlike in developed countries, the profession is still informal and not officially recognized. The sector is so behind with both the employers and employees lacking the professionalism required of any profession. This is why I do what I do, I am in it to change the game. How does a normal working day go in your business? My work is mostly about societal impact rather than monetary impact. Being your own boss means your workload is never normal! You do what needs to be done whenever it needs to be done. Our business is heavily centered on convenience meaning a client must be able to call us any time when they need a maid. As such, every hour is a working hour for us. [bctt tweet=”Being your own boss means your workload is never normal! You do what needs to be done whenever it needs to be done – @mendylusaba” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In Zimbabwe are people comfortable with strangers coming to their homes to clean? How have you managed client inhibitions? Actually, in Zimbabwe majority of households have stay in maids. It has been like this for so many years. Families prefer having someone that stay within their homes. Generally, Zimbabweans are open people and the family structure is very important. We have huge families and the extended family is usually a close family. As such, it is not very difficult to have someone join the family. Our private space is so accommodating that we have few inhibitions about having someone in our homes. It is only now that we are beginning to have formal distinctions with domestic work, Otherwise, culturally the maid is part of the family with titles like Aunty or Sister. Now, people are beginning to have stayed out maids that do not stay with the family. This is why the domestic work sector is very huge in the country. It only lacks professionalism and formalization but it has been in existence since independence. What has been your major challenge on your business journey? What can be done about it? I know this is going to sound rehearsed and rhetoric but it is the truth. Capital is a challenge for many businesses and mine has not been exempted. I did not start
Unlocking Success: The Advice Every Entrepreneur Must Hear
Ten years ago, if someone told me I would become a law school dropout who owns two successful businesses, I may have laughed in their face. The only thing that may have sounded more ridiculous would have been to add that both ventures will put me in position to help hundreds of entrepreneurs start and run successful businesses every year. Thankfully, even things that sound ridiculous can actually become reality. The truth is, I never had much of an interest in entrepreneurship. As a child, I watched my father work tirelessly to build businesses. Some were successful. Others were not. [bctt tweet=”What sets the successful and the unsuccessful entrepreneur apart is not luck, worth ethic, or even skills, its usually the power of flexibility. – @andrena_sawyer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I now know my father was not alone in his plight because Bloomberg Research suggests that 8 out of every 10 businesses fail within the first 19 months. The Small Business Administration suggests that only half of new businesses survive the first five years, while only 35% are able to survive for 10 years. Despite my early exposure to the unfortunate side of entrepreneurship, I have come to believe that what sets the successful and the unsuccessful apart is not luck, worth ethic, or even skill. Most times, it comes down to the power of flexibility. When you first become an entrepreneur, you are inundated with solicited and unsolicited advice. There is an incredible adrenaline rush that comes from seeing yourself manifest what had only been a vision in your mind for weeks, months, and sometimes even years. Most of the advice is given with good intentions and meant to be motivational. Yet, some have absolutely no significance to you because your primary concern early on is simply to survive. Admittedly, I don’t remember much of what was said to me when I launched my first company. However, one piece of advice that has not only stuck with me but saved my business several times is to marry the mission and date the model. To marry your mission is to remember your why, and to maintain your covenant -so to speak- with that why. To date your model is to make flexibility a bedrock in your business. It is your how. I learned the true meaning of this after my first year in business. The excitement and adrenaline had worn off, and the money I’d saved up for the initial capital had depleted. I now faced “real” business issues like cash flow, leadership and human resource challenges, customer service and iterating our value proposition. [bctt tweet=”To marry your mission is to remember your why, and to maintain your covenant -so to speak- with that why – @andrena_sawyer” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] While your mission – the reason you went into business and the need that your business solves should never change, the way your business does business had better change if it is to survive. This includes your marketing strategies, your price point, and sometimes even your company culture. All of these things are still connected to the mission, but this how allows you to stay relevant and top-of-mind. For some of us, we went into business to disrupt the industry. We were tired of inefficiency or annoyed that a few big players were monopolizing everything, leaving no room for anyone else to play. For others, there was a glaring need that one too many people complained about, yet no one was offering viable solutions. Then there are those of us who started a business because we recognized our gifts and talents and saw business ownership as a way to walk in our purpose. Remembering this is critical to success. It is your mission. It lays the foundation for the story that your business will tell. However, even that why is not enough sometimes. That is where dating the model comes in. The reality is there are many factors that influence your success as an entrepreneur. Some of these factors like industry trends, sales cycles, current events, economic upturns and downturns, and even your organization’s capacity are sometimes beyond your control. By adjusting your model, you develop a culture of freedom that allows your business to adapt to these changes. Ultimately, this hones your business’ survival instinct in difficult times and leverages positive trends in good times. This ability to be adaptable could very well be the deciding factor between being part of the success statistics or the failure rates. Got some advice that can help others succeed in 2019? Click here to share.