Jackline Aseyo Kidaha: God gave me a beautiful mind to inspire others to dream bigger
[bctt tweet=”I believe in touching one life at a time – Jackline Aseyo Kidaha” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Jackline Aseyo Kidaha is a Kenyan lady who founded Golden Hearts for the Vulnerable (GHV Initiative), a CBO in Kangemi, Nairobi. The 24-year-old is also the Program Coordinator at Edge Disability Mainstreaming Partners (EDMAP AGENCIES), an organisation that convenes disability mainstreaming training and workshops for government ministries and parastatals. As a young social entrepreneur still in her baby steps, Jackie believes in youth power as key actors to development and agents of positive change. Why do you say that youths are the best agents of change? Young people make up the largest population in Africa. The youth are growing up with high energy, creativity, innovativeness, and talents which I believe are key to the attainment of various Sustainable Development Goals. All this needs to be tapped into as it’s not only for individual benefit but also for the betterment of the African continent to bring up social and economic shifts. What are your expectations from this generation? Much sacrifice and aggressiveness in reaching this goal of restoring our mother continent to abundance, wealth, and diversity. The previous generation achieved the political emancipation but I expect the current youth of Africa to achieve the socio-economical emancipation. Thus this generation of young people needs to be more open-minded, proactive in identifying gaps and addressing them. Can you give SLA readers a sense of where GHV Initiative is at the moment and what plans you have for the future? GHV Initiative (Golden Hearts for the Vulnerable) in a glimpse is a registered community-based organization in an informal settlement called Kangemi (Nairobi). It was founded in March 2015 and was officially registered in March 2017. Our main goal being to empower the vulnerable groups in informal settlements with relevant information on life skills, talents and helping realize their rights as enshrined in various legal documents. This is to give them a voice to speak up, be their own decision-makers in life and be actors in development too. So far I can contently say that we are a notch higher compared to when we began as GHV Initiative. We are now equipped to challenge and ready to bridge the gaps identified in our community. More so I can frankly say that as the Founder I now have a more reliable, committed and dedicated team that I work with to ensure that we achieve the overall GHV vision. Our future plan as an initiative is setting up a centre which will compose of unique an art space; crafts making and a talent space to nurture the spirit of dancing. The centre will entail teaching crafting, dancing, communication and entrepreneurial skills to more groups. We are also strategizing on coming up with a charity clothing line/boutique within the centre where well-wishers can to donate. This will have clothes for both boys and girls from ages 5 to 16 to enhance decency and boost their self-esteem which is critical to many of them, especially those in their teenage years who are shy in relation to how they are dressed thus pulling down their self-confidence. [bctt tweet=”Our empowerment program doesn’t give fish but teaches target beneficiaries how to fish themselves ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What programs do you provide and what are some of the setbacks you have faced? We have two programs so far. One is ‘Limited Edition’ which is a continuous life skill program for teenagers. It mainly seeks to equip young minds with knowledge of life, its challenges and how to overcome them by sticking to their principles. The program aims to reduce issues such as early pregnancies and unsafe sexual behaviour leading to school dropout as early as primary level. Being limited editions means that they are not easily swayed by things which will cost them their lives and not realize their dreams. The second one is ‘Nifunze Nijitegemee’ (meaning “teach me so that I can be independent”) which is a continuous empowerment program that seeks to teach practical skills. We believe in not giving the fish but teaching the target beneficiaries how to fish by themselves. This is to enable them to shift their talents and skills gained into profits thereby making them sustainable. Rolling out the programs at the beginning was a great challenge, as with any idea or innovation to be diffused both early adopters and laggards are present. Our target beneficiaries are diverse, have different mindsets, knowledge gap levels, lack of enough resources in terms of funds for facilitation and other logistics. What kind of response are you getting from the vulnerable groups you are empowering? From the activities conducted so far by GHV Initiative, we have received positive and overwhelming feedback. This has stimulated and motivated us to do more despite the challenges. We are constantly receiving calls and messages from the previous schools, children centers and hospital visited encouraging us to do these activities more often. How are you measuring the impact or effectiveness of GHV Initiative in your community? We utilize the theory of change in executing and evaluating our programs’ effectiveness. We have set a number of indicators and respective tools to measure that. For instance, in determining self-esteem among the teenagers we use the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale which has ten brief questions that an individual is asked to respond to. After each activity conducted we monitor and evaluate the success and gaps to measure the impact of our programs. [bctt tweet=”Jackline Aseyo Kidaha is showing the world that something good can come out of the slum” via=”no”] Besides education, how else are you empowering the people of Kangemi? I personally make DIY things such as cards, hair accessories, bow ties, crocheted mats, scrapbooks and journals all with an African touch or theme. Art is cool. I believe in touching one life at a time thus teaching those around me who are still figuring out the next step in life how to make the above stuff and getting small markets for them too.
Unoma Okorafor: Invest in self-development. I have never met a great leader who is not a reader.
[bctt tweet=”Delete the words from your vocabulary that stop you from daring to take the next step ” username=”unondili”] Dr. Unoma Okorafor is the founder and CEO of Working to Advance STEM Education for African Women (WAAW) Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education for African women, and working to ensure that talent is engaged in technology and innovation on the African continent. A serial and social entrepreneur, Dr. Okorafor is also founder and CEO of Herbal Papaya, a health and wellness company that manufactures organic health beverages and supplements. She is also co-founder of Radicube Technologies Inc, a Big Data Analytics company. Unoma has been a speaker and thought leader at several events including SXSW, WISE Conference, Women’s Forum and Ashoka Foundation Changemakers. She was a recipient of the 2013 Anita Borg Social Change Agent Award and was the 2016 winner of the GEM Tech Awards from ITU and UN Women. You founded Working to Advance African Women (WAAW) Foundation over a decade ago. What inspired you to take this bold step? Several factors inspired me to found WAAW Foundation in 2007 while I was completing my Ph.D. degree in Computer Engineering at Texas A & M University. At that time, I was the only woman of color in the program and my graduate education experience had been a very lonely one working mostly amongst men. I knew that I wanted to be an engineer and had the ability to be a great one, but I wished there were more women in STEM to support each other. Additionally, I saw the huge impact technology could have in lifting entire communities out of poverty. I could see the rapid technological advances that were in the pipeline. For instance, I saw the advent of Google, PayPal and Amazon and some of my research was around the technologies that powered these huge companies and the impact they had on e-commerce, telecommunications, and the financial industry. The images I saw in the media did not reflect the Africa I grew up in and the Africa I envisioned in the future and I realized at that point that if we could empower African women with education in Science and Technology and teach them to innovate and solve problems in their communities using technology, we could turn around the plight of our entire African continent. It was a huge dream considering that at the time I was still a graduate student with two young children. However, I decided it was better to start and even if we could only impact one girl in Africa it was better than doing nothing. It has been inspiring to see how WAAW Foundation has grown. In the last decade, what are some of the major milestones that WAAW has achieved? What impact would you say that WAAW has had on the way that STEM education is delivered in Nigeria and on the number of girls choosing to study STEM? Like I mentioned WAAW started as a dream while I was a graduate student with no substantial resources to invest and no experience with running a fully-fledged organization. The first year we launched our website, we offered to sponsor one $500 scholarship for an African girl studying a STEM-related discipline at a University in Africa. It was all my husband and I could afford from our meager graduate student stipend. But this experience opened my eyes to the huge need and the relatively small amount of resources and funds needed to bridge this gap. That first year we received over 400 applications. We were overwhelmed and I recruited my mother to assess the applications and select the one we felt was the most deserving. But there were so many who needed a small lift. Application after application, I shed tears as I read about AIDS orphans, child mothers, abandoned girls who were struggling to make it through school, doing well with excellent grades who just needed a little support. I was inspired to keep pushing. To date, WAAW has provided over 30 Scholarships to university girls in STEM, reached over 500 girls through our STEM residential camps, trained over 200 university-to-secondary mentors in 17 university chapters across 10 African countries and we impact almost 20,000 youth each year. In Nigeria, we have continued to engage with the community to push against societal norms that tell girls that a STEM education is not feminine. We have worked with government ministries, secondary school teachers, communities and especially parents of girls to educate them on the huge benefits of STEM education for girls. WAAW is looking to partner with Federal Ministries of Education, Science and Technology to re-invent what STEM education should be and retrain our teachers to incorporate hands on, locally available resources to promote innovation in the classrooms. For all the girls and young women currently on the fence about whether a career in STEM is the right choice for them, what advice would you give to them? First of all, let me say that we are not necessarily promoting the idea that a career in STEM is the right choice for every girl. Our broad message is that we are in the middle of a technological revolution where technology is pervasive in every facet of our lives and will be even more so in the future. Consider the recent research that states that 90% of jobs created in the next 20-30 years will require some sort of skill in STEM. That means that people who have STEM skills will have a huge advantage over those who don’t. Whether they are applying those skills in core technology or in healthcare, finance, agriculture, business, transportation. I think that girls should participate in creating those technologies so we can solve some of the critical issues facing us. [bctt tweet=”We’re in the middle of a technological revolution, people with STEM skills have a huge advantage” via=”no”] WAAW is currently partnering with African Women Engineering Leadership and Entrepreneurship (AWELE) Academy to
Kat and Lezita: Building a brand based on treating yourself
[bctt tweet=”One of THEE most important tools of success is simply staying true to yourself” via=”no”] Diving into the uncharted waters of starting a business is no easy task. But attempting to encourage women to treat themselves to self-love while you do it could be nearly impossible. However, the founders of the Unapologetically Single gift box, Kat and Lezita, managed to do so, and for that we needed to know how. Both founders who have backgrounds in fashion and retail, play a role in carefully selecting the items in the boxes to ensure the products align with their mission to make women feel great about themselves whether they’re single or in relationships. After scrolling through the Unapologetically Single market, it’s clear that Kat and Lezita created these gift boxes for a market that most retailers sleep on, literally. Give us an overview of Unapologeticallysingle.com. Kat: We want it to feel like a lifestyle destination where women can come and talk about love, life, and everything in between. We also have a market where we feature items lovingly curated with single women in mind. What drove you to create UnapologeticallySingle.com? Lezita: It was the end of August in 2016 and I was on the way to buy my 3rd baby shower gift and my 1st bridal shower gift of the year. As I was walking around the store looking at the gift registry, I immediately started to think, “I’m 29 years old and I’m not in a relationship nor am I interested in kids at the moment. What if no one ever celebrates me?” After I left the baby store, I immediately called Kat and we started to brainstorm. Six months later, Unapologetically Single was officially born. Kat: I was tired of being judged and feeling less than just because of a status. We graduated from college, have great jobs, take care of ourselves and people still feel they can knock you down by saying things like: “You still aren’t married yet?” “That’s why you’re single.” “Pretty, successful and single! You must be crazy.” Our site is not meant to bash men or relationships. We want to create a place to celebrate single women of color, and not continue to inundate them with tips on how to not be single or constantly tell them what they are doing wrong. We want to encourage them to live their lives unapologetically single and to enjoy the process. [bctt tweet=”Kat & Lezita push back against the pressure to ‘settle down’ with UnapologeticallySingle” via=”no”] What do you feel are the most successful tools you used to build your brand? Lezita: One of THEE most important tools of success to me is simply staying true to yourself and representing your brand how you want to. It’s so easy to look at what the next company or brand is doing and you may find yourself trying to compete. To me, that’s a losing battle and it’s exhausting. When you stay true to who you are and what you want your brand to be, people will gravitate towards that authenticity. Also, for the obvious reasons, never take rejection or negative opinions personal. A lot of times it’s so easy to feel slighted and hurt when someone doesn’t like your idea or they don’t necessarily want to work with you. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shared my ideas with someone and their reaction was LACKLUSTER or downright rude to say the least lol. Everyone can’t see your vision and that’s ok. Rejection will never dictate your success AND/OR your worth. Always keep pushing. What resources would you recommend for Black woman who are self-employed? Kat: Honestly, it has been a real learning experience for me. I just try to follow a lot of small business accounts and bloggers who have been where we are and who are not afraid to share their struggles and how they’ve overcome them. One of my current favorite resources is the page Brand, Build and Launch with Arsha Jones. It’s a group with like-minded members that are supportive and freely share any tips that will help you build and grow a brand. It’s a really positive community and I’ve been inspired to keep pushing from the women there. Lezita: NETWORK LOCALLY! It’s so easy to want to reach out to your Instagram and Twitter favorites to network, however, always keep the local organizations in mind too. Go to that alumni meeting that you’d never normally attend or get involved in city events! You’d be surprised the people that can inspire you or even invest in you just by participating in local events. I’m a woman in my mid 20s who would love to create my own business but I have no idea where to start. What’s your best advice towards doing so? Kat: Like Nike says, “Just Do It.” Lezita and I have had so many great ideas but we could never seem to get started. Initially, it can be overwhelming and easier to just sink back into your normal routine or that cushy 9-5, but once you take that initial leap (create a website, buy product, etc.), it’ll be hard to turn around. Lezita: Start out by writing down your goals in pencil (because they will change) and from there set a timeline. There is no right starting point for anyone, but having a timeline will help to keep you on track and in line. Also, be extremely open to change. When Kat and I first started discussing what we thought our business should look like, it was nowhere near where it is today. What is your target audience and what challenges have you faced that are unique to your market? Lezita: Our target audience is women from the ages of 21 and up. The biggest challenge has been defining single. When some people see the words “Unapologetically Single”, they’re automatically off-put because they “got a good man at home” or because they don’t want to identify as being “ the lonely, single girl.” We’re constantly brainstorming ways to get the message across that “ Unapologetically Single” doesn’t
Mphela Yelane: The agriculture sector should be the highest paying employer in the continent
[bctt tweet=”We don’t think just being natural is enough. Products should deliver results – Mphela Yelane” via=”no”] “To me, it shifted from the mindset of being a policy maker to becoming an individual championing the comparative local development concept. Africa trades more in agriculture, the agriculture sector should be the highest paying employer in the continent I thought.” These were the thoughts of a 31-year-old Mphele Yelane while in Italy on a student exchange program that exposed her to the real context of local development. Born and raised in the African Eden (Limpopo province), “in our backyards you find plants for food and healing remedies. It’s natural for me to take advantage of the wealth in our soil. In Tzaneen my hometown, we produce oranges, lemon, nuts, avocadoes, litchis etc. I know in June I get avocado and orange for consumption and also apply as a face mask”. The cosmetic products started as a creative thing to do for Mphele, her sisters and friends started coming for more after trying her products. While doing her Masters it clicked to her that this should be a business, Mphele realised she could empower her neighbours by buying from them and producing organic products for profit. Hence Ezamazwe Skin Solution brand was conceived. Ezamazwe means “of the world” or “from the earth”. Tell me more about Ezamazwe Skin Solution. Ezamazwe Skin Solution is 100% organic skincare products. We source our ingredients from all over the African continent to ensure we only work with top quality products. A good example is our unrefined shea butter which comes from Ghana. Our passion is to source out pure products from local traders in order to produce products that are truly pure, environmentally friendly and have never been tested on animals for quality control. The fact that we do all our own research and development and produce all our products from start to finish in one location, ensures high quality every step of the way. Ezamazwe Skin Solution is proud to guarantee that we use the recommended dosages for all our actives. We don’t think just being natural is enough. Products should deliver results. Our product is completely organic, and healthy for the environment as it is for human skin. Starting its life as nuts, raw materials are carefully crafted into many useful products, including oil and butter. The beauty of shea butter is that it is infinitely recycled from plant to skin butter. Recycling nuts products therefore, contribute to the preservation of our planet. As a sustainable skin solution, it takes nothing away from the environment and leaves nothing behind. How did you get your idea or concept for the business? I am born in an entrepreneurial family, my parents own a tuck-shop, taxi business and are involved in community projects. I know more about business management than being an employee. When people started making regular orders I knew this must be formalized. What was your mission at the outset? My dream is to have Ezamazwe Skin Solution become one of the very few local organic skincare manufacturers in the South African cosmetic industry. When did you “charter” the business? The business started officially in 2007, now to celebrate 10 years I decided to register a formal business in 2017. The brand has grown and the market is ready to receive the Ezamazwe Skin Solution brand. [bctt tweet=”Mphele Yelane ran Ezamazwe Skin Solution for 10 years before formally registering it as a business” via=”no”] How do you advertise your business? I advertise my business mainly through word of mouth. I also utilise social media and am now ready to sponsor TV programs and beauty pageants. How long do you stick with an idea before giving up? I have a solid support system from my parents, my sisters (Olgah, Sharon and Lerato) and my husband. I run my ideas with them, if they buy it, I start doing research and officialise it. If they say it’s not viable I leave it there. Also, I never give up, I just postpone and re-focus my energy. Giving up is never an option if I am sold onto something. Describe/outline your typical day? I am still employed full-time and work on Ezamazwe Skin Solution as part-time. My husband is a hands-on father, a typical day starts with “morning ritual”; drop my son at school, off to work, during lunch I work on Ezamazwe Skin Solution. After work, driving back home I start planning my day as MD of Ezamazwe Concepts. Once I get home, I do house chores, then from 9pm to 2am I work on Ezamazwe Skin Solution; processing orders, delivery arrangement, and manufacturing process. How has being an entrepreneur affected your family life? It doesn’t, my husband is a businessman too and my mentor, we don’t know anything besides working smart as parents. What motivates you? I am motivated by the desire to be financially fit so that even if I don’t work for a year, my lifestyle don’t change. How do you generate new ideas? Ideas are not generated, they just come when one is content. When you are at peace with self, your mind starts working right and ideas start popping up. [bctt tweet=”Ideas are not generated, they just come when one is content – Mphele Yelane” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How far are you willing to go to succeed? I won’t rest until Ezamazwe Skin Solution becomes a household brand and number one skincare solution in Africa. What is your favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur? Changing people’s lives through employment is something that brings me joy as an entrepreneur. I also enjoy exploring new markets and take pride in producing Proundly SA brand. To what do you most attribute your success? What would say are the five key elements for starting and running a successful business? Wow! If I had to limit it to five elements, they would be, Know yourself in Christ Commit and focus on your plan Believe in yourself and stick to the plan Do
Chellie Clarkson-Brown: Designing for women of color and overcoming the #icebergsyndrome
[bctt tweet=”Chellie Clarkson-Brown wants to make African-inspired apparel an everyday staple in Western Europe” via=”no”] No one ever tells you about the amount of work that goes on underneath the surface of the water- #icebergsyndrome… but keep keeping on and eventually the tip of your iceberg will emerge. Enter entrepreneur Chellie Clarkson-Brown the Founder and Creative Director of Afro Couture Designs LDN, a fashion brand focusing on sizes and designs for women of colour. With SLA contributor Neo Cheda, Chellie shares her entrepreneurship journey and what has pushed to her to success. Tell us about you and how Afro Couture Designs come about? I studied Pattern Cutting and Tailoring at London College of Fashion but left this to work within the retail industry. Well, it wasn’t for me so I returned to university at University College of the Arts. My time there was traumatic, to say the least. I was often denied the opportunity to express myself based on what I felt represented me. Everything I designed in reflection of my African heritage and life experiences, was, in my opinion, belittled and rubbished. I lost so much confidence in my abilities and myself, that I became depressed. To add insult to injury, I wasn’t even able to get any real retail therapy without having to break the bank. Come on now, we all know that the only way to make a girl feel good about herself in circumstances like these, is a good old shopping trip. The only items I could get on the high street were ill fitting for my body shape. As almost any woman of colour will know, it may fit everywhere else, but it “sho’ ain’t gone fit” around your hips, rear and thighs. Or you would go up or down a size to alleviate the problem above and guess what, it would fit everywhere else, but not your waist #BlackGirlIssues. So I did some extensive market research in order to collate a sizing criteria for women, particularly focusing on women of colour, as our primary target market. This has allowed us at Afro Couture Designs to create a more inclusive sizing range which is a better reflection of the modern day woman. Most importantly, it incorporates the proportions of women of colour too. As part of our initiative, we are committed to being environmentally friendly by being as sustainable as we are practical. Tell us about your vision for Western European Demographics. At Afro Couture Designs LDN, we design and create on trend contemporary African-inspired apparel and products and our intention is to make these products an everyday design staple within the Western European demographic. Our products are not intended to exclude or to be divisive, rather our products are primarily intended to celebrate and embrace all things African and showcase the beauty within the continent and how it can compliment European fashion trends. We use high end design techniques, pattern cutting, and production techniques and source the highest quality fabrics. At Afro Couture Designs LDN, we fuse and mix together an eclectic range of fabrics from the both the Western European and African Hemispheres to bring you our AfroEurocentric collections. The collections within these ranges are African inspired with a contemporary twist and are intended for those who not only think outside of the box but actually go one step further and throw it away altogether. Afro Couture Designs LDN, provides a multi-faceted design and production service from fashion, products, and interior design to delivering fashion workshops and property development. Afro Couture Designs LDN’s business objective, is to be the one-stop shop or boutique for all your design requirements. Akin to the likes of the Selfridges of London or Macy’s of New York- for all things Afrocentric. What accomplishments are you most proud of? Getting it all together again from being homeless after my home was repossessed and I lost my job. The struggle was harder as I was a single mother at the time. But all things are possible through God. “Everything is possible for one who believes” Mark 9:23. #Ifyoucanconceiveit- #youcanachiveit What challenges have you faced that are unique to your business? Trying to blend Afrocentric influences harmoniously with the Eurocentric to create the AfroEurocentric brand. Additionally, trying to secure financial support for such a new concept with the intention of making the brand available to the mass market. [bctt tweet=”Afro Couture Designs aims to give exposure to established & emerging African artisans” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Which 3 African women that inspire you and why? My Grandmother, the late great Madam Margaret Ntiamoah For her determination, her tenacity and most importantly how resourceful she was. I remember growing up in Ghana during the coup d’état of 1979. Food was rationed and money was tight. There were so many of us living in one room and my Nana, would create gourmet dishes for all of us from one tin of baked beans, or even crack 2 eggs in a spinach stew and manage to make that stretch around 6-8 of us, with some left over for the next day. On the days we had money for coal, in the morning before school, Nana would set the coals in the coal pot (which I’d fan) to make the morning porridge, the smouldering coals would then be put into a cast iron, hence the name, to iron our uniforms. After that, the hot cast iron would then be dipped into the cold bucket of water to warm it up for our morning baths. Talk about resourceful! She got up at the crack of dawn every morning well into her later years to go set up her market stall at Mokola market without fail. Her work ethic has stuck with me till this day. God rest her beautiful soul. Ghanaian designer, Christie Brown For being self-taught and still managing to make it into the mainstream fashion world. I’m inspired by her style and the fact that she has slowly over the years managed to place herself
Mandy Shemuvalula: Youth development must be the starting point of all business models
[bctt tweet=”Mandy Shemuvalula: the youth of the African continent are the most powerful demographic” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Mandy Shemuvalula is a 29-year-old Namibian who is a revolutionary at heart. After graduating in 2010 from Monash University in Malaysia with an Honors Bachelors’ degree in Business and Commerce (majoring in International Business), she knew the global business arena was where her heart laid. Mandy asserts that her life purpose is to challenge the status quo for the greater good. Having participated in reputable summits and interned with global brands, Mandy experienced a radical paradigm shift from her view of empowerment and philanthropy and how it can be closely tied to business growth. This greatly influenced her new journey to starting Youthia, which she is steadfastly building as a revolutionary youth economy and easing intra-continental youth trade in Africa. At what point did you decide empowering young Africans is what you want to do? It all started during a five-day trip to India in September 2014, as part of my internship at the World Headquarters of Coca-Cola in Atlanta, Georgia. The trip was a social media experiment by Coca-Cola called Women of the Web. We took eight influential American mom bloggers across five cities in India to expose them first-hand to Coca-Cola’s global women empowerment initiative, 5by20, running on the ground. During the trip, although short, I began to experience a paradigm shift observing how Coca-Cola was building its powerful business while simultaneously developing local communities. Almost instinctively, I knew this was how I needed to approach doing business moving forward. Not too long after my trip to India, I was off to Kenya for three months to do another internship with Microsoft. While in Nairobi, I engaged with the SME community and observed the stellar innovation coming out from the young people over there. I knew this was a breeding ground for more, coupled with the largest population segment on the continent, the youth. God was ordering my steps. It was definitely divine! Who is that one role model that fueled your drive for youth empowerment over the years and why? I wouldn’t say I was particularly passionate about youth empowerment growing up. In fact, it was something I just kind of stumbled into while in India. But I think the seeds began to be planted during my experience participating in the inaugural class of the Mandela Washington Fellowship of Young African Leaders in 2014. While attending the Presidential Summit in Washington DC with Barack and Michelle Obama, in a room full of progressive young Africans, a light bulb went on that the youth of the African continent will be the most powerful demographic. I think that’s when it officially clicked that young people in Africa are actually a big deal. The biggest deal. [bctt tweet=”Young people in Africa are actually a big deal. The biggest deal.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What are some of the setbacks you faced starting up Youthia and how did you pull through? I knew that if I was to dedicate my life to Youthia, I had to shoot for a massively huge goal. I couldn’t and shouldn’t play small because I wanted to have monumental impact with my work. Because the vision is huge, it was incredibly hard to find the right talent who understood the mission and was able to commit to it for the long haul. I truly believe Youthia is from God so slowly but surely, the right people began to be directed to me in weird serendipitous ways. At first, I became a little frustrated at how slow things were moving but I had to trust the process and the right people continued to show up. Another big hurdle was definitely start-up capital. We are trying to do things that have not been done before so convincing funders and investors that this could work was and is challenging. But by being consistent and persistent, we were able to gradually win them over. The struggle continues. And lastly, our biggest challenge to date is trying to educate the public that youth economic development can no longer be an NGO, charity or philanthropic organization’s work. It will be a conscious, for-profit business industry and we need to lead the way. It has to be an actual youth economy that is contributing billions of dollars to African nations’ GDP. We want it to be as cool as the Apples, Googles, and Facebooks of this world. The world is changing and changing fast. Youth development can no longer be an afterthought but the starting point of all business models. An objective of Youthia is to empower one million youths by 2025, where do you see yourself also in 2025? Personally, I see myself living an extraordinary, fulfilled and peaceful life. [bctt tweet=”A wrong mindset and character are the biggest barriers for youth entrepreneurs.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In your experience, where would you say most youths miss it in business? Undoubtedly, the wrong mindset and character. We often talk about youth lacking relevant skills or capital, little access to markets, amongst many others. These are legitimate hindrances. But the mind-set and character are the biggest barriers for youth entrepreneurs. They do not prioritize developing mental and emotional strength to weather the storms. They feel entitled. This holds them back. What do you think are the 3 attributes of an enterprising youth? Resilient, patient and self-aware. Oh, can I add one more? Resourceful. If you were made Minister for Youth Affairs in Namibia, what are the first two things you will do in office? Thank goodness this is theoretical as I don’t think I can survive in politics. I’m too radical and honest, lol. I would definitely push for better regulations governing youth entrepreneurship and youth job creation. And most importantly, I would prioritize developing a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem that is driven and powered by youth. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Zakithi Mncwango:I keep following the great yellow brick road of my career and trusting in my bliss.
[bctt tweet=”The truest version of yourself as you make your way through your career will get you far” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] In addition to being Stevie Wonder’s biggest fan, Zakithi Mncwango is also the Africa marketing manager of Safilo. Safilo is an Italian eyewear creator and distributor of global fashion and lifestyle brands such as Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Hugo Boss and Marc Jacobs to name a few. Zakithi is an economics graduate happily working with the world’s leading fashion brands. She is highly skilled and experienced in luxury brand marketing management across the continent, with an interest in luxury brand strategy. When she is not building brands, Zakithi mentors marketing graduates and enjoys lunches that turn into dinners with great friends. Walk us through your career journey to this point of Marketing Manager at Safilo? In a way, my career journey has been a series of decisions and moments of grace that have arisen as result of my decision to “follow my bliss”. I loved economics in school, the idea that I could have a contribution more meaningful than just an opinion on the workings of the world; lead me to the study in university. While at university I sort of wandered into marketing, and in the line of my life, I followed my curiosity and throughout the course of some years since I graduated I have been able to work on some of the world’s leading food and beverage, cosmetics and fashion brands. As a marketing manager, your days are truly never the same. Through the many industries I have worked in, I’ve been exposed to all kinds of wonderful and interesting consumers. Our team must find new ways to communicate our key brand messages in this dramatically changing digital connected age. Now, I work with the Italian company Safilo that distributes some of the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle eyewear brands. I consider myself to still be in the early stages of my career journey but I’m having fun, reveling in challenges that come and finding new ways to talk about some truly iconic brands. I keep following the great yellow brick road of my career and trusting in my bliss. Share with us two major lessons learnt climbing your career ladder? Be authentic. The truest and realest version of yourself as you make your way through your career will get you further than a put-on version of someone else. It’s wildly rewarding to feel valued for who you are, and I’ve learnt in time that it will probably get you further than anything else. Do the very best you can with what you have and BE YOURSELF. I’ve seen time and time again that as you build a circle of influence throughout your career, authentic connection is the primary quality that directs the power of the relationships you can build professionally. Secondly, decide. It’s a common state I think to always seek external counsel or opinion before you make any decision. Be it what you’ll have for lunch or whether you’ll take the red pair of shoes or the green pair and inevitably bigger professional decisions such as whether to re-shoot a big budget tv ad or change direction on a brand strategy. The point is, at one stage or another there will be no one to co-opt the decision making with. There’ll be no time. You may have a set of choices with various probable outcomes and not enough time to explore them all. Whichever stage in your career, don’t shy away from leading the decision-making process. It could all go wrong. Or it could all go wonderfully well. Either way, at the start of it, you must decide. So, decide. What do you enjoy most and least about what you do? I work with some of the world’s most beautiful and inspiring brands. I love this! Every day, our team must find new ways to keep these brands fresh and interesting, I love that challenge. Everyone wants to be at the top. It’s a constant process of having to re-invent and this is sometimes very difficult. The competition is fast, so we must be faster. A challenge we rise to! Working at Safilo gives you great exposure to luxury brands, are there times you get star struck or rather brand struck working with some huge brands and how do you manage to keep your cool? Yeah sure, working with global icons, of course, I get a secret thrill! This doesn’t go away I’m afraid, and I hope it never does. I think with time I have managed to gasp and shriek a little less loudly in the office environment. But to be honest I love the brands I work with so I really revel in the chance to talk excitedly about them. What would you say is your major goal for 2017 and how do you plan to achieve it? In 2017, I would like to get the “cobwebs and dust” off my French. For working purposes it’s fundamental to me as I travel. I’ve already signed up for a class so I’m looking forward to that. I’m also looking to grow my professional network as I think it’s vital to personal growth to be connected to people especially from all walks of life. The major 2017 goal though is to have fun. Lots of it! We know you love Alber Elbaz, which other designers do you fancy and why? I don’t think there are any additional accolades I could give to Ozwald Boateng that he hasn’t yet received. He is truly a pioneer. His design philosophy and how it continues to evolve is truly magic. I’m lucky to be alive in a world where I can witness that kind of genius. I used to have my own blog and in that time found the work of Aisha Obuobi’s Christie Brown. Her work is truly wonderful. It’s a contemporary African aesthetic that belongs all over the world. I continue to watch and marvel at her work!
Tabitha Tongoi: Authenticity matters
[bctt tweet=”Write from personal experience has helped @CravingYellow remain consistent” via=”no”] When a post on your blog clocks about 40,000 views in under 24 hours, I think it’s safe to call you a highly successful blogger. Tabitha Tongoi creator and owner of the Craving Yellow blog, still gets astounded to know that she reaches that many people with her effervescent nature and views on life’s ups and downs. The 26-year-old Kenyan, natural hair enthusiast and lover of all things yellow has been blogging for over two years now. Tabitha touches on everything hair, beauty, lifestyle and of course, finding yellow i.e. finding joy in life’s simple pleasures. She has lived, worked and studied in four continents, her current home being Melbourne, Australia. Tabitha is currently on holiday in Nairobi and SLA contributor Diana Odera caught up with her to get to know more about life as an African blogger in the diaspora. Who is Tabitha outside of the craving yellow moniker? Personally, I feel like I’m a thinker and I’m a writer. In my free time, I’m always thinking of new ideas, researching on creative projects etc. I love the mind space. I’m always engaging with my mind so I guess I’m a bit of an introvert; I spend a lot of time observing the world and people. When it comes to my extended life – I’m the last born of 3, I have an older sister and an older brother who just got married last year. Career wise – I am getting into the blogging space, I studied Political Science, which was never meant to bring me here but here I am. I’m a bit of a nerd, I love to read and study, I‘ve always loved school. I also love to give and I love to encourage others and see them succeed. How did the Craving Yellow movement begin? It started when I was in my last year of uni. I had just come back from England, which was an amazing experience that made me grow into myself, learn how to formulate my own ideas and be confident in myself. Once I was back in the US with that mindset, I took a class on the power of documentary photography in telling new stories that are untold. I had just finished reading Americanah and I was so inspired so I decided to turn the camera on myself and tell my story because I felt there weren’t enough women in the diaspora who’s stories were being told, if any. So I started off on that premise, I knew I loved hair and people would talk to me about hair so that was a constant conversation starter. Hair was the hook but I also wanted to talk about other things e.g. who are you? When you go home what type of conversations are you having with yourself as a young African woman living abroad? It gradually took on a life of its own from there on. I saw a lot of my friends get into depression, addiction and just losing themselves so it was also about touching on these types of conversations and experiences that women face. [bctt tweet=”I was so inspired so I decided to turn the camera on myself and tell my story” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Your blog focuses on your natural hair journey as well as beauty and lifestyle topics. How do you go about creating great content that is relatable and consistent? The premise has always been my hair because that is what I can teach people about as a skill I have. I haven’t been as regimented as I’d like to be because I have a full-time job and run the blog on the side. On average I make sure to release 2-3 youtube videos, mostly on hair and hair reviews. On the blog, I put out two posts a month on hair and for lifestyle topics. I think that because I write from my own personal experience, the type of content stays consistent. I don’t write what everyone else is writing about so it just comes to me naturally. When I’m not able to write, I don’t force myself at all just to appear like I’m writing. At any point, have you felt the pressure from trolls online or any negative feedback that you may get on your blog – pressure to make you change from your premise? In terms of hair care, in Kenya as compared to abroad, I have only felt pressured when I’m compared to fashion bloggers who have a very different production process and different content. Sometimes people blur the two. By default, because the hair blogging field here is very small, it’s easy to be compared to others. But I think in terms of my own journey, one thing I really appreciate is having lived abroad and having had to be in my own mind space and create this blog with no outside interruptions. I admire what people do but I’m very clear in what my message is and what my premise is, I’ve never been threatened or intimidated. Having lived in four continents, how have these diverse environments contributed to your personal growth, your professional and academic career? I’ve really had to learn who I am and to be fine with that. I always stand out everywhere I go, so I’ve been forced to really look into myself and ask myself internally – who am I and what do I stand for, what are my passions, what drives me? etc. As a whole, it’s allowed me to have a very clear vision of who I am as a young person, more than I would have if I had stayed in Kenya. I’ve learnt to be my own island. Adaptability has been another strength I’ve gained, great work ethic as well. What keeps you motivated? I think about young girls out there who are probably struggling with a lot and need just a bit to encourage them to push on and
4 keys of personal leadership courtesy of Rachel Nyaradzo Adams
[bctt tweet=”Rachel Nyaradzo Adams wants to give people a Master’s degree in themselves @RachelNAdams” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “We all can get an education, but I want to give people a Master’s degree in themselves” These are the words of Zimbabwean leadership consultant Rachel Nyaradzo Adams. This dynamic entrepreneur has crafted leadership strategies for organisations such as Mckinsey & Company, Barack Obama’s Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) program, and Yale University. She currently runs the leadership consultancy she founded called Narachi Leadership, which caters to high impact leaders across Africa. As soon as I heard the opening statement I knew I had to sit down with this remarkable woman. I wanted to find out more about her passion for African leaders, as well as get a few ideas on how you can elevate your consciousness as a leader. Before you moved back to Zimbabwe, you had an exciting job at Yale University in the office of international affairs. What prompted you to move back home and found Narachi? The seed was planted in me many years ago when I was selected as a Mandela Rhodes scholar. Our program director gathered all the scholars together and she gave us all a candle. She lit hers, and she asked that we light ours only if we were committed to being the change that Africa needs. For the first time in my life, I felt like I had been given permission to make a difference. I was also being given the tools to do so. Many years later while working at Yale University I looked back on that moment and began to question if what I was doing lived up to the commitment I had made. As Africans I believe we are far from creating a continent that gives dignity back to our people. I saw the need back home and knew I could do a better job of addressing it. I had spent my whole career working with leaders and entrepreneurs so starting Narachi was a way to have a more focused impact on the continent ‘one leader at a time’. I admire your commitment to nurturing leaders on the continent. All too often I have heard the phrase ‘Africa has no good leaders’. What is your message to the younger generation? I recently gave a TEDx talk where I shared my views on this. I believe Africa doesn’t have a leadership crisis, it just has a lack of a critical mass of courageous youth. It surprises me when I hear young people complaining about their ‘leaders’. People who are over 70 years of age realistically should have little say in our future. I need young people to question why they are comfortable delegating decision making around their future. Looking at our history, it has never been solely the “leaders” that have transformed this continent, it has been young people. The recently deceased anti-Apartheid activist Ahmed Kathrada was 12 years old when he started his activism, Nelson Mandela started in politics at 26 years old, and Aliko Dangote was 21 when he took a loan to start a business. Thomas Sankara was 33. We have to harness our courage and start building the Africa we deserve. There are some young people embracing that spirit of courage, Fred Swaniker would be a good example, but we need more. I would encourage young people to engage with the idea of what it means to put our lives on the line and sacrifice to see your continent as it should be. Doing the right thing won’t get you recognition, and you may not make it onto any prestigious lists for a while. It is however, part of the work that needs to get done. When it comes to making huge life decisions, for example picking a career, it is easy to get bogged down. What should we remember when making these decisions and make these moments of ‘leading ourselves’ easier? Getting bogged down by life is quite common. In my work with Narachi I have realised just how much people struggle to figure themselves out. I believe once people give themselves the permission to live authentically, they begin the journey to becoming better humans AND better leaders. Here are a few steps to getting there with examples from my own life: 1. It begins with ‘resonance’ Ask yourself ‘what resonates with me?’ You have to take time to listen to what has always been there. What are the things that you have always been drawn to or felt passionate about? The key to this is to guard against being seduced by the language of the time. For example, right now there is a lot of attention on entrepreneurship and technology. I therefore, find people trying to fit themselves under labels like ‘tech-entrepreneur’ when they have no business being in that space. Technology is a tool that you can use in service of who you really are. You don’t have to pretend to be good at something you will only be mediocre at because it isn’t a strength of yours. Create a list of topics that interest you and things you do well. If you can’t identify those on your own, ask people around you and colleagues who you work with for feedback on how they experience you. [bctt tweet=”You don’t have to pretend to be good at something you will only be mediocre at” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Accept what resonates with you This is the reality: resonance isn’t always sexy. I often see people who are still afraid of not fitting into the current marketable language. Trying to do so could overshadow the value you bring to the table. When I worked at McKinsey I was surrounded by people who were number crunchers. In an environment like that, I could see the value of their strengths and so I began to doubt the value of mine. The irony is that I had been employed precisely because I was not a strict number cruncher. I had to accept that
Maxima Nsimenta: How to build a successful cosmetic brand
[bctt tweet=”Maxima Nsimenta is proving to herself & the world that quality can be made in Uganda” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Ironically, some young people are spending countless hours drafting and sending job application letters in search of white color jobs, while those employed, are quitting pursuing their passions in businesses. What’s more, the latter are not only becoming regional brands but also going ahead to create employment. With the ever eluding job opportunities and increasing cost of living, it is time young Africans started thinking of what “they can do to their countries” instead of the other way round. That said SLA contributor Maureen Murori caught up with a young entrepreneurial Ugandan lady, whose life’s motto is: “Why not?” Maxima Nsimenta is the CEO and managing partner at Livara, a cosmetics company dealing with natural skin and beauty products. The Steve Jobs inspirational quote: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful, that’s what matters to me,” is what keeps Maxima awake striving to do something different but wonderful! Maxima and Maureen spoke extensively about founding Livara and Maxima’s personal growth since the venture. Here is what Maxima shared: For some young people, starting and running a business is a challenging task that they would rather not take up. What was/is the inspiration behind your venture? While I was still employed as a Field Engineer at one of the world’s largest oil and gas service companies, I had the opportunity to travel vastly. During my travels, I noticed that some of the high-end cosmetics products used oils and ingredients from Africa. It is these oils that especially made the products that much more valuable. Whenever I’d return home, I’d notice that we weren’t adding value to these oils locally. This seriously perplexed me. In addition to this, after about one and a half years of employment, I stopped getting the fulfillment I initially had with the job. I felt empty and purposeless. It started becoming more of a mechanical aspect of my daily life. Yet, when I indulged myself in beauty and cosmetics, I felt content. I then proposed to build a company that would manufacture top quality natural and organic cosmetics that would compete with the international brands. However, I’d do it from my country, Uganda. I planned to prove to myself and the world that quality can be made in Uganda. It took me about a year to prepare for Livara; mentally, financially, structurally. Then when I had my minimums in place, I took the leap. When people are starting out a business, there are several things that they learn on the job. What are some of the things (positive or negative) that you learned about your business or self since starting your venture? Patience! Before I started out in business, I was used to getting what I wanted when I wanted and how I wanted it. In business, especially the manufacturing business, everything is based on processes and systems. Given that I’m building my company based on systems, it always hits me at home where it hurts. Not everything is instantaneous; perfection takes time and is worth the wait. I have learnt to respect people’s time and competencies a lot more. I have also come to understand and learn the value of teamwork from a front row seat, I cannot do everything alone. Business has taught me to learn to trust and rely on people to do their job, a lot more than I used to before. I have become addicted to knowledge acquisition. Nowadays, I read a lot more to be on top of my game. However, because of this, I realize that I have less time to build my other personal relationships -many of which have been affected. I hope it pays off eventually. Most importantly, I have become more spiritual than before. I have put my hope and trust in God, to guide and help me with the things that are beyond my control. There are several things that could have gone wrong but suddenly and unexplainably did not. For me, that is my God at work; leading me through this journey. [bctt tweet=”Not everything is instantaneous; perfection takes time and is worth the wait” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What skills did you acquire either through practice, work placement or learning institution to improve business? I’m not certain if research is a skill or a culture! But it is the most important thing that I picked up from my previous jobs. I only executed plans after more than adequate research had been carried out. Before my business, I had three jobs that were all scientific and research based. I’d literally spend nights up learning about different things related to one particular aspect of a bigger picture. It was my job to adequately understand the pros and cons and have a comprehensive yet conclusive position on any decision I made. This research-based decision making has been a fundamental skill for my business today. Presentation skills: Many may overlook this, but this is crucial. Although acquired and built over time since my university days, presentation skills have become a great acquisition that has helped me to negotiate better deals for myself and my business. Report writing: This includes writing project studies and reports. This is a skill that helped me write my business plan that won me incubation space at the Uganda Industrial Research Institute where we are based. Had I not known how to write a business plan and adequately present it, I do not know how far I would have come by now! Communication and interpersonal skills are other skills that keep on resurfacing and pushing me forward. The two keep evolving and changing with different circumstances. So, the basics molded me. And they continue to do so, even today. In the end, I’ve learned that it is always the relationships we have that help to either build us or break us in life. What is