On loving you: 5 powerful videos on self-love to begin the year with
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the universe, deserve your love and affection.”- Buddha Loving oneself is one of the most profound and yet also most difficult things to accomplish- it takes practice, patience, unlearning old ways of being and forming a new understanding of who you are as a person. This is a journey I have personally been on for the longest time, I still find the need to remind myself to practice self-love even after reading and listening to tons of material on it. The truth is that practicing self-love is a lot like practicing good hygiene- it must become a daily ritual. For those new to this incredible journey or for those looking for a slight reminder of what it means to love oneself, here are a few TEDx talks to inspire you, to love you. Caroline McHugh: The art of being yourself The message from Caroline in this talk is simple; your individuality is your greatest gift. You weren’t put on earth to be a cheap imitation of anyone else, you were put here simply to be yourself. Caira Lee: I search for it blinded – the power of self-love and self-esteem In this TEDx talk, Caira Lee, an award-winning slam poet uses her gift teach us about the power of self-love through her own personal story. Marisa Peer: “I’m not enough” – The biggest disease affecting humanity In this talk, Marisa Peer opens our eyes to the powerful connection that exists between thoughts about ourselves, our health, wealth and quality of life. You are enough. Pretty enough, intelligent enough, talented enough, strong enough, courageous enough… You are enough. Searching for love to escape ourselves Hayley Quinn This wonderful talk by Hayley Quinn helps us realize that romantic love and the pursuit of it can be a form or escapism, simply an excuse not to deal with the real issues we have with ourselves. Niko Everett: Meet yourself: A user’s guide to building self “You need to meet yourself. If you could meet yourself, you might really like her!” Allow me to finish this article off with a radical thought from one of my favorite books, “The Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz”- In this book, the author uses the analogy of a magical kitchen to illustrate the importance of self-love. He compares self-love to having a magical kitchen inside of us, if you had a magical kitchen in which you could produce all the most delicious meals you can think of, you’d never starve but most importantly, you’d never allow anyone to dictate to your being you while using food as the reward. No one would come and offer you food in exchange for control over your life, your habits, and your decisions. However, if the situation were reversed, and you had no food, you’d allow anyone and everyone to control everything about your life. This is the same with self-love; when you have a deep love and respect for yourself, you won’t let others control you, use you or even abuse you. A person might come offering love in exchange for control but you won’t let them in. “But what is going to happen if you are starving for love, if you don’t have that love in your heart, and someone comes and says, “You want a little love? You can have my love if you just do what I want you to do.” If you are starving for love, and you taste that love, you are going to do whatever you can for that love. You can even be so needy that you give your whole soul just for a little attention. Your heart is like that magical kitchen. If you open your heart, you already have all the love you need. There’s no need to go around the world begging for love: “Please, someone love me. I’m so lonely, I’m not good enough for love; I need someone to love me, to prove that I’m worthy of love.”- A mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Takeaways from Sheryl Sandberg’s Book – Lean In
Lean in is a book I’ve always wanted to read from the first day I saw it. The three words at the cover caught my attention – Women, Work, and Leadership. These three words have unique interconnectivity that I just could not resist. I’ve been looking forward to reading this book and I gripped it from the moment I found it on the shelf. Sheryl Sandberg is the Chief Operating Officer for Facebook where she has worked in since 2008. She has also worked with Google and lots of major brands. She began her career as a staff at the US Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers, since then she has climbed the corporate ladder and is now the only female at the board of directors for Facebook. Her book –Lean In encourages women to be more assertive in the workplaces, stock filled with her experiences on motherhood, leadership, and career. Lean in is a book I encourage every Motherland Mogul to read. Here are some few tips I picked from chapter 1 alone. I hope it wills you to pick up on this book from the shelf. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN’T AFRAID? Statistics show that: At the top fifty colleges, less than a third of Student Government Presidents are women Profession ambition is expected of men but is optional, or worse, sometimes even a negative-for women “And for all the progress, there is still societal pressure for women to keep an eye on marriage from a young age,” She wrote in her book. Sheryl shares the story of her first marriage. She married early expecting that it would secure a happy life for her. “In my head, 24 is the perfect age to get married, I think it’s time I do some rethinking”. She said. [bctt tweet=”For all the pressure to be successful, I felt a higher pressure to get married early – @sherylsandberg” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “Many women still see ambition as a dirty word,” she says That’s true. Just the other day I told my friend that my sister was very ambitious like it is a bad word. She works with a large editing firm and when I tell people that, they go “hey that’s cool, she should think of getting married’. They honestly do not expect more from her. She has proved her point, she has worked hard, now it’s time to get married. “Leadership roles are not the only way to have a profound impact.” – Sheryl Sandberg Hellen Keller says “Power is being able to make a decision in the thing that matter to you” sometimes being a CEO may not be the thing that matter most to people. Sheryl closes the chapter saying – “Writing this book is what I would do if I weren’t afraid” Now you, what would you do if you weren’t afraid? Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
The Deep Rations of a Mental War: How It Affects You and Your Career
[bctt tweet=”Triggers are not always pulled, some are attended to by planting seeds where the soil has no intention to grow or build – @go_itse.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] As a content creator or simply a writer, you would think that the only thing that one has to deal with is pen and paper. The conception of an idea and putting it to paper, and then once you’re done, it defines you. However, we tend to forget that our career or business is a journey. If at any point you find yourself thinking of quitting, changing the name/industry of your business or switching careers and starting afresh, remember these points coined from The Art of War. Discovering The author of The Art of War, Sun Tzu, would say, “ Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security, open ground and narrow passes, the chances of life and death.” Mental health, depression as most would relate to, takes us to the depths of fighting between small and great distances, vis-à-vis, that we would want to take ourselves to, especially with our business and career goals, with the same breath try to balance it all with the personal ones. And what I’ve learned and still I’m still learning is that it brings great danger than security. Allowing narrow passes over open grounds, bringing about confusion and a high risk of certain aspects of your career lying dormant. In Point 21 of Laying Plans, Tzu explains, “If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.” In as much as we take the detriment of mental health as sickness, it is more psychological as it is. The more we allow the elements to grow greater than our will to succeed, the more we are aligned to derail. To evade is an individual mystery, which is aligned as to how we got there in the first place. As we go through this state in a unique way that in some cases, no mantras can maintain let alone anti-depressants. It is more like trying to evade the police in Need For Speed Most Wanted. Wherein this matter, we are trying to evade the state of being “less wanted” by the essence of life and you’re either marching, running or sinking in the art of war with your mind. [bctt tweet=”The best thing about knowing and acknowledging the state of our own mental health is through self-mastery – @Go_Itse ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Uncovering “When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength. On the other hand, the proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause the people’s substance to be drained away.” – Waging War, The Art of War. Defining what we go through as a mental illness whereas it’s a result of unattended life aspects that stack up, cause friction and then the heat goes to the head. That’s when we start to wonder why life sucks and then the idea of being stuck sucks life away from that which we love. From managing people, careers to a detrimental state of not being able to manage the major key to all, ourselves. A high price to pay that I learned by the means of losing a job, as you couldn’t talk to anyone. You see yourself as the go-to person and the happy-go-lucky person with a great beautiful smile. Failing to deliver on time and lack of communication were the failures derived from this state. [bctt tweet=”We define what we go through as a mental illness whereas it’s a result of unattended life aspects that stack up, cause friction and then the heat goes to the head – @go_itse” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Recovery ”If equally matched, we can offer battle, if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy, if quite an equal in every way, we can flee from him” – Attack by Stratagem, The Art of War. Triggers are not always pulled, some are attended to by planting seeds where the soil has no intention to grow or build. The energy it takes for an attack or a relapse to occur, (as some deal with it well enough to know the triggers and some don’t), requires one to have an equal or greater strength as the infirmity. Be it consistency in therapy (talking, writing etc.), yoga, meditation or exercising. Trying to avoid such a state can be easy at an early stage by doing the most with therapy and other forms of it, from someone who discovered at a very early age. Mastery ”One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.” – Tactical Disposition, The Art of War. We may read all the self-help books to gain knowledge on how to break through an anxiety/depression state. But the will of the author of the book and of another individual may not correspond. The best thing about knowing and acknowledging the state of our own mental health is through self-mastery. From that point of perspective and execution will we be able to master other things, even when there are triggers. Then we can become effective motherland moguls and not be faint-hearted. 5 Take Home Points from The Art of War on Mental Health “Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow. A decision, to the releasing of a trigger.” – Energy “Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something that the enemy may snatch at it.” – Energy “By discovering the enemy’s dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we can keep our forces concentrated, while the enemy must be divided.” – The Weak Point and Strong ”So in war, the way to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.” –
CHARLENE MACHARIA: As Africans in the diaspora, we’re shaped by our experiences on the motherland
In the last two decades, there has been an increase in the number of platforms that are providing opportunities for women to develop their leadership skills. Platforms like TEDx, for example, create a space where women can present their ideas and thoughts freely using slideshows and speeches that have gone on to inspire other women around the world. More specifically, platforms that provide a space for African women in and out of the diaspora have begun to increase as well. I recently had the chance to interview Kenyan-born, Charlene Macharia who is the Program Coordinator at UCSB Academic Initiatives to discuss the importance of such platforms. We also spoke about her experience with the Women’s Economic Forum as the All Ladies League (ALL) -a women’s empowerment non-profit based in India with chapters around the world. Being the chairperson in Santa Barbara, she also highlights the reasons why there should be more platforms that give African Women a voice. How did you get involved with the All Ladies League and become a member? All Ladies League (ALL) is a women’s empowerment non-profit based in India with chapters around the world. ALL hosts a conference which takes place annually in India. I am a Gates Millennium Scholar and I found out about this conference and organization through a fellow scholar, Kaity Yang. She had posted on our Facebook group that she was in India doing her own research when she got the opportunity to meet the founder and global chairperson of ALL, Dr. Harbeen Arora and her partner Dr. Vinay Rai. They were impressed to hear about the Gates Millennium scholarship program and they extended the invitation for 10 gates scholars to attend the very first Conference. They generously waived our conference registration and lodging fee so all we needed to pay was for our flights. When I heard about this incredible opportunity I was very interested in attending. I didn’t know how I would come up with the funds for the round trip flight but Kaity Yang was helpful by giving me ideas for fundraising like using GoFundMe and also requesting a travel grant from my school. Ms. Kaity also connected me with Dr. Harbeen Arora who answered my questions about the organization and encouraged me to join my local chapter. Since there was no chapter in Santa Barbara, where I currently live, she challenged me to start one. She actually appointed me as the chapter chair right then and even sent me business cards and gave me a social media platform. Just like that! I was really humbled and honored that she would entrust me with leading a local chapter so I accepted and this motivated me to make it out to the conference to find out what I was really getting myself into. [bctt tweet=”As Africans in the diaspora, we must rise and share our stories, paint a picture of the world we would like to see and let our light shine by all means, and on our own terms.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has the platform impacted you as a woman and as a young African in the diaspora? Participating in this has been really impactful to me by validating my voice and my experiences as a young African woman in the diaspora. It does this by providing the space for anyone to lead a workshop, give a talk, or participate in a panel discussion. My first time attending the conference I just decided to attend as a delegate since I mostly wanted to listen and observe but in my second and third time attending the conference I decided to participate as a speaker. This allowed me to share my perspectives on topics I am passionate about such as education and spirituality, and to also share my personal experiences. This is such good practice for public speaking and communicating clearly. I have challenged myself each of those times to attend as a speaker not because I’m a pro but because even as a young woman I have something to share, and this is an opportunity for growth. Do you think there should be more platforms that give a voice to African women in the diaspora specifically? YES! I definitely think that there should be more platforms that amplify the voices of African women in the diaspora. But I think it’s up to us to be proactive in creating them or in utilizing the platforms that already exist. We can’t afford to wait around for the rest of the world to put the spotlight on us -that rarely happens. So we must rise and share our stories, paint a picture of the world we would like to see, and just let our light shine by all means, and on our own terms. What is the significance of platforms that allow you to share ideas and create a space for women to develop their leadership skills? Organizations such as ALL are so significant since just by creating a platform for women to connect, share resources, and develop their leadership skills, they are literally changing the world. There is a leadership imbalance in most sectors of our society and there’s an underlying narrative out there that women are inferior and weak. But now is the time for the empowering of women to fix this imbalance so that together we can create lasting change in our world. What could we learn from the voice of an African diaspora woman? I think that the voice of an African woman in the diaspora is quite unique. We have a unique perspective of life shaped by our experiences on the motherland (for those of us who had that privilege) in comparison or in contrast to our experiences living abroad. These experiences have forced us to grapple with our complex identities, propelled us to create inclusive communities, and to come up with creative ways of problem-solving. [bctt tweet=”I am grateful to have met amazing African women leaders from various African countries and within the diaspora – Charlene Macharia” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you enjoy the most about
Reflecting through the four seasons way of life
This year has been a transformational one. I know I am in a new place and have transcended to the next platform of my life. Believe me, I have grown and I know that I will never be the same again. I went into the woods and came back anew. [adsanity align=’aligncenter’ id=144658] Well, I make it look all-glorious and rosy but we all know that growth is riddled with moments of tears, frustration, and chaos. The biggest influence on my life this year was a twelve days leadership programme that I was part of in July. As part of the programme, on one of the days, we were required to take part in a personal six hours reflection session. [bctt tweet=”Recognize which season the different aspects of your life fall into, and take the necessary actions.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I am melancholic, so I naturally reflect a lot. One hour of reflection is enough for me to figure out things and have my ducks in a row, or so I thought. I must admit that I was not at all excited about the six hours reflection session. To make matters worse, there was talk that the woods in which we would be doing our reflection had snakes. My plan was to walk the entire time so that I did not have to sit and encounter any snakes. So the said day arrived and my fellow participants and I were ushered into the woods by our facilitators. There was a whole ceremony around it. The only things that we were allowed to carry were food, water, a notebook, and a pen. We were also encouraged not to carry any watches to avoid shifting our focus to time rather than ourselves. My plan to walk for the entire six hours was quickly squashed when I walked the entire length of the woods in under twenty minutes. The rest of the woods was restricted to us. So while others were perched on trees or rocks, I decided I would sit right next to the winding path where I had a full view of my surrounding environment, where I would see all the reptiles coming my way. While psychologically preparing myself for this session, I had mentioned to one of my friends that I was not looking forward to being in the woods for six hours and much less to reflect for that long. Having done it himself on numerous occasions, he advised me to use the four seasons ways of life to reflect on my life. That is precisely what I did while I was in the woods. And before I knew it, I heard the whistle go, signifying the end of the reflection session. While reflecting, I had not for a single moment thought about what time it could be or how many hours were left before I could leave the woods. I left the woods with clarity about my life, where I was at, what I wanted to start doing, what I wanted to continue doing and what I needed to stop doing. Basically, I took stock of my life, the four seasons way. According to Socrates, an unexamined life is not worth living. The Four Seasons Way of Life helps you to do exactly this, examine your life. The four seasons; Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter when mapped to our lives, reveal so much truth. [bctt tweet=”Weeds are the things that will stop you or act as an impediment from reaching your goals. You need to identify them and pull them out.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] SPRING I love Spring. It is such a beautiful season, despite the rain, with so much color and life. Things begin to bloom and flourish. Hope abounds. Spring signifies what is new in your life or what is being birthed. It could be a new job, a new business venture, a new relationship or a renewed relationship. Things that are growing and thriving in your life. These things bring you joy and hope. They challenge, motivate, and scare you at the same time. Essentially, they give you a reason to keep going. What is blooming in your life? SUMMER As an African, I remain mesmerized by the long Summer days. I absolutely love them. There is something about sunshine and the energy that it brings. Lots happen during summer. People take breaks from work, children are on break from school, people travel to places all over the world. As we would say in my country, “It really happens in summer”. Summer is about having fun, connecting with those who matter most, traveling and seeking inspiration. Summer is the time between sowing and reaping. You sowed in the Spring of your life. You pluck out weeds and water your plants in the Summer of your life. Weeds are the things that will stop you or act as an impediment from reaching your goals. You need to identify them and pull them out. There is nothing that will grow without being watered. Whatever you have planted in the Spring of your life, needs to be watered. Be it a job, a relationship or a project. What needs to be watered in your life? FALL In Fall, you reap. The things that you started in Spring are coming to an end during. Some of those things could end successfully, while some may come to completion in a manner that was not expected. In the Fall of your life, you need to think about the things that have ended. Rejoice in those that have ended well and learn from those that did not end so well. Grow from the process. Sometimes we try to bring back to life, through watering and weeding, things that have already died. We keep trying in bad jobs, toxic relationships, and fanning the fire even when the other party has poured water in it. Do yourself a favor, if something has ended, learn from it and move on. What has come to an end in
A MINIMALIST’S PERSPECTIVE TO SETTING GOALS
Goal setting is paramount to individuals as it helps with the rebranding, focus, and orderliness of life. I mean, we all have aspirations and dreams and accomplishments we would love to attain yes? And when it comes to aiming that peak, it’s all about good intentions, yes? When it comes to sharing our aspirations with others, we get bold, we get optimistic, and we get daring, yes? Most people even go as far as creating reward systems for themselves, like when I positively tick so soon my goal list, I have to get me some Birkin Bag because I sure deserve it! Right? So why do we let the negative kill our vibe? Why is it that we often fall short of the goals we set for ourselves? How come we wonder why we are at the same place we were years past, with the same poor habits and no sign of progress? It’s simple. [bctt tweet=”Start simple and work your way from the ground up” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] The answer to the entire why questions are because as human beings, complicated is our tag names, no offense. We tend to overcomplicate and make vague the steps necessary to accomplish the goals we set for ourselves. As there are loads of various perspectives to setting goals, this article gives you another strategy to set and look at your goals progressing from a minimalist’s perspective. LITERALLY, HUG BIG PICTURE IDEAS This may be very contrary to what minimalist’s belief in but its standard. Embracing that big light bulb idea will make one hone in on what we tend to get out of this life. This idea may range from securing a major deal in your niche, wanting a big family or just being financially well off. It could be anything that tickles your fancy, just make sure you write it down on a paper with your lovely pen. Note: it’s important to take the time to grasp what you want your life to be all about, and what you would want to achieve big time. PRIORITIZE THE PARAMOUNT This is the forte of minimalists. So once you’re done listing out your big ideas and dreams’, noting the order of importance is the next step. When you create a prioritized list, you are getting rid of the confusing clutter and allowing yourself focus on what you truly want to accomplish. So this is it: you create a list of your goals beginning with the most important to achieve at this point in your life to the least important. Note: One has to realize that the goals found at the bottom of the list are still important but not as crucial as the ones found at the top. Now, success is just around the corner because you have something real, a real end goal you wish to achieve and not just wishful thinking goals. CREATE TANGIBLE STEPS Now that your priorities have been set, you can start using this information to pinpoint steps that would help you achieve the most important goal on your list. Remember, you need to take time out and think deeply for you to establish well thought out steps to achieving your goal. Now, try to begin with the most basic achievement you can think of. As with how we humans evolved, and our learning process, we started learning A, B, C before forming sentences. So start simple and work your way from the ground up. Remember with previous steps, it’s important to note them down so you can refer back to them later.It helps when you keep your laid out thoughts short, black & white and precise so it’s clear to see if you have successfully accomplished a step…or not. This phase is more or less, understanding the significance of creating a solid foundation that is easy to grasp and build upon. GET RID OF THE CLUTTER As a minimalists’ main goal is to declutter in all aspects of life, this works in setting goals as well. Any step or thing that doesn’t aid in your success should be scratched out, with every ounce of intentionality and no looking back. Anything that proves as a barrier in achieving your goals, be it an excess of social events, ideas, obligations, people or items, scratch ‘em out, please. Now don’t get me wrong, they may not be negative influencers, in general, but they may be distractive and you won’t be needing any distractions when it comes to pinpointing the goals and heights you want to attain at a certain period. We need focus vibes and not distraction vibes. [bctt tweet=”If you want to lead a simple life, scratch the reward system, let go of that chocolate and be bold.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] REWARD SYSTEM…OR NOT. Reward system is an innocent idea but totally unnecessary. For minimalists, they see value in the lifestyle they have opted in for and they know there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. They know the rewards and gains they have to look forward to by achieving their goals and so they embrace the simple idea that for every phase completed, they are a step closer to achieving their desired goals. This setting goal strategy may be very tough on people and opting in for the reward system is not a bad idea but if you want to lead a simple life, scratch the reward system, let go of that chocolate and be bold. REVAMPED LIFESTYLE A minimalist strategy to setting goals gives a more defined approach to things and a simple approach to creating and meeting your desired goals. Once you’re done setting your goals, you start getting results in your overall lifestyle, positive results as that’s the beautiful outcome of setting goals. It’s more like you put in hard work in one area of your life and you see a transformation in other areas. Keep that in mind. Note: Don’t try to skip previous steps to jump. It doesn’t work that way as the steps
How to Stay Sane While Being Young and Ambitious
Being a millennial can be exciting and challenging at the same time. We are driven and motivated. The prevalence of media outlets has created opportunities and avenues for us to go after our goals and passions and share our experiences with everyone. We can thus feel as though we constantly need to be on the go. We want to fulfill all our dreams and we also want to live our best lives. Going after our dreams and seeking to live a truly happy life can be an arduous task. It can leave us feeling overwhelmed, burned-out or drained. The key is constantly trying to have some form of balance. You can and should go after your ambitions yet be receptive to enjoying the moment. Here are some tips on how to go about that. [bctt tweet=”The tribe of people you surround yourself with matters because they can have a truly significant impact on your life – @isireflectdaily ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Get a Planner or NotePad There can be a million and one things that you want to do at almost any time. A great way to keep track of your goals and responsibilities is to have a planner or notepad. You can even use your phone to jot things down if you prefer. Getting a planner or notepad keeps your organized. It helps you to remember what it is you aim to do. It’s also a great way to help you be accountable because you are the individual who put down the list of goals and objectives to accomplish. Do Some Form of Physical Activity The misconception around physical activity is that it is only needed for those that want to lose weight and be fit. However, the benefits of physical activity expand further. Physical activity helps to give you focus, clarity and most importantly, it gives you energy. If you consider yourself to be a go-getter and very ambitious, you could easily get burned out from all the things you’re trying to achieve. That’s why having a form of exercise matters the most. It serves as a platform to release stress and fatigue. It boosts your mood and productivity by fueling your energy. Now you don’t have to take in an extreme sport. Research proves that simple activities such as just walking outside for thirty minutes are good exercise. You can find the best thing that works for you. Maybe you like to dance, or swim or cycle? Taking up these activities will keep you energized and of course, healthy and fit. It’s a win-win. [bctt tweet=”Making time for activities you enjoy doing serves as an outlet for you to breathe, enjoy and relax – @isireflectdaily ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Make Time for Activities You Enjoy I understand you want to be your own boss and get on the path to making that six-figure salary. It’s great to aim high but that doesn’t mean you have to neglect to have some fun in your life. Making time for activities you enjoy doing serves as an outlet for you to breathe, enjoy and relax. This will help you to prevent a burnout because if you are working yourself hard 24/7, you become drained and exhausted. You have to make time for the things you like doing. Make time for the movies. Make time to socialize. Make time for self-care activities such as a spa day or a manicure and pedicure. These activities that might seem little compared to your big goals are truly essential because it fuels you to keep moving. Have you heard the saying ‘work hard and play hard.” You’re putting in all that good work so don’t deny yourself the fun and relaxation you deserve. Have a Good Tribe Around You No one makes it all on their own. We all have some form of help and support that makes it possible for us to get to where we want to go. We have mentors who provide us with their valuable time and resources. We have our girlfriends who give us that emotional support and motivation to be our best selves. We have groups and organizations that give us the tools and community we need to better ourselves and take our hustle to great heights. You need to have a good tribe around you in order to achieve your goals and also stay sane in the process. The tribe of people you surround yourself with matters because they can have a truly significant impact on your life. If you don’t have a tribe, you have to consider ways to make this happen. Get involved in organizations and groups that cater to your interests, hobbies, and passions. What helps you to keep going after your goals while living a life that truly feels good? Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.
Cashless Banking in Africa: How we’re creating payment solutions with technology and innovation
African economies are well positioned to benefit from rapidly accelerating technological change if they can harness the current open landscape for innovation. East Africa is already a global leader in mobile payments, while mobile money accounts in sub-Saharan Africa are on an upward charge. Apart from being able to leapfrog the limitations and costs of physical infrastructure, the continent stands to benefit from having the youngest, tech-savvy workforce in the world in the next decade. Africa’s working age population is expected to grow by 450 million people by 2035. According to the World Bank and the continent is projected to have the largest working population of 1.1 billion by 2034, notes the World Economic Forum on Africa. Recent GSMA data shows that mobile money accounts in sub-Saharan Africa are up 18.4% between 2016-17 to 33.8m registered accounts. [bctt tweet=”Banking in a cashless society will require African solutions for African problems – @nnamdi_oranye” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] However, we cannot wait 12-15 years before adequate job creating initiatives and policies are unlocked. The answer lies in harnessing the power of the digital economy today to create African solutions for African problems. An important part of this will require promoting and partnering with African innovators to unlock sustainable growth. We are already witnessing the significant potential of digital innovation in the remittance and mobile wallet space. Penetration of smartphones is expected to hit at least the 50% mark in 2020 from only 2% in 2010, according to the World Economic Forum, offering the continent a clean canvas for tech-based innovation. It is an opportunity we must not miss. These are exciting times and are forcing us to think differently to come up with true Pan African innovation and development. MFS Africa is a good example of how carefully harnessed and supported technological innovation can have ripple effects through the continent. It now operates the largest digital payments network in Africa and connects over 170m mobile wallets through 100+ partners, including Airtel, Ecobank, MTN, Orange and Vodafone across 55 markets. It has about 15% of the African population connected to a platform. M-Pesa, launched in Kenya in 2007, is an often-touted example of African technology making waves even outside its own borders. After capturing the local market for cash transfers it has spread to three continents and 10 countries. MicroEnsure, meanwhile continues on the path of developing pioneering insurance solutions for low-income people like micro-health, crop, and mobile insurance. These are solutions directly aimed at emerging customers and it is little surprise the company continues new customers by cleverly partnering with telcos. Access.mobile is another major success story, testing and growing its health innovation offerings for seven years in East Africa. The company works with health systems to hone their communications with patients in lower-income but also in growing areas and it hopped the pond in the opposite direction from most smaller startups and landed one of its first American clients. [bctt tweet=”Standard Bank, as Africa’s largest bank by assets, hopes to support even more start-up and tech initiatives across the continent” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Adventist Health White Memorial Hospital, a Los Angeles facility that works largely with lower-income Hispanics, was looking for ways to use health data to achieve better outcomes within its population. These are examples of the role models that will inspire our next generation of innovators. We need more and tech-savvy banks to need to continue supporting them as they grasp future opportunities. Just consider that Findex data shows that sub-Saharan Africa is home to all eight economies where 20 percent or more of adults use only a mobile money account: Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Kenya, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Opportunities, therefore, abound to increase account ownership up to 95 million unbanked adults in the region receive cash payments for agricultural products, and roughly 65 million save using semiformal methods. Standard Bank, as Africa’s largest bank by assets, hopes to support even more start-up and tech initiatives across the continent to ensure these opportunities are not lost. [bctt tweet=”We are setting a new standard in digital payments with the launch of Africa’s first prepaid virtual cards ecosystem, among many other digital innovations – @nnamdi_oranye” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We are therefore innovating ourselves at a rapid pace to harness the benefits of the digital age to drive financial services inclusion. Mobile payment solutions like Snapscan is now available at over 25,000 merchants and a vast user network across South Africa. We are setting a new standard in digital payments with the launch of Africa’s first prepaid virtual cards ecosystem, among many other digital innovations. The future will be about solving genuine customer problems rather than putting a band aid on them. One area in urgent need of change, for instance, is remittances, where Africa is still one of the costliest places in the world to remit payments – fees as high as 10% to 20% are still endured. We need to harness technology to genuinely solve this problem. Sometimes when we talk about banking in cashless society we look too far out – but we don’t have the luxury of time. Knowing your customer (KYC) is about understanding what they need today based on their culture and context and then unlocking the already available data to provide the solution. Technology, for instance, can solve the unbanked problem on the continent. However, this does not mean you can “plug and play” by taking something that works in one country and expecting it to work in another. Success will increasingly be centered on having a Pan African view of the problem, but local implementation. The future is certainly bright for Africa as exponential innovation continues to drive change across the continent we call home, disrupts industries and replace legacy technology. It is now time to grasp this opportunity with both hands before the innovation wave passes us by. Article By Nnamdi Oranye, Fintech Author and International Remittances Lead at Standard Bank Group. October 2018 Sponsored Post.
Anita Benson: The Anti-Skin Lightening Activist
Anita Oghenekome Benson is a Medical Doctor specializing in Dermatology. She is also a Public Health Specialist with a Masters in Public Health from the University of Sheffield. Anita is a 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow and a Fellow of the Center for Global Business Studies at Howard University. She is an award-winning blogger and the founder of the Embrace Melanin Initiative, an NGO that focuses on eradicating colorism and harmful skin-lightening practices from Africa. Anita is raising a generation of young Africans who embrace their melanin and are empowered, educated and self-aware. The Embrace Melanin Initiative is quite a unique project, what led you to start it? I was starting my final year as a Dermatology resident and I had to choose a topic for my thesis. I had always considered myself an anti-skin lightening activist because I had seen too many patients pay the price for their skin lightening practices. Being a very dark skinned woman, I was constantly offered the option to lighten my skin by cosmetologists and well-meaning friends. This motivated me to do a community survey to find out why people lightened their skin. I wanted to know what products they used and if they were aware of the side effects which included obesity, hypertension, diabetes, liver and kidney disease, skin cancer, premature aging, fragile skin, stretch marks, body odor, skin infections, and discolored skin. [bctt tweet=”A young woman is content with her skin color until the first time someone points out that it is ‘too dark’, ‘dirty’, ‘less attractive than fair skin’ – Anita Benson” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In a few months, I had interacted with more than 400 people and I realized that the magnitude of the problem and the level of ignorance surrounding the possible complications of skin lightening was way beyond the scope of my thesis. The Embrace Melanin Initiative was established to address this problem. What would you say are the major reasons African women engage in this trend? Colorism is the major reason African women engage in skin lightening practices. It is a silent problem that exists in our communities and is simply defined as the discrimination of a person because of her darker skin tone by members of her own race/tribe/community/family. A young woman is content with her skin color until the first time someone points out that it is ‘too dark’, ‘dirty’, ‘less attractive than fair skin’. Or she begins to notice the affiliation of some males and the media for lighter skinned women. [bctt tweet=”Kicking colorism out of Africa is the only way skin-lightening practices will ever be truly eradicated – Anita Benson” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] She may even face discrimination at her job or a reduction in marriage suitors. Whatever the case may be, this silent discrimination leads to poor self-esteem and an unshakeable belief that lighter skin is the answer to all of her problems regardless of the potential dangers of skin lightening practices. Men are not left out and some women even bleach their children. Pregnant women have also been reported to take certain pills to lighten their babies in the womb which can lead to all sorts of potential complications. What can we as well as the government do to reduce this problem? We can stop the discrimination. It happens in the marketplaces, in the home, in church, at social events, in the media, at work. Africa has been freed from slavery for hundreds of years yet we still mentally attribute more beauty and importance to anything or person that looks more foreign than native African. We need our women to know that they are beautiful not in spite of their dark skin but because of their dark skin. The government can provide tighter regulations on the sale of skin lightening agents in the open market and ensure that the ones that have been banned by NAFDAC are not still freely available for sale. Another very important role the government can play is to ensure that the side effects of every skin lightening agent are boldly printed on the bottle so that consumers can make an informed decision. Too many women are suffering due to their ignorance. One of my patients died of kidney disease a couple of years ago due to chronic use of mercury-containing skin lightening agents. What would you say has been your key learning points on this journey? These have been my key learning points: 1. You can’t change the practice till you change the perception about black skin. 2. Kicking colorism out of Africa is the only way skin-lightening practices will ever be truly eradicated. 3. There’s a need to change the narrative on what it means to be black which goes past our perception of our skin color to dissociating being black from words like corruption, self-hate, crime, ignorance, illiteracy, and mental slavery. 4. Do not judge a person till you have heard their story. So many women who chose to bleach did not feel like they had any other viable option at the time. [bctt tweet=”Colorism is the major reason African women engage in skin lightening practices – Anita Benson” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are the possible business ideas/solutions that can arise from solving this problem? African skin-friendly products. Not the ones that promise to tone the skin but those that make the dark skin shine and keep it healthy and protected from the UV rays of the sun. The cosmetic industry is a billion dollar industry however right now the focus of the majority is on skin lightening agents and solving this problem will create a vacuum for healthy skin care products suitable for the African skin. What is your advice to women seeking to advance their career while getting involved in personal passion projects? Women are amazing multitaskers and what makes us really special is that there’s no limit to the number of caps we can wear as long as we are able to manage our time effectively. The best way to juggle a career with personal projects
5 Female artists making moves in Botswana
Breaking into the creative industry is not easy but there are pioneers paving the way. These young women, taking over the music industry in Botswana are Motherland Moguls in their own right. They are taking over not just locally but internationally as well inspiring a new sound. What is inspiring by all these women, is not only their music. It’s their work in pushing the industry forward and creating opportunities for other artists through meaningful collaboration. Let’s meet all 5 of them, shall we? Thato Jessica Thato Jessica started her career singing as the only female member of X-Caliber – a Gospel Hip-Hop group which gained its popularity in the country through their unique sound and positive message. She left the group in 2015 to pursue her solo career. The Mapoka born artist who has a degree in Architecture from the University of Botswana started her solo career being featured on Chef Gustos song – Take Your Time, which revealed the singer’s talent and capacity to stand on her own. The poet and visual artist released her single – Show me, which has since been followed by her Seasons EP, and consequently amazing songs like Problem Feat. Veezo, and her latest offering Addicted. Her music genre is R&B, Hip-Hop, Motswako, and Soul. You can find her music on her Youtube channel. Samantha Mogwe Samantha Mogwe – born to a Motswana father and a Zambian mother, brings a fusion of neo-soul/RnB to her music. This artist/songwriter performs on local and international stages and well recognized for her work in Botswana. Samantha is a multifaceted individual who places great value on education and its re-inventive qualities. She acquired her degree Cum Laude in Theology which she attained at Baptist Theological College in Randburg, South Africa. Some of her early career accomplishments include being 2nd runner-up for My African Dream Junior singing category in 2003 and winner of the Gabz Karaoke Idols in 2004. She made the top 24 of African Idols as the only representative from Botswana in 2008. Samantha has performed at the monthly Exodus Live Poets events as well as their annual festivals alongside artists such as Neo Quashie, TJ Dema, Phil Rotz, KK the beatboxer from 2004-2010 and won an award for “My African Dream – Living The Dream” in 2010. Her first album Transition released in 2013 was a huge success leading to performances on various local and international stages of note. She is currently a radio host on Gabz-FM and also recently released new music titled Secrets which is receiving recognition in Botswana. The workout loving singer is a mother and wife and was born in Serowe, Botswana. Her music can be found on Amazon and on her YouTube Channel. Mpho Sebina Mpho Sebina is a self-taught and learning musician whose music can only be described as Afrofuturistic soul and R&B. Growing up in a family of music lovers her writing and singing style is inspired by the likes of Sade, Bob Marley, Brenda Fassie, Boom Shaka, Lebo Mathosa and others which you can hear as part of her influences in her music. She studied and graduated with an Honours Degree in International Business from Multimedia University in Malaysia where she performed for local spaces and poetry sessions and made her exploration into music more than just a passion. Malaysia is where the song Loves Light was written, inspired by the song Tselane by Black Jacks. She released a full length titled album Loves Light and released an EP titled Neo which means Gift this year. Mpho is the founder of Naked Soul Sessions which gives a platform to local artists including some on this list. She has performed on various stages locally and internationally and is featured on Global Citizen as artists to watch. You can listen to more of her music on Soundcloud her Youtube Channel. Amantle Brown Amantle Brown is an R&B artist who started on a local talent show called My Star and made it to the finale. Her first album titled Sa Pelo gave the artist her place in the industry with hits like Black Mampatile and Moratiwa which dominated local radio airwaves.She was nominated for several awards including the Botswana Music Union Awards Best RnB and Best New Comer in 2015. Since then she has also collaborated with other artists with amazing music. She released Follo, a romantic song featuring one of the local artists which was inspired by Afro Beats which exposed her artistic range and embrace of a more African sound. She is a songwriter, singer, and performer who is known to deliver quality all rounded performances. Her work now extends to being a judge on Melody Gospel Television on Botswana Television. She released a much-anticipated sophomore project in April with the stand out track being Bereka Mosadi which means Work, Woman – an anthem for Southern African women to pursue their dreams. You can listen to more of her music on Youtube. Louisa April Louisa April is a contemporary soul and R&B singer, songwriter and musician. Her acoustic music is mostly emotional and is also infused and highlighted with alternative folk and soul. Born to a Namibian mother and Nigerian father, Louisa spent her first seven years in Namibia before returning to be raised in Gaborone, Botswana. Louisa grew up behind a book. This led to her trying out writing in its various forms (poetry, songs) she also had a natural talent for singing. She pursued a degree in Computer Science in Russia, is a committee member of Purple Crown Society and a Global Shaper in the Gaborone Hub. She has performed at MILO Concert Hall in Russia and alongside Tafnaz the Acoustic Badboi at the Jazz Exchange in Botswana. Louisa has also performed for the Gaborone International Music Festival and Naked Soul Sessions. Her music can be found on Sound cloud and on her Youtube channel. Interested in contributing for She Leads Africa? Click here.