Dorinda Mawuenya Matey: It never started as a business, I was just sharing my passion
Dorinda Mawuenya Matey is a natural hair enthusiast and entrepreneur who turned her love for natural hair into her profession. She started the “We Naturals Team” as a Facebook page to share her discoveries and knowledge about her hair journey. In time as her followers grew, they needed more than just advice; they needed quality products to grow healthy hair. Dorinda saw this as an opportunity to turn her passion into a profession. Currently, her company is one of the leading hair products brand in Ghana and Nigeria. We Naturals has 19 employees and 68 retailers in Ghana, 39 in Nigeria and one in Cote d’Ivoire. What ignited the spark to start the We Naturals Team? When I started my natural hair journey in 2011, I was completely lost. I had no idea how to handle my hair and eventually relaxed it again. In 2013, I went back to natural hair, I realized it was much easier this time as I was reading a lot about my hair and experimenting with different hairstyles, products and regimen. On my first anniversary, I decided to start a Facebook page (We Naturals) to share all that I’m learning to help make the journey easier for others. It never started as a business; I was just sharing my passion. The business We Naturals came in after my followers on Facebook started asking about products. I saw an opportunity in there and started selling other brands until I started making my own products. How did your followers react when you started making hair products? They were excited and received it very well. We won’t be where we are today if it wasn’t for our very amazing followers and customers. Our very first sale was made on Facebook. What was unexpected when you started We Naturals? Well, I realized people will do anything to undermine others just to get ahead. You have to be diligent not to compromise on your integrity and focus on your goals to keep moving forward. What creative strategies did you use to acquire funds to start the business? I had funds from a 3 year life investment policy I started in 2011. Because I had this money, it was fairly easy for me to get going when I decided to start selling products. It wasn’t enough to do everything, but it was a good start. Did you get the products right on the first try or did you have to do more trial and errors? We often do a lot of trials until we are satisfied with the efficiency of the product, the consistency, scent, colour etc. We have a production team who make the products, they’re then sent to labeling and quality control before it moves to store. We experiment on employees, friends and family. We sometimes also request for product testers from social media who also serve as our final testing point before the product is introduced. Why do you focus on only natural hair products? Do you have plans on making products for relaxed hair? The company started off with my passion for natural hair, because of that the products were automatically perceived to work for only natural hair. However, most of our products can be used for all types of hair, though in some cases with slight difference in method. Have you had any formal education pertaining to your choice of career? Yes I have a certificate in Natural Products Formulation from the USA. I had to learn how to make the products from a credible institution to be able to make quality products. I have experience in business and marketing which come in handy. What do you enjoy most about what you do? I love reading positive feedback from our customers. Fortunately about 90% of all the feedback we receive is positive and they come in very often. Every single time I receive a positive feedback, I smile. It makes me really happy because that is one more person we have provided a solution to, not just sold a product. How did you distinguish yourself from your competitors? Our primary target groups are individuals on a healthy hair journey, mainly the natural hair journey and these are people who are looking for results. Our business is built on selling solutions, not just products. We solve hair problems and I believe this is what our credibility is built on. I am passionate about making the hair journey for all my customers a delight so I always go out of my way to help them find solutions. That is what automatically sets us apart, the genuine passion to make our customers happy always. Describe a typical day at work. No two days are ever the same with me. It depends on what needs my attention the most but generally I go over accounts with the sales team and allocate monies for various things that need to be taken care of. I then go into production, mainly supervising and sometime making products myself when necessary. I handle our social media platforms personally so I am on and off social media throughout the day responding to questions, sharing contents and taking orders. I also check for orders on our website and respond to emails. I go to our store to check on stock and bulk orders going out, as well as inspecting products especially labeling and responding to complaints and other issues. What difficulties did you face expanding to other African countries? What was surprisingly simple? The major difficulty we faced and are still facing in Nigeria, is the exchange rate. The Naira keeps falling and we end up losing money through exchange. With the Francophone countries, I will say the language barrier has slowed our efforts but we are taking necessary steps to resolve these issues. What was surprisingly easy was how quickly Nigerians accepted our products. What are your goals for the company? Our goal is to be the number one in Africa not just in product quality, market
Maphefo Ingrid Mashigo: I hated every minute of the corporate world
How many single mothers and divorced women do you know in the modeling industry? From that number, do you know any that will leave their stable job with guaranteed income to introduce young, unknown girls from the village into the world of modeling? Well, meet Maphefo Ingrid Mashigo. Maphefo is the young Limpopo-born woman who opened up Bokamoso Future Models to young women in rural areas. Maphefo doesn’t just discover models, she produces them. To Maphefo, models are her ‘rare, raw, rough diamonds’. When did you know modeling was in you? Modeling runs in my family, I was inspired by my aunts and uncles. They were models in the local scene and I got to love modelling because of them. Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved the spotlight. I did a lot of drama and beauty pageants from the age of six. Like I have mentioned, my surrounding was a big influence. Tell us about Bokamoso Future Models. What have you achieved to date? With Bokamoso Future Models, I produce models from the rural areas who have never modeled before. I want to bring them to the international stage. For a company that is only eight months old, we have shaken the industry and are taking it by storm. Before people know it, they won’t know what hit them. I am so happy to announce that I have a model that is going to represent South Africa at the Miss Heritage International that will be taking place in India this December. I look up to the likes of Tyra Banks who has her own production company. I would want to be remembered as an icon. There are so many modeling agencies out there, what are you bringing that is different? Unlike any other agency, I don’t sign models, I produce them. That is a big difference. I spend a lot of time, until the wee hours of the morning hosting extensive trainings and workshops. I provide transport for my models to castings, auditions and shoots; they don’t have to pay for such services. More than anything else, I mentor them. In an industry that is clouded by a lot of negativity such drugs, alcohol and also anorexia, How do you guard yourself and your models against it all? Morals are something that were instilled in me by my grandparents from a very young age. I am personally not a huge fan of alcohol and my parents taught me those things are demonic. I have never forgot those lessons. The fact that I am a Christian and a huge believer helps and guides me in everything I do. How did you find the corporate world and when did you know it was time to leave? Corporate world? I hated every minute of it. I never looked forward to going to the office. The idea of working for someone else was slowly killing me daily as I’ve always wanted to be independent. The salary was good and it got me by, but I was never happy. The fear of living an unhappy life forever based on a good salary was not part of my plans. Maphefo had to come to life. Being a single mother and business owner in the shrewd modelling industry, how do you handle everything? We have an amazing father called God, through him, all things are possible. The father of my child does not support her in any form but we are surviving through the angels that God had sent through. I have amazing friends, business associates and parents who look out for us and assist me with anything I need. The world has so many ills, what calms you down? I am very family oriented and my daughter calms me down. You have a hoarse voice, have you ever been mistaken for a man on the phone? Hahahaha, no! I am instead encouraged to do radio presenting. I have such a deep, strong voice even if I can say so myself. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
Rafiat Kasumu: I was literally weaving history
The kente cloth of the Ashanti is one of the most recognisable African fabrics worldwide. We’ve seen kente dashikis, kente wax print and now kente graduation stoles. Rafiat Kasumu is a Nigerian-American who developed a love for kente while working with kente weavers in Kumasi, Ghana. Rafiat took this love to the next level by co-founding Kente Master which seeks to expand the international reach of Ghanaian kente weavers. Here, Rafiat schools us on international social impact and the importance of maintaining the tradition of kente weaving. What was the spark that lead you to start Kente Master? Kente Master started as an idea amongst a group of my peers and I who participated in University of Pennsylvania’s joint International Development Summer Institute (IDSI) with KNUST in Ghana. While I was in undergrad, I was fortunate enough to be one of 15 UPenn students selected to go. There, I was placed in a small group of students who worked directly with local kente weaving associations daily to help scale their businesses and practices. It was a life changing experience! Thanks to it, I fell in love Ghana’s culture and history. The most profound moments of this experience were when I heard about the history of kente from the weavers themselves. I witnessed it’s traditional production from thread to final product, and got to try my hand at weaving traditional kente cloth. I was literally weaving history and this was the spark! Learning about the significance of kente –down to the meanings of colors and patterns– really opened my eyes to how important this craft is. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to be a part of the movement to expand this craft internationally. Not only the significant story of kente needs to be spread. International social impact might be a new term to some, what exactly does it mean? Sure, “social impact” is a broad term that has been used a lot over the years by different organizations and within different contexts. Because of this, the definition of social impact is continuously in flux. It is really determined by that institution in that given time. Kente Master is a social enterprise that promotes African entrepreneurship by servicing premium Kente graduation stoles to major universities abroad. For us , “social impact” is the positive impact an action has on a community or society. At Kente Master, we create international social impact through the connections we facilitate between local Kente weaving associations in Ghana and top universities in the United States. These connections provide greater opportunities for local entrepreneurs to scale their craft and businesses. With the influx of inauthentic and over-priced kente textile merchandise coming from China and other non-traditional manufacturers, these opportunities are essential for local Ghanaian entrepreneurs. What steps do you take towards economic self-empowerment for the weavers you work with? As I mentioned, Kente Master is all about economic self-empowerment of the artisans and weavers we work with. As an organization, we do not change any of the current business practices of the various weaving associations we work with. Rather, we give them an online platform as well as resources to market and sell their products and goods globally. Economic self-empowerment of the weavers is also tied to the fact that they are still able to use the traditional weaving methods of kente. These methods are passed down from generation to generation. For weavers, self-empowerment is the notion of knowing they can continue their craft the way their ancestors taught them as well as knowing that their clients value these traditions. Share with us a brief history of kente weavers. Is the tradition as prestigious as it presumably was in the past? Sure! To understand the history of kente weavers, you must first understand kente itself. Kente cloth is the finished product of a traditional form of weaving that originated in Ghana from the Ashanti Kingdom. It is a fabric made of interwoven silk and cotton strips that has a really unique texture. According to Ashanti legend, centuries ago the first piece of kente was sewn and was given as a gift from two weavers to an Ashanti king as a symbol of royalty and wealth. Since then, the brightly woven kente has been passed down through generations of esteemed royal families, with each symbol and colour standing for a particular meaning. As the years went by, kente became widespread beyond royalty and was used to mark important stages of life in Ghana, such as weddings and baby naming ceremonies. Today, its significance to these important passages of life has transcended both continents and cultures. Kente stoles are now, among other things, seen as a wearable staples of a collective heritage in the United States. In Ghana, the craft is as prestigious as it was in the past, as skilled artisans still customize kente for important ceremonies. Abroad, we found that though people may wear kente stoles at graduations, many may not know the origin or creation process of the cloth. Kente Master was created to solve this critical gap so that students at universities abroad understand this unique tradition and know that their stoles were made in Ghana. Who are the clients that go for Kente graduation stoles? Great question! Some of our past customers have been the black cultural centers of universities and individual student organizations that identify with the African Diaspora such as multicultural Greek organizations, Black Student Leagues, or African Student Associations. But, we’ve also had clients that fall outside of these groups. Really, kente stoles are for anyone who wishes to stand out at their graduation by wearing a customizable piece of graduation regalia! Do you work with any universities in Ghana or other African countries? Yes! During its early stages, Kente Master was selected to participate in the World Bank-backed Kumasi Business Incubator (KBI) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This program equipped us with tools we needed to turn our innovative idea into a
8 skills you need to make money as a freelance transcriber
Working from home or remotely provides you with the flexibility to work whenever and however. Still, remote jobs should be approached with as much professionalism as a desk job. Here, SLA contributor Maureen Murori speaks to an established freelance transcriber who has been working remotely for the past seven years. Over the years, Sheeroh Murega Kiarie has not only learned what works best for her but has also been offering training and support to the newcomers in the field. From talking with Sheeroh, Maureen learned that essential to any transcribing job are listening, English language, typing, and research skills. Outside these, a new transcriber also needs to know when to work and when to take time off to relax. Sheeroh explains in detail how these skills can come in handy for an upcoming transcriber (or a stagnating one). Read on to get all the insight. What is transcribing and how did you venture into this field? Transcribing is the art of transforming audio into text. This is done through listening and typing out a speech or a narrative into a printed format. I had been a stay-at-home mom since 2008 when I gave birth to my daughter. Before then, I had been employed at a cooperative, but I quit to start my own business. After some time in the business, I felt like I needed a challenge. I mentioned this to my mom, who fortunately had heard about ‘typing jobs online’. I embarked on a journey to research on this. Luckily, on Googling ‘typing jobs online’, I got information on transcription jobs. The search led me to Odesk and Elance (online platforms that offer work to freelancers). Being a new area for me, I did a lot of research and read widely on the challenge. I later signed up and got to work. Are there a specific set of skills and strategies that one needs to succeed in this field? Yeah. There are four major skills. Listening: Very essential to transcribing is listening as it enables you to efficiently transliterate the work. Since transcribers deal with different accents, having a good ear for many accents will come in handy. English: Since most often one will be transcribing in English, having a good command of the language is essential. Many of the files we transcribe are from Native English speakers. For a transcript to be highly accurate, it is important that a transcriber maintains good grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Typing: You should type at least 35 words per minute (wpm). It takes an average experienced transcriber 4-5 hours to transcribe an hour-long audio or video file. The faster you can type, the more work you can handle. This skill can easily be improved through continuous practice. Research: A transcriber will typically deal with files that have technical or non-technical terms. This requires a lot of research, especially if one is not familiar with that field of work. For example, transcribers sometimes receive files that are IT-based. Every time that a transcriber is dealing with an unfamiliar field, they should carry out extensive research. Other than these important skills you have highlighted, what kind of tools does a new transcriber require? What are some of the managerial expertise that one need? Having the skills I have mentioned above is important, but there are other things to put into consideration: Tools of work: The first thing you want to get is a laptop or a desktop. It is also important to consider getting affordable and reliable internet connectivity and headphones. Ensure that you also get a comfortable ergonomic seat because transcription work can take hours and hours. You also need to install apps that help to clean the sound quality of the files. Lastly, Express Scribe is very crucial. This is a software that helps to ease transcription work. It is set in a way that the platform can allow listening and typing simultaneously on the same window. Time Management: Working from home can be very distracting. Distractions come in the form of children or the occasional visitor who wants to pop in for a chat. Transcribers also need to be conscious of the time they spend on social media. Preferably, you should log into social media platforms after work. It’s also important to have a schedule. Decide what time you’ll wake up and when you’ll call it a day. Having a work-plan increases productivity. Lastly, you should keep away from people who are out to waste your time with ‘cheap’ talk online, on the phone or at home. You can always do this after hours. One recommended tool for efficient freelance working is Time management software .The software helps you track the time you spend on different tasks, alert you when you get distracted by social media, and even alerts you when your computer is idle for a certain time. Once you practice using time management software, you will notice that you save lots of time every day and are being more efficient than ever. Work Management: A typical transcriber should wake up, check their emails and respond to urgent messages. Thereafter, you could start bidding for work on bidding sites or log in to whichever sites you are registered in. If it’s the latter, you will pick an audio file and listen to it to gauge whether you can transcribe it effectively. If you are comfortable with the file, it will be assigned to you. It is recommended that transcribers take periodic breaks to avoid back aches, shoulder aches and neck aches. Managing Clients: Freelance transcribers deal with all sorts of clients on a day to day basis. Most of them are sober-minded but once in a while, one can get difficult clients. You may want to read reviews of the clients written by other freelancers before applying for a job. No matter how hard-headed some clients are you should remain as polite and professional as possible. The lifeblood of your business is the repeat or long-term clients.The key to
Tebatso Molapo: Don’t do it for the fame
Before you came across SLA, chances are majority of the business people you saw were men. That was the case for Tebatso Molapo, a 20 year old dreamer and student who started Re Basadi (We are Women), a platform to showcase women-owned businesses. To Tebatso, entrepreneurship is not just about empowering herself but giving the people around her the opportunity to grow with her growth. Here SLA contributor Makalela Kgotlelelo discovers the history of Re Basadi and the challenges of inspiring others. How did Re Basadi come about? I founded Re Basadi late in 2015. Re Basadi a private organisation that aims to get women involved in business by giving them a platform to showcase their businesses. Re Basadi aims to tackle the socio-economic issues experienced by women. The early idea behind Re Basadi was to create a platform for women to get along and with its growth, I noticed a patterned interest in business involvement. I wanted to create a platform wherein women are given the opportunity to openly support each other. Re Basadi is currently running three projects. First there’s “A Part of Me” by Relebohile Majoro which is a campaign that collects and distributes sanitary towels to young girls who can’t afford then. Our second campaign is “Dress-A-Girl” which aims to provide dresses for young girls during their matric farewell (prom). The third project we are currently working on is the “What I Deserve campaign” by Pabalelo Matenchi. This campaign aims to get to women to declare what they want for the lives. Currently, Re Basadi also hosts Market Days where women showcase their business initiatives. On the first Market Day we hosted, we accommodated eight stalls and at our most recent we grew to 20 stalls. Why women? I am from a small town in the southern parts of Limpopo where a lot of the prominent business and brands are owned by guys. I noticed that gap and knew that it was something that needed to be filled. There are so many brilliant, hardworking women in my town and all over South Africa. I am a feminist at heart and it brings me so much joy to see women openly support and love each other. What challenges have met running Re Basadi and how did you handle them? Initially, Re Basadi was aimed at young women within my age group. But, after launching our Facebook page and hosting the first Market Day, we noticed we attracted a much older crowd. One of the most difficult challenges I’ve faced is being a 20 year old and having to tailor my platform for a more matured audience. Their interests are not similar to those of individuals in our age group. Another major challenge has been financial constraints. I am a student, and living on a student’s budget makes it difficult to execute some ideas I have for the organisation. I rely on my passion for what I am doing to keeps me going. Where do you see Re Basadi in the next five years? In the next 5 years, Re Basadi would have impacted the lives of Southern African women and it will be venturing into working in other African countries. Are you an indoors or outdoors person? Indoors. Spending time indoors gives me the time to meditate on my thoughts and my life. I am a low-key introvert. Spending time indoors with friends also gives me the opportunity to learn from them, we get to exchange thoughts and ideas in calm and quiet spaces. What’s your idea of a perfect day out? My perfect day out would definitely be feeding my caffeine addiction with a few friends. There will be good and mind stimulating conversation. What do you love best about Re Basadi? My favourite part of running Re Basadi are the conversations I have with other women about ways to move forward. The constant words of encouragement and appreciation from others helps a lot. There is also nothing more motivational than inspiring other people. I’ve seen the next person working on their lives because they are motivated by what I and other women are doing. For a long time, I wanted to do something because I wanted the popularity that would come with being great. After growing up a bit, I realised that fulfillment comes from being able to change someone else’s mindset on life. When you want something because you want to rub it in people’s faces, it will often be out of your reach until you learn humility. Don’t do it for the fame, do it with passion. Want to see women you know featured on SLA? Tell us what amazing things women are doing in your communities here.
5 ways to keep your clients coming back to you
I love writing, writing my plans, thoughts and even notes to God. Interestingly, most times it leads to me asking Him questions and of course getting answers…some of which I’d like to share with you today. This is a world of similarities. Multiple businesses offering pretty much the same product or service. Several businesses all scrambling for the same consumers. Not surprising then that one of the major questions on the minds of business owners is, “How do I keep my clients coming back to me for repeat business?” Just how does one keep clients from falling for the seductive ‘lyrics’ of competitive businesses?’ So here we go *drumroll* here are useful tips to keep your clients hooked heart, body and soul to your product or service. Keep track of your clients; with your business purpose in mind Remember as an entrepreneur, your major objective is to provide solutions. This means you need to be truly concerned about the people who currently need your solution –whether they know they need it or not. Being concerned about your clients should naturally lead you to keeping track of them especially with regards to the purpose of your business. Sounds like plenty English to me right now…time to break it down. Say you run a hair salon, your business purpose is to keep your client’s hair always on fleek. To do this, you need to keep track of your clients to ensure that their hair-dos always represent. This could mean sending that special client reminders to swing by your salon for a new do… the last one you did for her two weeks ago should be getting old and rough. In the reminder, you can even suggest new styles she can try based on her preferences and shape of her face and send pictures to her. What this does is give your client the feeling that you care for her and how her hair looks. She is not only reminded of when to change her hair-do but with time, she’ll stop thinking about her hair because she knows you’ve got her covered! You’ll remind her when she needs to come by, you’ll share styles with her and you’ll do them well. I don’t know about you but for me, this is one sure tip to keeping your client from even thinking of patronizing competitive salons. Know your thing and let your customers see you as an expert Do you sometimes compare your business to others in the industry? Do you notice the gaps between where you are and where they are? Don’t worry, it’s normal. This should not deter you or make you feel incapable of keeping your clients. The important thing to focus on as you try to close the gap is that “one thing” that attracted your current clients to you in the first place. There is something you are very good at…something that you are a tested- and-proven expert of. I can hear you asking yourself already, “But how do I know this?” Okay, imagine one of your current clients is talking with a friend about your service. What would be the biggest wow about your business that would make her friend say, “Oh I want to try this lady?” If you can answer this, congrats! You’ve found what you are the expert of! For one example, Banke Meshida-Lawal of BM Pro is amazing with making her client’s eyes POP!! Make it a point of duty that everyone that meets you, leaves with the conviction that you know your stuff. More importantly, that they feel a connection with you! People like to be in safe hands that they trust. Even if they try other businesses, as long as your knowledge is deep and there is a connection, they’d soon realize it and come back to you. Be humble and honour your clients You humble yourself when you know and act like the client is boss. This way you always desire to deliver excellent service to the client always. Even when the client is upset and spitting out venom, you should seek first to understand before sharing your point of view…if you really must. Offer your product/service in the way your customer likes and would feel respected. For example, prompt response to emails from clients, calling clients back when you miss their calls, creating offerings that fit their needs and preferences or even simply saying thank you for payments. Always speak respectfully to your clients and also about your clients, especially when discussing them with your staff. This is important because how you refer to clients when speaking with staff impacts the way they will speak to them in future. So if you say, “This client can be annoying”, the next time the client calls, your staff unconsciously has less patience with them. This can ultimately lead to the loss of that client. Don’t become a financial burden When you offer excellent customer service and are passionate about your clients and their development with respect to our business purpose, you will most likely create new and deeper relationships with them. Some of which even grow into friendships….this is really a good thing. However, at all points you need to ensure financial respect is maintained between you and your clients. No matter the relationship, avoid situations that make your clients feel they are patronizing your service because they just have to help you. It can be emotionally tasking and with time, they will run! Never download all your business and/or personal problems to clients so they feel obligated to help out. Clients may also feel obliged to patronise you if have lent you money that you can’t pay back. Talk about a messy situation. Be consistent Knowing your stuff brings clients to you and makes them feel safe. Being humble, respectful and keeping track of your clients ensures your business is top of mind for them and guarantees repeat business. Ensuring financial respect exists ensures all parties remain friends over time.
Nok Nora Duany Bassey & Aprelle Duany: We wanted South Sudanese children to access education
South Sudan is the world’s youngest country. Despite the ongoing conflict, it’s status provides many opportunities for business. Sister-in-laws Nok Nora Duany Bassey and Aprelle Duany joined forces to create The American School of South Sudan (TASOSS) in order to provide much needed high quality early childhood education. Nok’s background is in finance and Aprelle is a fashion designer but both wanted the best for their native and adopted homeland. Below the founders share their greatest challenges, hopes and advice for creating a business in the midst of conflict. Liz: Nok, can you tell me a little about how you came to leave South Sudan and live in the US? Nok: We left South Sudan immediately after the civil war started and came to Bloomington, Indiana where my parents were graduate students at the time. Even during that period, my parents remained really connected to the conflict and worked on the peace process. My dad used to spend six months in Kenya or wherever he could in the bush in South Sudan and then six months in the US to check on the family. I had three brothers and a sister so there were five of us with my mother. She did a lot of advocacy work with churches from the US but there was always a narrative in the household that, “When there is peace we will go home.” And that narrative stuck. So literally when peace came in 2005 after the CPA was signed, I went back after 21 years of being away. My father was already in Juba and we first went to the North, to Khartoum. I remember thinking, “Why haven’t I been here?” A Sudanese classmate from Georgetown was showing me around and everything was so developed. We spent Christmas there and I flew to Juba in time for New Year’s and when I arrived there was completely nothing. I remember getting into the back of a truck to go to my childhood home where I was born. There were no roads. Everything was still under construction. My father had been there for a week and was working to set everything up but it had been abandoned for twenty years. When he came back home they had a found a corpse there and many dead animals. Coming back, I remember this feeling of excitement but also of anger. I thought to myself that I would never go back to the North until I had played some part in developing South Sudan. Coming back forever changed me. I finished my graduate studies in 2006 and moved back to South Sudan permanently. Liz: How was the transition moving back? Nok: Of course it was difficult but it was such a mix of emotions. There was a lot of excitement. So many South Sudanese were moving back after a long time. Over 4 million people were displaced during the war so there was an influx of different South Sudanese from all over the world. Everyone was so encouraged and inspired. I remember drums beating at nights and elders telling stories. People were finally moving freely and everyone was happy. My mom would say, “This really is what peace is: freedom.” We were all building things from scratch and anything that you wanted to do in South Sudan was possible. My father would tell me, “If you miss something you had in the US ,build it here.” I was so inspired and encouraged seeing the work being done for us to have our own country. Of course it was also a big culture shock and it took time and patience to take everything in. Liz: What about you Aprelle? How was it for you moving to Juba? Aprelle: Moving to South Sudan was a difficult transition for me. I left my family and comforts of New York City to support my husband, who like his sister Nok, wanted an opportunity to redevelop his home country. As a new wife and mom, there were many cultural differences that I was not expecting. In addition to the lack of development and language barriers, the environment was difficult to ease into. Overtime, I began to meet new people and gain a better understanding of why South Sudan faced generations of challenges, which held the country back. South Sudan was not an easy place to thrive, but everyday I would meet people who were so passionate about changing the country into a place where they could call home, it was inspiring. At that time, I also began to appreciate the simplicity and beauty of life and I began to explore areas where I could also contribute. Liz: So once you were based in Juba, how did the idea to create a school come about? Aprelle: The school was inspired by my daughter Jinai. The idea became actualized over lunch with Nok, myself, and a few friends. Children in Juba were often isolated in their compounds without an opportunity to engage with other children, which is key to healthy childhood development. One of the things that I wanted for my daughter was a sense of community where she could play and learn. Additionally, Nok and I both benefited from education in our lives from a young age and we wanted to create opportunities for young South Sudanese children to access education. Nok: Yes, oftentimes, people were sending their kids to Kenya or Uganda for school. Young women like myself left kids with their grandparents in other countries. It was heartbreaking. We finally had peace and families were being split again after so many years of being unstable. There were not many schools to support kids in Juba. We initially decided to start a nursery school because Jinai needed one. We started with one classroom and one student. The first day we held an Open House and a few people passed through but Jinai was the only student enrolled for the first two weeks. So everyone was looking over Jinai saying, “Oh, she’s coloring!
4 things you need to know about social entrepreneurship
Before Jesse Williams’ woke speech and Kendrick and Beyonce’s performance at the BET awards, there has been a growing consciousness around business. Maybe like myself, you have been wondering about social entrepreneurship, a growing field in its right that is gaining gang attention. It has been hard for many to pinpoint exactly what a social entrepreneur is. However, there some things you can look at to be able to know the kind of business you are and if you stand a chance at being a social enterprise. It’s about people Social entrepreneurs, beyond the glory of coming up with an amazing product and service, are highly inspired by the people they are trying to assist. Their products and cutting edge solutions are a response to problematic issues in society no matter the sector. It is almost like having the heart of Mother Theresa but the drive of Oprah. Outside just trying to get that paper, social entrepreneurs ensure that they meet the needs and improve communities in the same vein. These businesses are motivated primarily by caring about social change and reaching as many people as possible. It’s about innovation Social innovators are always looking for solutions to pressing societal issues . As a result, they have to come up with new, sustainable and inventive ways to respond to these issues. Social enterprises move past the textbook responses and find ways to help people and these solutions should be long term. If people need food, a social entrepreneur won’t be thinking about giving out handouts but also about training them to have their own eco-friendly gardens so they could grow their own produce whilst protecting their environment. Ladies, you don’t have to be Florence Nightingale. But you can look for opportunities or approaches that have not yet been adopted in your market and implement them at home, hashtag thinking globally, acting locally. It’s about collaboration It just makes sense to do it with a squad. Social entrepreneurs not only build strong connections with people but also with other companies, entities or individuals to reach a greater number of individuals. Some social entrepreneurs are purely not for profit and so have to think outside of the box to ensure they are making waves in the community. This can’t be done alone. You have to look at others who might have the expertise to take your efforts further so you can get in formation. It’s about passion It would be awesome to help people, get cheddar and change lives. Yet it will be hard if you are not actually passionate about people or the solution you are trying to build. Social entrepreneurs are both community conscious and business savvy. So, you are bound to face challenges and constantly develop new ways to improve your enterprise. If you are not really into it, you are likely going to harm the people you are trying to save. So, if you know you care about business and driving social change concurrently more than pizza, you probably are a Motherland Mogul and a social entrepreneur.
DiElleCi: Working with sisters can be light on tough love
Diasy, Luisa and Cleo are Angolan sisters who are leaving their imprint on the blogosphere not just in English but Portuguese too. Their blog DiElleCi, a mash of their names, is becoming the go-to for advice on beauty, fashion and health. These sisters are all students, Cleo recently graduated with a degree in engineering, but find the time to give readers a peak into their lives. SLA reached out to them curious to know more. We learned that working with sisters is great but can be light on the tough love and reduces the need to micromanage. DiElleCi share more about running a bilingual blog, including what’s in their purses below. When did you start your blog? What lead you to it? We started our blog on February 10th, 2016 because we have always had a creative side. We also had the desire to do a project together. However, we noticed that as university students, the academic side of our lives was taking over the creative side that we very much exercised when we were younger. For that reason, we decided to create an outlet where we could share another side of us and our additional interests. Also we, as young African women, felt like we weren’t represented in social media, especially in the Portuguese speaking market. Have you faced any difficulties blogging in both Portuguese and English? Which of your audiences is bigger? The only difficulty we’ve had with running the blog in two languages has been ensuring that our voice remains the same both in English and in Portuguese, regardless of translation. So, it takes some time when translating posts since we need to add expressions for each language. But we are glad we have done so, since our biggest audience is the Portuguese one. Have you taken any special steps to grow your audience? Social media has been a great catalyst to the growth of our audience. Firstly, Facebook is great since almost everyone has an account, so we make sure to keep our Facebook page current and engaging. In addition, Instagram has been equally great since it has so many pages that cater to girls that share similar interests to ours. Because of that, we have been featured on some high quality pages and have seen more growth and exposure from them. Most importantly, we have made it a priority to remain consistent in both the frequency of posts and in the quality of content. How can a young African woman reading this start monetizing her blog? Blogs can be monetized in many ways. As a starting point for us, we decided to monetize our blog through affiliate links. However, we have noticed that it’s not the most sustainable option. We’re currently working on developing different ways to get a more sustainable return without compromising the overall brand. What is it like working together as sisters? Is there any conflict? Working with sisters is great because we share the same values and know each other very well so when conflicts arise, there are no issues in addressing certain situations. However, since we know each other so well and care about each other, sometimes it is hard to give much needed “tough love”. Above it all, the biggest benefit since we know each others weaknesses and strengths is that there is no need to micromanage, which makes task distribution easier. How do you find time to update your blog regularly as students? Being students has taught us about discipline and multi-tasking, so we have applied those attributes to our blogging routine. In addition, like we mentioned before, we separate our tasks according to our strengths and weaknesses. We have seen it has helps us save time and energy when tasks are well divided and only the best person for the job is in charge of a specific task. What’s the process of blogging like for you? How do you come up with content ideas? The process of blogging for us is very interactive. We have been very lucky because our audience has been very good at telling us what they like and what they want to see. Even more, we get inspired by our everyday routines and experiences and share what we think would be helpful or interesting. Most importantly, we gain inspiration by seeing ourselves as the audience and consistently asking ourselves what we would like to see. Can you share what’s in your purses right now? Wallet, student and Oyster card (for public transport in London), our blog planner, snacks, chapstick, a book we are currently reading, iPhone, portable charger and of course keys. What is the last song you played on your iTunes/iPod? We were just listening to the new Rihanna song ” Sledgehammer”. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Kah Walla: Starting a business in Cameroon is easier than before
Kah Walla is one of Cameroon’s most successful female entrepreneurs. When she started her consulting firm 20 years ago, she says she never stopped to consider how unusual, and challenging, it would be for a woman in her 20s to begin a business in Cameroon. Despite being a woman and facing the hurdles of the Cameroonian tax system at the time, Kah successfully established her consulting firm. Her company; Strategies is now across the world, serving both domestic and international clients, and draws in an average annual revenue of $500,000. Kah’s consulting firm, which makes over 90 percent of its turnover outside Cameroon. It offers services in leadership, strategy and organisational development to multi-national firms and development organisations. Kah’s business reach and outstanding impact throughout Africa, Europe, and the US, has given her recognition and many awards. In 2008, she was recognised by the World Bank as one of the seven women entrepreneurs working to improve the African business environment. Today, Kah says now is the best time for entrepreneurs, especially women, to start a business in Cameroon. This, given that Cameroonian laws now grant women new rights, such as travelling without male companions, opening bank accounts and registering businesses on their own, without their husbands’ consent. This is something which didn’t exist before. In the following excerpt, Kah shares more tips on starting a business in Cameroon. Do research: Know the country’s laws and what the people need Any entrepreneur willing to start up any business in Cameroon has to do some professional homework regarding the country’s business and tax laws, including general marketing analyses. You also need to know what the people really need in a bid to understand if your business project will be people-friendly. Cameroon’s business law is harmonized under the OHADA treaty like other countries in West and Central Africa, and is at face value gender neutral. But there are customary laws and traditional practices which sometimes disadvantage women in business dealings. So knowing the laws is a salient point to consider before starting out. Put down your plan on paper The next step in starting businesses at any level is creating a plan. You must create some kind of plan before going into business. Putting something down on paper will remind you of your objective and goals. Then you can continually develop this plan, but make sure to always have one from the get-go. At some point –even after you’ve started a business, return, rearrange things, and reflect. Just put your plan together first! Be proficient in the country’s two languages. Cameroon is a bilingual country with English and French as its two official languages. Any young entrepreneur who wants to succeed should know how to manoeuvre between English and French. Get the right information, meet and create the right network “Meeting and creating the right network is very important. There are many businesses that have not seen the light of day simply because they didn’t get the right information. Connect with people who have different strengths but are like-minded in their entrepreneurship and development interests. Being a business owner or entrepreneur can sometimes get lonely, particularly in the start-up phase. The government of Cameroon has been striving to assist entrepreneurs in setting up and running their own businesses in Cameroon through the One-Stop Pilot Centre. The Centre is one of out of the many other investing paltforms in Cameroon. These centres unite all administrative services for creating a business –including taxation, insurance, treasury and customer service. There are places where people can find out what documents they need to prepare and fees they need to pay in establishing their businesses. Any person willing to start up a business should go to these places to get the right information. These centres have eased the process of creating businesses in Cameroon, which now is supposed to take between three to five days.” Have the right mind-set There are certain basic mind-sets which are critical to becoming the ultimate entrepreneur. They include: Everything is possible, Passion first, We are connected, 100 percent accountability, Attitude of gratitude, Live to give, and The time is now. All challenges have solutions “All challenges and problems have solutions, and in order to be successful, one has to be innovative and creative. Successful business women must remember that everything is possible. When I started out in my 20s, I didn’t realize that the markets would be a challenge for me. But what I had was the will and desire to make it and to start my business venture. With that alone and my passion, I think I have been extremely successful in my life. Summarily, I will advise entrepreneurs to create businesses that provide what Cameroonians need and to welcome any challenges as added motivation for innovation. The keys to success are sticking to a plan, being creative, remaining optimistic and doing one’s homework. The Cameroonian government has made starting a business faster and easier here. So the time to start-up is now!”