Public Health Career anyone?: Buckle your seat belts
So a public health career is your choice, and you are you are ready to go? Here is a checklist that could facilitate the journey. Pre-professional experience Some say is the polite form of very polite form of getting your hands dirty. You may have heard this a gazillion times ‘Voila!’ A career in this field is not an exception to the rule. Get some practice of a profession before you embark on your studies. ‘Exposure before training, is this even possible?’ I hear you ask. It is quite simple really, volunteer, take time to work as an intern, join a fellowship programme…put yourself out there There are plenty of organizations out there seeking volunteers and its unimaginable how the spirit of volunteerism not only creates a positive awareness about health but gets everyone involved. I did volunteer during my soul-searching period with a humanitarian organization, the Red Cross, and Red Crescent movement. The range of health activities ranged from disaster management, health promotion, logistics in supplies delivery in areas with conflict, this sort of exposure enabled me to relate to the human needs during emergencies while giving me the chance to help others. This was more than I could have asked for a soul-searching period but I digress. Getting back my point be willing to work in a team and the knowledge gained will be immense. You could schedule this during the weekend, summer break or better yet take a couple days off during your holiday and take volunteer abroad placements… Volunteer Vacation! Some internships may be paid while others unpaid. As a volunteer, the organization may cater to your needs such as meals, accommodation, laundry while others may not. However, this should not deter you to remember the core of public health is service to humanity. You may be receiving way more in expertise than you are actually giving…. food for thought! School vs Time So exposure is off the bucket list and you need technical knowledge. You need to hit the books again. here are options to explore, most degree courses in public health contain compulsory units also known as core subjects, while non-degree certificate courses allow one to focus on what captures your interest like health promotion, emergency relief, outreach nutrition, climate change and health. Here are some timelines undergraduate courses range from 3 to 4 years, graduate courses take 1 or 2 years and could lead ultimately to doctorate/ Ph.D., diploma and postgraduate certificate ideally will take 6 months to a year to study. And guess what! most institutions of higher learning are now offering various short courses which take up to 4 weeks ………so no excuses. Time vs Location So you have the time but you currently working…. wait… not so fast don’t hang in the boots just yet! There’s actually an answer to this dilemma. Get online! Welcome to the era of digitization and take a moment to thank the worldwide web for this one. You can study from the comfort of your home. What you get will be access to learning material, webinars with tutors from across the globe and my favorite discussions with other students from all over the globe just a click away. Self -paced learning could not have come at a better time, be the holder of a verified certificate, earn your credits and pick a public health topic you wish to learn. Location vs Fees Start saving early if you wish to carry out your degree in Public Health, that said the amount of payment for education depends on the university you will be attending. Some good news though most teaching institutions may have a scholarship database which is something you should explore. If you think online your organization could actually assist in your professional development. Again take advantage of the free online courses. Some of the certificate in public health courses are free and offered by some of the top universities across the world. Finally remember when in doubt, tap into your resources these include your mentor, a teacher in the field, an expert who has been out in the field get some coffee. Hearing others experience could guide you in the Public field…ENJOY THE RIDE! If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
African Women Entrepreneurs – A Different Perspective
I recently came across a TED talk by Natalie Case and Freya Estreller. They are co-founders of CoolHaus, a company that creates architecturally designed Ice cream in the U.S.A I found their passion and drive for their business fascinating. They started their business with an old postal van, which they converted to an Ice cream truck. In less than a decade, CoolHaus has grown into a multi-million dollar enterprise. It now has over ten trucks, two scoop shops and is being distributed in over four thousand groceries stores across the U.S. They currently oversee seventy employees and they plan to broaden CoolHaus to the number 1 recognized Ice cream brand in the world. Bringing this home to Africa, with the entrepreneurship buzz going on right now, I began to look at the reasons for the springing startups we have right now, especially the businesses founded by women. Why do women want to be their own bosses? What makes entrepreneurship exciting and interesting right now? I asked around and found answers like: I. More income will help me take care of myself and my family II. A business will help to beat the recession crunch III. It will enable me to be independent of my spouse/ partner IV. No one wants to be a stay-at-home mom anymore V. I want to be respected and admired as a capable leader All of these are great motivating factors but are these all there is to entrepreneurship? These do not have the ability to project a business to global standards. It is important we know the motive for creating a business because of this, in most cases, determines how far a business will grow. A woman may want to augment her spouse’s income. She may start a business to achieve this and this will determine the kind of business she goes for and what her vision for her business will be. If her trade achieves that goal in a few years there might not be a need to expand the business any further. While earning enough to cater for her family is important, having this mentality about the business may stifle it. If we survey all outstanding businesses, we would discover they were created by people who had a vision of making their companies prominent in the world. This factor may be deficient in Africa’s startups. It is imperative that African women entrepreneurs must first begin to develop a different orientation towards startups. [bctt tweet=”As entrepreneurs, we have to begin to look upward toward progress and acceleration” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Building the right business starts from the core, but the right questions need to be asked. Why is it being started? What motivates an individual to start a business? If these questions are answered correctly, this would change the way African women entrepreneurs approach their businesses. Sadly many entrepreneurs do not know the ‘WHY’of their business. This crucial step is neglected AND camouflaged with reasons like “Everyone swears by it on Instagram“, “It’s what brings in the cash” and “It just seems like the best thing to do now” The ‘why’ of a business also establishes if a business is the right thing to do. Does it really meet a need? Does it emerge from an undeniable conviction in the entrepreneur’s heart? Listen. There are two ways to go about it. 1. Find a passion to turn to a business or find a business to turn to a passion While a business is something entrepreneurs should be passionate about they shouldn’t be delusional about the relevance of their business. Every business should satisfy the needs of people while accruing profit. 2. Striving onwards While being financially liberated may be a reason a business is started it should not be the sole reason a business continues. 50% of the United States GDP comes from small businesses employing less than 500 people. African women entrepreneurs should seek ways to come together and build a conglomerate enterprise that can employ young people from every scope and status in Africa thus helping young entrepreneurs off the streets. Women should be encouraged to dream big and start businesses that can grow into mega-corporations in their lifetime. This indeed is possible. [bctt tweet=”Entrepreneurs should understand that within them lies the capacity to create a lasting legacy ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] African women entrepreneurs shouldn’t be constricted to starting businesses that are short termed, escape routes to financial challenges. Entrepreneurs should be made to understand that within them lies the capacity to create a lasting legacy and they should regard their business as legacies. They should be encouraged to have prospects and plans for expansion into the future. Therefore partnership and public corporation are the way to go if these businesses would outlive their founders. All of these start with a different perspective and a clear vision of what entrepreneurship means and what African female entrepreneurs can do. Some of which include: Influence the decision making in a nation if they drive its economy in a significant way. Sponsors lawyers, activists and projects that will push the goal for women rights and achieve gender equality faster. Reducing the risk of young girls being raped by removing them from the streets through the provision of jobs. Put communities in Africa in the spotlight, they can influence global decisions and drive Africa’s economy. Create brands that outlive them and change the world. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Young women, you can have it all – Amb. Kema Chikwe
71 years old Ambassador Kema Chikwe is a woman whose drive for inclusion and results earned her notable career opportunities in Nigeria. She has successfully held positions as the Minister for Transport, for Aviation and Chairman of Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB). Amb. Chikwe gracefully held the office of the National Woman Leader where she created opportunities for other young women to achieve career and political ambitions. In all of this, she remains optimistic about the future of women in leadership and is the founder and chairperson for Women in Leadership Institute (WLI). Talking with Amb Kema has no dull moment. Añuli Ola-Olaniyi, an SLA contributor, sat through an interview with this remarkable woman and shares with all the deets with us. How did you begin your career? I finished my secondary education at age of 17 and I got a job at the Pay Section, Ministry of Education, Nigeria. How did you become an Ambassador? I challenged myself to take the position. It was an appointment actually which I believe was given to me based on merit and results from my previous appointments. I served as the Minister for Transport and Aviation. Later I became the Chairman of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Also, I contested for the office of the Governor, Imo State. Hard work, commitment to public service, and my result-oriented attitude have always propelled me. What would you say is your proudest achievement today I am very grateful for all my accomplishments to date, some of which are my exposure to many years of public service and strong legacies. A notable accomplishment was the reformation of the Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport -MM2. As the Minister for Transport and Aviation, the reform projects spoke for themselves. As Transport Minister, we achieved 48 hours turnaround and 24 hours of port operations. While I was the Chairman of JAMB we embarked on the automation of the system and some of the results from this are the use of scratch cards for examinations. However, as a National Woman Leader, the adoption of the bill to mainstream disability in political parties was achieved. The office of the National Woman Leader was institutionalized, a Gender audit was conducted and we developed programmes for women running for office. We created and ran the E-Women Network for young women and we have to date, women who have benefitted and done well. What’s the boldest thing you’ve done? My boldest move was to contest for Governor of Imo State, Nigeria. I was the only woman campaigning in an era where the mindsets weren’t particularly ready for a female Governor. Did you encounter any setbacks, and how did you get past it? My biggest setback was not winning my governorship and Senate elections. When you invest a lot in something and it doesn’t end up the way you envisioned, it can be difficult to comprehend sometimes. I overcame it by understanding that failure is a challenge, you rise and fall. My dad (who was also my mentor) had a rhyme he used to encourage us and it says “If at first, you don’t succeed, always try and try again” After losing the election, I had tremendous support from people like President Yaradua and Baba Kingibe with the Ambassadorial posting. Please understand that when you work very hard, people support you and anything you do will eventually go well because people will recognize your efforts based on the legacies and results you have shown. Once you focus on your career, work, job or assignments and perform well, the recognition comes. I must add that there must be a virtue of hard work in Nigeria amongst young men and women. A person qualified for a role or position should get that role/position. No shortcuts. [bctt tweet=”I stay inspired by watching people succeed- Amb Kema Chikwe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] One piece of advice to your 20-year-old self would be… Be more adventurous and courageous. I was nervous about stepping out of my comfort zone. Moving forward, I realized that life outside my comfort zone wasn’t as scary as I thought. With focus, determination and positive support. I was able to achieve my goals. Look at me now; many young women can be me or even greater. What would you advise people starting a career or going into politics? My best advice is this – convince yourself that it is what you want to do. Let it also be that you are meeting or creating solutions for the needs of people. I also encourage young women to know that you can have it all. Career, marriage, children, business, all of it. Raising a family is possible with a thriving career. There are many benefits of marriage. I understand that not every woman is lucky, but note that it is an important institution. [bctt tweet=”I want to encourage young women to know that you can have it all. – Amb. Kema Chikwe” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How are you keeping up with the new trends The future excites me because the rate at which innovative ideas are quickly changing our lifestyles and the way we view the world gets me really excited to see what next is in store. Imagine some people who do not speak a word of English, operating a mobile phone with such dexterity. The internet culture has made this world a smaller place by bringing a better understanding of life. What are your future plans for the Women in Leadership Institute? I founded the Women in Leadership Institute and this is positioned to give a new orientation to women in Nigeria and Africa. It will change narratives, give women the opportunities to study and be experts in Women and Leadership Studies. The future is very exciting for women. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Ekemini Dan Abia: I decided to help people identify potential abusers through Abuse survivor
Ekemini Dan Abia is a legal practitioner who got inspired by her work in the criminal justice system to create a community which supports and educates victims of domestic abuse through her Instagram page, Abuse Survivor. Abuse survivor aims to create awareness of the damaging effects of domestic abuse by educating members of the public, using Narcissism as a subject. She believes that helping individuals understand narcissism can greatly reduce domestic abuse in the home and its result in the larger society. Through Abuse Survivor, she identifies potential abusers and identifies abuse dynamics. She also provides materials and support for the recovery of survivors and counsels victims of all forms of abuse. What has been your biggest achievement as a prosecutor? Watching adults, children, as well as pre-teens who are victims of sex offenses, look their abuser in the eye and testify against him or her in open court. I am filled with a sense of accomplishment because I know that the person is taking back his or her power and getting out of the abuser’s control. What prompted you to start the platform Abuse Survivor? I was deeply shaken by the death of Ronke Shonde in 2016, who was allegedly murdered by her abusive husband. Reports of spousal abuse/homicides seemed to increase in 2017, and I recall asking myself “why couldn’t they heed the red flags before walking down the aisle”? So I decided to help people identify potential abusers and also highlight the long-term effects of remaining in abusive relationships on adults and children. I came to realize that a large percentage of those convicted for violent crimes are products of dysfunctional home environments and are people with unresolved childhood trauma. The pain and anger they carry around makes them gravitate towards crime or other anti-social behaviors. Knowledge of the above facts propelled me to create Abuse Survivor. Are you an abuse survivor yourself? Yes. I have been a victim of malignant narcissistic abuse. How do you vet the authenticity of the stories people send to you since its all done virtually? Most stories sent to us are accompanied by imageries which are very compelling with the victims pleading for their anonymity. I ask certain question which aims to validate their assertions without leaving them feeling we disbelieve them. It calls for tact and sensitivity, else we could leave a victim of abuse with invalidated feelings which is against everything we stand for. Would you consider yourself to be a social entrepreneur and if so, what would you say is the most challenging part of this role? Yes, I do. We live in a society where an in-depth discussion of abuse is given a passing interest, thus accessing funds to have more impact has been really challenging. Like most start-ups, this is the biggest challenge I have faced so far. You use NARCISSISM as a subject to educate your community. How has this impacted them positively? Lots of people have undergone narcissistic abuse without knowing it. As a result, they lived in utter confusion, depression and other health complications which is characteristic of victims of narcissistic abuse. Watching some members of our community gain clarity, stop blaming themselves and take control of their lives has been very fulfilling. Since starting the platform ‘Abuse Survivor’, have you had any support from anyone? And how has this contributed towards your success? A survivor of narcissistic abuse, who is also a member of our community reached out to me sometime in February 2018. Although living in the UK, she volunteered to build a website for our community. I am very grateful for this gesture. She has also become one of our resource persons. She is always on standby with brilliant and innovative suggestions. Having her as a support system right now propels me to keep doing what I do. What is the one motivation that gets you up every morning? I wake up every morning with the zeal to put out more information in order to reach more people. The knowledge that far too many people in our society are ignorant about narcissism motivates me. What is one piece of advice you would give to a woman suffering from domestic abuse? I would tell her that she is stronger than her abuser is trying to make her feel. All she needs to do is to see herself the way God sees her and learn to love herself. Only then will she have the strength to walk away for herself and to provide a better environment for her children (if she is a mother). How do you juggle your full-time job with managing your platform? To be candid, it is very tasking. However, it is easier because I am passionate about this topic and my full-time job inspires me too. I make time in the early hours of the day from 4 am to 6 am to plan my content. That way, members of our community never experience content drought. You currently run Abuse Survivor solely on Instagram. Any plans to move it to another platform? (Website, blog etc). Right now, we are working on our official website. We plan to make use of other social media platforms while retaining Instagram as our primary means of reaching out to members of our community. Do you ever meet with the women whose stories you share? The vast majority of those who share their stories in our community are impossible to meet geographically because they do so from all over the world. However, I have met a handful of them and they are the most resilient women I have ever met. What future plans do you have for ‘Abuse Survivor’? My vision is for Abuse Survivor to become the number one support system and resource outfit for victims of any form of abuse in Africa. We plan to innovate along the way. What’s your favorite book / Ted Talk of all time? My favorite book is Chimamanda Adichie’s ‘Purple Hibiscus’. I think that is where my interest in domestic abuse was
Chichi Equomah: Your experiences in the corporate world are relevant in your journey as an entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship seems to be the new career wave. Do you agree? More folks are beginning to quit their corporate work to own their dreams, become their own bosses, and above all, do the things they love! This is particularly true of ladies who are brave enough to quit their job for their dream jobs. Chichi Equomah is one such lady. Chichi Equomah, now Chichi Yakubu is the CEO of NyoNyo Essentials, a food brand that celebrates Ghanaian food in style! Just google the top eateries to look out for in Ghana and NyoNyo Essentials is definitely one to pop up. From the humble beginnings of a food catering service, Nyonyo has expanded to a restaurant and the corporate go-to food services firm in the industry within a span of 3 years. Their client portfolio is already impressive, having catered to clients such as MTN Ghana, Cummins Ghana, National Petroleum Authority, Eische Life, Ghana Water Company, EIB Group of Companies and Cocobod to name a few– and with the recent opening of a restaurant, one can only imagine the way to the top. As an erstwhile HR practitioner at TNS, a multinational market research company, Chichi leveraged on her skills in communication and project management, and her lifelong passion for cooking and creating to develop NyoNyo Essentials. But that can’t be all. We caught up with Chichi to tell us about the relevance of her former traditional corporate jobs in her day to day running of NyoNyo Essentials. She talked about the lessons she learned and what existing and future SLAyers can pick up from their existing jobs before they make that full time transition into entrepreneurship. The mastermind behind the meals: How did the story of Chichi and NyoNyo Essentials begin? The story of NyoNyo began with my mother. My mother is an amazing cook, and she owned a thriving food business. I picked up after her when it came to cooking and I am a foodie too, so naturally I also wanted to venture into the catering industry. I grew up determined to start a restaurant, but life happened and it became a dream deferred. In 2014, I felt the inkling to pursue this dream again. I took some time off social media to lose weight, rebrand myself and strategize for this dream, and a year later, NyoNyo Essentials was born. How did you know the time was right to leave your job and fully invest yourself in NyoNyo Essentials? It was a rather gradual process. I worked full time at TNS at the time, when I started this food business. I spent my spare time catering to NyoNyo, but the business was growing bigger by the day mainly because of our social media marketing and excellent recommendations. It was becoming challenging to adequately balance the two. So one day after careful consideration, I packed my bag and baggage and decided to fully dedicate myself to NyoNyo Essentials. I have never looked back. There comes a point in life where you really have to decide what you want to pursue. It’s a decision you can only hold on for so long, but deep inside you know what your guts want, what you are yearning for and what fuels your passion, and eventually, you will have to choose. And I did. Looking back, what are the top 3 lessons you have learned from your roles in the traditional corporate world that have proved useful today? I spent four to five years in typical 8-5 jobs and I feel that’s enough for me to have pursued my dream now. My time and experience I garnered there are still very relevant and extremely beneficial to what I do today. The first thing I learned was to be accountable to a superior. I strongly believe that everybody has to be accountable to someone; accountability makes you upright and productive. I have also come to fully appreciate some other attitudes I learned during such time. [bctt tweet=”Be conscious of your time. It’s a priceless gift – Chichi of @NyoNyogh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I learned how to be punctual. From reporting to work on time and managing my work schedules, I learned how to be consistent with my time and also manage it efficiently so that I deliver on tasks promptly. Today, it’s one key trait that drives NyoNyo Essentials and how we operate. I still work at Nyonyo Essentials as though I am still being monitored by a superior and I encourage my staff to also work in the same vein. If we have a delivery at 2 pm, and you show up even 15 minutes late, your client is not going to be pleased. Besides, we deal with food so soothing a hungry and an angry client is double the work. [bctt tweet=”Another big lesson for me is that we are all replaceable, don’t get too comfortable – Chichi of @NyoNyogh ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I am not the only employee at work. If I goof today, I am replaceable. If I make a big blunder, I can be replaced easily. The question that makes the difference is that what am I doing to be excellent and to constantly upgrade myself? This is same for Nyonyo Essentials. We are not the only one in Ghana’s culinary space- there are others chasing their dreams like just ours. This is why we are always challenged to be better with our food and our customer service. It also spurs me on to continuously set milestones for Nyonyo and find answers to this burning question at all times. “What can I do to make the NyoNyo brand relevant to our customers always?” [bctt tweet=”You can only do so much. Learn to delegate – Chichi of @NyoNyogh” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Before entering the corporate workforce, I found it difficult to ask others to assist me with basic tasks. The one thing I learned while working was that there is always a lot on my plate and I couldn’t do it alone no matter how hard I tried to multi-task. We work in teams, and it is
WEBINAR WITH YETUNDE SHORTERS: THE P.O.W.E.R OF PURPOSEFUL PERSONAL BRANDING (JULY 19)
What comes to mind when you hear the term ‘personal branding’? A perception of oneself? A unique identity? No matter the thought, your personal brand reflects your reputation, your legacy, the people you surround yourself with, your authenticity…the list is endless! Having a well-defined personal brand requires you to be proactive about how you manage it. This starts with thinking about what you want to be known for and then taking purposeful action to ensure that’s the image you’re creating. So, what does it mean to have a ‘purposeful personal brand’? How can it earn you top dollar without blowing lots of schmoney on stuff that won’t even do justice to your brand? Join Yetunde Shorters, on Thursday, 19th July, as she shares secrets that will earn you multi-six figures without spending a dime on advertising or marketing through purposeful personal branding. Yetunde Shorters helps the inspired go-getter create an authentic, purposeful and fun personal brand that helps you do what you love while helping others, in a way that creates financial freedom for you and your family. [bctt tweet=”Discover the #power of purposeful personal branding with @Yetunde on July 19th at 12PM EST! Register here: bit.ly/yetundes” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Identifying where your purpose comes from and get clear on it Ways to elevate your personal brand How to develop a brand statement that represents you best Secrets that will earn you multi-six figures without spending a dime on advertising or marketing Register below to get access to this opportunity and submit questions you would like Yetunde to answer. Webinar details: Date: Thursday, July 19th, 2018 Time: 12PM Miami // 5PM Lagos // 6PM Johannesburg Watch Part 1 below: Watch Part 2 below: About Yetunde Yetunde Shorters is an international publicist and an industry leader in helping women entrepreneurs discover their purpose and provide value to the right people to make profits. She is also the creator of ICY PR, the Afropolitan Chef and Founder of ICY ACADEMY and a 4-time Amazon best-selling author. With over 15 years of experience working and securing publicity for multiple Grammy Award Winning Artists, International Celebrities and Entrepreneurs, Yetunde has been featured in Elle, CBS, Zen Magazine, Tropics and more. She is masterful at connecting her client’s sense of purpose to prosperity. She also uses her skills to help emerging entrepreneurs create value, save time and increase productivity. In partnership with She Leads Africa, Yetunde is launching A Purpose Breakthrough 101 session, a 90 minutes intensive brand clarity session, where she delves deep into your purpose to connect it to profits. She also runs the ICY ACADEMY PERSONAL BRANDING MASTERCLASS, where you learn strategies that get results, techniques that save you time and access to a powerful network of go-getters who provide the support you need to thrive in your purpose.
CHRISTABEL ALTRAIDE: My passion for the environment and recycling made me win the crown
Christabel Altraide is from Port Harcourt City Nigeria. She is a graduate of Computer Science. Her passion for pageantry and beauty has won her several awards including the Face of Port Harcourt City 2016/2017. Christabel started RECYCLEPH as a pet project during her reign as Face of Port Harcourt she realized she was passionate about recycling and so decided to make it a household name. RECYCLEPH has a global vision to recycle waste materials into useful household materials for the local market. The brand also sensitizes students in school about the importance of recycling. Christabel Altraide won the Tedx Port Harcourt idea search 2017. She has also been recognized as one of 25 under 30 young leaders in Port Harcourt. In this interview, Christabel talks about her projects with RECYCLEPH and how she started her business. [bctt tweet=”A lot of people do not know that waste was useful – Christabel Altraide” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How did you start caring for the environment? After my studies in the Benin Republic, I came back to Nigeria for the recommended National Youth Service in Nigeria. I worked as an administrative officer at the Nigerian Air Force Mobility Command. Eventually, I got tired of sitting all day in the office, so I volunteered with my friend who was working on a personal project. We came up with ideas and we drew up proposals. It was taking me out of the office and I enjoyed it. I met several people, we had a lot of support in Yenegoa since we were Corp members. We organized clean up at Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and we did school sensitization. When we finished our service year, we received the honorarium award for the best community development project from Abuja. Why did you go into Beauty Pageantry? In a bid to carry on the projects from Yenegoa to my city, I contested for the Face of Port Harcourt City. I presented this project as a pet project. It was highly appreciated, and this passion was one major factor that made me win the crown of Face of Port Harcourt City in 2016. Tell us about your Organization RECYCLEPH RECYCLEPH is an Eco-friendly organization. Everything Eco-friendly is what we portray, from awareness program to waste creation is what we do. We carry out sensitization campaign, cleanup activities, up till recycling, that is sustainable waste management. RECYCLEPH also has a charity arm that encourages people to give back their re-useable materials and we give it to charity. We provide internally displaced persons to these materials and visit motherless babies homes and prisons. Ultimately we want to be able to go through the whole process of recycling. It’s a very capital intensive sector of waste management because we need the machine and workforce, everything we are doing now is geared to the point where we are able to get that equipment and gather investors. You visit schools for sensitization and environmental awareness, what has the progress been so far? We started going to schools in July 2017, so far we have sixteen environment and recycling clubs in sixteen schools in Port Harcourt. The numbers are so because we do not want to put up clubs in schools and leave them hanging, due to sustainability. We want to monitor their progress and carry them along in every project we’re working on. So far, we’ve been able to build their minds to begin to focus on environmental issues and think up solutions. As we proceed we’ll be able to add more schools until we have a high profile impact value. As a non-profit Organization, how do you raise funds? There are organizations that are put up to provide sponsorships for projects like what we do. They Support us. We also get support from environmentally conscious individuals. We approach businesses and brands who want to put themselves in a good light. For sensitization, we don’t get to spend a lot of money since a lot of people volunteer. We cover our basic expenses like online fliers and banners through the waste we collect from schools and hotels. RECYCLEPH acts as middlemen to dispose of their trash and plastics to recycling companies in Lagos. This fund though quite low covers for our basic expenditures. [bctt tweet=”People are amazed at the initiative I have taken to do something about my city – Christabel Altraide” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] So far what impact has your organization created in your city? When we started, a lot of people did not know that waste was useful, now people pick up plastics. There are businesses in that line already. Since we started we have been able to bring to light the endless benefits of recycling. The government has been gone to stir development towards waste management because we’ve been hammering on it. We decided not to focus on the problems but the solutions, so we started doing what we can. It’s working because people have started asking more questions about the environment and making an investment in that line. Organizations that only used to warn against littering ane now asking telling people not to litter because waste is useful. As a beauty Queen, what’s the perception of people seeing you in the waste management industry? Positive! It is one of the things that have kept me going. People have supported me financially and otherwise. It is not a conventional thing to find a young beautiful girl in my city making a change in this area. They see a young woman that is making a name for herself, and they are surprised that there are ladies like me in the city. People are amazed at the initiative I have taken to do something about my city and not just anything but something extra. Indeed it has been humbling to see people contribute in several ways to RECYCLEPH. What has been the most fulfilling part of your journey as a social entrepreneur I really can’t say. A lot has
8 Growth Hacking Lessons From Games of Thrones’ Daenerys Targaryen
You may not be the Mother of Dragons, but that doesn’t mean your confidence should wane. Never! Daenerys Targaryen, one of the minor characters who lately became a heroine in HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is notable for her quest to conquer the seven kingdoms. However, if you look at it from another perspective, you’d see that she became an entrepreneur by turning a few dragon eggs into a gigantic empire. From becoming a timid sister sold into an arranged marriage, to being the leading contender for the crown of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm, here are some life lessons every girl can take from Daenerys Targaryen’s book. 1. Lead, Never Follow The Unburnt Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and of the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, Mother of Dragons – these are just some of the titles that describe the greatness that lies within Daenerys Targaryen. As we seen so far in the show, Daenerys is a natural born leader. She is determined to always position herself as an alpha of the pack and there’s almost nothing you can do about it. However, how does she do it? – She backs up her convictions and shows her support to people others have ignored. And that’s an important lesson every girl needs to learn. If you want to really dominate your niche one day and position yourself as a leader, you need to prove yourself to your targeted crowd as a brand that has a different vision for the future. You need to understand what your direct competitors are missing, and use it to your advantage to position you as an authority when reinventing a particular niche or market. 2. Find Your Own Dragons, Feed Them, Care For Them, And They Will Return The Favor Just like Khaleesi cared for and nurtured her dragons until they were big enough to fight for themselves and their mother, you should do the same for your brand and investment. If you want really to grow and establish yourself as a leader in your industry, you must be patient and work hard with your dragons. You have to feed them, pet them, and care for them until they become a real source of power. 3. Embrace The Diversity For those of you who follow the show closely, you’d know that Daenerys Targaryen knows how to use her uniqueness to her advantage. Being the last of the Targaryens and a woman fiercely competing for power in a world ruled by strong and ruthless men, Daenerys definitely stands out from the crowd. With her long silver hair, milky skin and unflinching view on slavery – she really knows how to draw attention to herself. In the present age where every business is basically copying each other, diversity is like a breath of fresh air to almost every type of consumer. Today, every idea that’s original, irrespective of how big or small it may be, can completely turn the game around in your favour. 4. Pursue Your Dreams Do Matter What Let’s face it – Daenerys has overcome a lot while pursuing her dreams — from the death of her unborn son, to having to kill her husband, and uncountable assassination attempts — she has never slacked in her beliefs. Instead, she regroups and come back stronger. Do I need to remind you that she staunchly believed in her vision that she resurrected a species on the brink of extinction? While your dreams may revolve around taking the throne back, that doesn’t mean they’re not worth following. 5. Don’t Let Any Man Maltreat You An abusive brother, a savage husband — Daenerys has dealt with mean men in her life. Did that stop her from becoming powerful? Of course not! She has now become powerful that if you dare lay a hand on her, you will regret it. There are lots of women out there putting up with abusive behavior; take a page from Daenerys’ book. She is control of her domain, her body; and any man who threatens that risk the wrath of Daenerys and her followers. 6. Pick Your Battles While she fights for what she firmly believes in, Daenerys doesn’t get involved in unnecessary fights. Not every person who angers her ends up getting charred by her dragons; except for the extremely heinous ones. She knows how to play the game, yet maintaining respect. Daenerys us that we shouldn’t react to every squabble with the power of a Dragon, that sometimes our wrath is best left for another day when it can truly have its intended effect. 7. Don’t Be Afraid To Get A Little Dirty Now, I’m not saying we all have to eat the heart of a horse to achieve your goals. However, Daenerys teaches us that getting what you want means getting your hands dirty sometimes. She embraces the messier aspects of life and is stronger for it. 8. Knowing Your Customers and Truly Caring for Them Are Two Completely Different Things – Always GO for the Latter If you want to score big in business, you have to truly know your brand and your potential customers. They ain’t wrong, girl! It is your job to understand to whom you’re selling and what. Figuring out what your potential customers like, what they dislike, and what makes them interested in your brand. That should be on top of your to-do list. Once you’ve gotten all that information in your grasp, take that newly-acquired knowledge and apply it to your marketing. If you succeed in doing that, your conversion rates will sky-rocket faster than you can spell SUCCESS. Interestingly, I have noticed that, in a way, Daenerys Targaryen uses the above-mentioned tactics in her growth strategy. She targets the weak, the forgotten, and the downtrodden, and recruits them to her army by promising them the very same thing they long for – freedom. Talk about knowing your targeted audience, eh?
Muthoni Maingi: Glass ceilings are the biggest problem that women face
Muthoni Maingi is a true renaissance woman. She uses the power of digital innovation to transform lives. Being the Head of Digital Campaigns at Oxfam is just the latest place she is flexing her muscles. She is also the founding director of the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE). Muthoni was also an integral team member in Safaricom projects like BLAZE and Little Cab. In this insightful chat with SLA, she shares some insights on her career journey and growing with the new digital trends. At what point in your life did you first learn about your field of work? What called you to it? As the Brand strategist at Creative Edge, the director would find my colleagues and me on Twitter fairly frequently. Instead of reprimanding us, she challenged us to think through how we could begin to sell digital as a service for the agency as it was traditionally lead at the time. From then I fell in love with digital as a marketing proposition and have never left since! As the Head of Digital Campaigns, what exactly do you do? My work at Oxfam really allows me to live true to my passion and purpose! I stay up at night thinking of initiatives that use the power of digital to connect people and amplify voices to influence decision makers. With my team, we work to grow the brand to become a leading digital influencing organization. We use mobile, web and social media to drive, support, donations and offline participation of millions of people globally. Does Oxfam still consider traditional media and offline campaigns in this digital age? At Oxfam, I am constantly inspired by the amazing work that uses digital technology to influence and leverage the power of people to end poverty. The organization’s inspiration and drive to achieve change for millions of people is embedded in the values, mission, and vision. It is the exact same whether applied to campaign offline or online, there is no separation from the core objective. How has your current role changed your perception of how powerful technology can be in changing lives in Kenya & around the world? I don’t necessarily feel like I am just now seeing that technology can and does have the potential to create change. What I can say has changed is that my approach has always been very Kenya and Africa based. I think that it is great that organizations across the globe are increasingly making diversity a core strategic agenda and that means that varied expertise in the room allows for improved performance and efficiency. Consequently, this experience has allowed me to exhibit our regional ingenuity on a platform that is hungry for fresh perspectives from this part of the world. What advice can you give about personal growth and knowing when it’s time to leave a job even when it throws you out of your comfort zone? Prior to working at Oxfam, I held major positions in the telecommunications sector. I have always had very specific objectives in terms of how I see my career going. I look at what my objective is in terms of my career goal and what space is available for me to explore that as well as to build something of value for myself and the organization. For example with Safaricom, I was really looking at how I could bring digitally lead segmented prepositions to life. Being secure in that knowledge, I began to look for spaces where I could grow from a digital perspective and lead a team that actually creates digital products. The opportunity at Oxfam offered me that. [bctt tweet=”When you have solid relationships then everything else always figures itself out – @NonieMG” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How important are mentors to you? Do you have any? I try to avoid what can be termed as the ‘expert by proxy’ bias. Where we tend to listen to the loudest person in the room and assume that as a result, they are competent and capable. I genuinely look deeper to find people who are ‘true experts’ in the aspect I am looking to grow towards, even if they are the quieter or less visible ones in the room. Or even if they are not in the room at all. I consider different people mentors in different ways. Actually, I ensure that they are the actual people that I should be talking to. Having been so successful in the famed ‘Silicon Sahara’, one of the most competitive tech industries in Africa. Does this mean women are getting better recognition for their contributions in the tech world? It would not be accurate to look at my path and determine that the state of women is improved because of it. My success is not a beacon of change as a lot more should be done and a lot more can be done to ensure that no one is left behind. Women have a long way to go to get their dues in this industry, not because of their lack of talent or capability but simply because we operate in a world with restrictive, discriminatory and in many cases violent social norms. This applies to all women regardless of class, race, gender and sexual orientation. [bctt tweet=”I am my own cheerleader, and I am very comfortable with failure… – @NonieMG” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you think is the biggest misconception women have about how to become successful? The fact that this question is only asked of women says it all. Women across the board put in the work, glass ceilings are the biggest problem that women face. These ceilings appear in overt, micro-aggressive or in hidden values and norms that keep women consistently not only fighting to deliver results in their day job but also having to work around harmful social norms as another layer of labor. The only work that women should be doing is working to deliver to the bottom line, the strategic objectives of an organization. In moments of
FACEBOOK LIVE WITH ANULI OLA-OLANYI: CAREER HACKS FOR MILLENIALS (JUNE 26)
Hello, millennials! You’ve probably received advice on how you can “build a more successful career” from a handful of people. However, very few people give a break down of how you can advance yourself, or what to do when you face a challenge, like when your boss is not paying you what you’re worth – sounds familiar? Designing a career you’re passionate about or deciding on a career path can be challenging, and the chances of getting a good class that can really teach you how to do that are slim. Well, with a few career hacks, you can take small steps every day that will bring you success in the long run and that’s why you don’t want to miss this discussion! Join us on Tuesday, June 26th, for a Facebook Live chat with Añuli Ola-Olaniyi, founder of HEIR Women Development, who will be giving advice on how to achieve the ultimate career for yourself. Añuli believes women are strategizing to become empowered and rule the world alongside men. She has effectively delivered cutting edge training that has elevated people both in their professional and personal life. [bctt tweet=”Design the ultimate career with @anuliolaolaniyi, founder of @heirwoman on June 26th at 1PM WAT! Click here for more: bit.ly/AnuliOla” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover So you got the job, now what? Career habits to avoid How to maintain career capacity How to handle job rejection Facebook LIVE details: Date: Tuesday, June 26th, 2018 Time: 1PM Lagos // 2PM Joburg// 3PM Nairobi Watch Facebook Live with Anuli: https://www.facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/videos/2092897934266849/ About Anuli Añuli Ola-Olaniyi is the founder of HEIR Women Development, an enterprise created to support young women in capacity and skills building in a career. Prior to this, Anuli began her career at John Lewis Partnership UK and she is currently the Deputy Managing Director of HM Ltd, ED of DV Solutions NG and an Advisory Board Member of the Women in Leadership Institute (WLI). With a wide range of experience across a number of different sectors and having completed tasks for high profile companies, Anuli graduated from the University of Ibadan with a BSc in Psychology and holds a Masters in Human Resource Management from Middlesex University UK. A believer in continuous professional and personal development, Anuli is a CIPD certified Human Resource Professional as well as a qualified Prince2 Practitioner in Project Management. She also holds certifications for Gender studies from the UN Women Training Centre. PMP trained, Anuli is currently working towards her certification from PMI Institute.