Winifred Onyemaechi: I would like to be remembered as the lady who changed the face of farming in Africa
Winifred Onyemaechi is a farmer and the CEO Nature’s Kitchen Limited. She has a background in Business Administration and Management from the Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu. Winifred has also earned a certificate in Entrepreneurship Management from the Enterprise Development center of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos. With 8 years working experience in customer service and operations in the banking sector. Winifred recalls that when she was in banking, she barely had time for herself. This lack of time affected her food choices negatively. Often not having time to go source fresh meat to be slaughtered and cooked. This dilemma gave Winifred some insight into a gap in the market; fresh meat/ poultry which is easily accessible to families and people in the hospitality industry. This is how Nature’s Kitchen was born. She cites her major strength as her tenacity. “I don’t take no for an answer” in addition that she believes her other strengths include her ability to multitask and plan ahead. [bctt tweet=”when making decisions, I choose the option that scares me the most” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Who is Winifred Onyemaechi? Winifred Onyemaechi is a wife, farmer, agricultural entrepreneur and the CEO of Nature’s Kitchen Ltd. I worked in the banking industry for 8 years and then resigned to focus on Nature’s Kitchen. What is Nature’s Kitchen? Nature’s Kitchen is an agricultural business that produces and distributes meat/poultry to families people in the hospitality industry. We are dedicated to ensuring that our meat is processed under very hygienic conditions, compared to what is usually obtained in the local market/abattoirs. How did you find a gap in the market for this business? Nature’s Kitchen was born out of a desire to ensure that people /families buy and consume fresh agricultural products and bi- products, conveniently. When I was in the banking sector, I barely had time for myself. I would always prefer to make my meals with fresh chicken. However, it used to take me about 3 to 4 hours to select the chicken and have it slaughtered at the local market. When I chose to go to the meat shops the chickens they sold were either stale imported chickens or locally grown chickens that have been stored for more than 2 months- therefore losing its freshness. I saw this as a problem and started making enquiries about how people got fresh chicken and I realized that a lot of people faced the same problem as I did. So, when it was time to resign from the bank I decided I would in my own little way provide fresh chicken to families and individuals. We have since evolved from poultry to goat and snail meat as well. How do you make sure that your meat/poultry is of the highest standards? There are a number of things we do. We mainly conduct continuous staff training, because we aim to ensure that the highest hygiene standards are followed; from rearing to packaging of products. We have checklists that guide our processes. What are the three key business lessons you have learned since running Nature’s Kitchen? Patience: this is an important virtue in business. I allow my business to grow organically; business is like life- it has a natural flow to it. I have learned to have patience with staff, customers and suppliers, and even with the business holistically. Being involved: an agricultural entrepreneur has to be hands -on. One does not just invest money, delegate and supervise remotely. Learn and know the nitty gritty of it all. Our business requires our time. Courage: face whatever it is that seems like the hardest decision to make. For instance, when making decisions, I choose the option that scares me the most. That works for me. What are two main business challenges you have overcome while running Nature’s Kitchen? Debts from family and friends: in typical African, society, family and friends have an entitlement mentality; hence being able to get payments for services rendered is normally a challenge. I used to face this challenge as well among my extended family and friends. However this has been overcome as I have learnt to keep business and family separate. Handling pressure: I have learnt how not to be overwhelmed with the myriad of obstacles which emanate from both internal and external factors that impinge on the business daily. What is your three year growth plan for Nature’s Kitchen? Primarily, we want to quadruple production and distribution, both in terms of number and variants offered. In addition, we want to be a household name/brand in meat (especially poultry) production in the whole of Nigeria. What inspires you each day to keep running your business? In spite of the daily challenges we face, the daily feedback from satisfied customers on how our services help impact their lives positively keeps us going. In one sentence, how would you like to be remembered? I would like to be remembered as the lady who changed the face of farming in Africa. Facebook: @nature‘s kitchen limited Instagram: @naturezkitchen Do you aspire to be in the farming business? Let us know more about you and your story here.
Jobs – Finance Associate
The Role: She Leads Africa (SLA) is looking for a Finance Associate who will be responsible for our company’s accounting related functions. SLA is a premium media company for female entrepreneurs and professionals. We’ve built a community of 350,000 digitally engaged women across Africa and we are one of Africa’s fastest growing startups with features in Forbes, BBC Africa, Financial Times and CNBC Africa. Our ideal candidate is someone who is a self-starter and can thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. This role is located in Lagos, Nigeria and reports to the co-founders whilst liasing with other departments. Job Responsibilities: Responsible for developing and leading all aspects of the company’s financial management and financial reporting. Managing and generating invoices Making payments to 3rd parties; Following up on receivables; Managing vendor applications and banking processes; Managing our banking relationship; Preparing invoices and receipts to send to our accountants; Supporting our accountants to manage payroll process; Requirements: The ideal candidate will be exceptionally organized with experience using data management tools like excel. An accounting/ finance background is a plus. A desire and interest in building a happy and healthy team environment is key Degree in Accounting or related field; 1-3 years work experience; Advanced Excel proficiency is a plus*; Detail oriented and organized; Ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments and priorities. Application process: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://sheleadsafrica.typeform.com/to/UWJlOl”] Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to contact everyone who applies. We will not be able to answer additional questions via email.
3 key questions to ask when looking for the right banking partner in Africa
Finding the right banking partner in Africa Home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world, Africa has an abundance of attractive investment opportunities. Emerging market and developing economies are anticipated to grow 4.1% – far faster than advanced economies, according to the recently released Global Economics Prospect report, who also cite Ethiopia, Tanzania, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal as some of the fastest growing economies on the continent, and in the world. Tapping into the opportunities that come from that growth – whether as an individual or entrepreneur – will likely leave you in search of a dedicated financial services provider. But how do you go about finding a stable partner? We suggest asking these 3 key questions: What’s their strength & expertise? You need to assess whether they can they provide the required products adapted to Africa’s need, and if they have the financing to support your development if you’re coming to them as an individual or entrepreneur. What asset class do they work with and what segment do they service? Do they offer equity, mezzanine, or debt finance? The answer to these will help you decide if it’s the right fit for your business. It’s imperative that you feel confident in the stability and sophistication of their systems to manage any requirements your business might have. Assess the strength of their balance sheet – the stronger it is, the more likely they’re able to take on your project. Where are they located? Glocalization is key. You want a partner who has a global outlook, but with local expertise. Assess their footprint in Africa – and find out how expansive their presence on the ground is in the country you’re interested in. This extends to regional presence too if you’re looking to engage in cross-border transactions. Do they have an extensive network of bank branches and ATMs for you to access across the country or countries you plan to operate in? That physical presence means they’re likely to have a better understanding of the local landscape – with 54 countries in Africa, each environment is unique, and you want a partner who is able to help you navigate through it. How accessible are they? Embracing the digital revolution is no longer an option for financial services providers, with online banking playing a critical role in delivering innovative products within the globalised business environment. While not all banks have adopted a digital first mindset, most offer basic electronic facilities that allow you to access your accounts online, whether personal or business. But what about more advanced business needs – are the systems efficient enough to bank manage complex transactions like managing liquidity across a range of local and foreign currency bank accounts?
Dark and Lovely Beauty Accelerator – Terms and Conditions
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] 1. The Promoters for The Dark and Lovely x SLA Beauty Accelerator (“the Program”) are Devorent Nigeria Limited (“She Leads Africa “) and L’Oreal South Africa (Proprietary) Limited (“Dark and Lovely Africa”) (collectively, “the organisers”). 2. The 2018 Dark and Lovely x SLA Beauty Accelerator (the“Program”) begins on 31 August 2018 and ends on 8 December 2018 (“Program Period”). 2.1 The Program consists of 3 (three) phases, namely: 2.1.1 The Application Phase: 31 August 2018 – 21 September 2018; 2.1.2 The Judging Phase: 24 September 2018 – 25 September 2018 2.1.3 The Program Phase: 1 October 2018 – 8 December 2018 3. By participating, all participants agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions and the decisions of the Judges and/or Organisers, shall be binding and final on all matters relating to this Program. NOMINATION PHASE 4. ELIGIBILITY: 4.1 Employees, board and committee members of the Organisers, their respective affiliates in respect of the Program, their parent companies and subsidiaries, agents, distributors, sales representatives, advertising and promotion agencies and the immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each of the foregoing are not eligible to be nominated for the Program. 4.2 Participants who wish to enter the Program (“Participants”) must be residents of Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria or South Africa who are in possession of a valid identity document. Businesses must have at least one woman aged 18-35 as a shareholder or owner, have been in operation for less than 3 years and have received no more than $50,000 in total investment; 4.2.1 must submit their application at www.sheleadsafrica.org/beauty; 4.2.2 complete, accept the terms and conditions and submit the application form at the abovementioned website by no later than 11.59pm WAT on 14 September 2018 (the Closing Date). Entries received after the Closing Date will not be counted. This also includes submission of the business’ pitch deck. 4.2.3 Applicants may apply for themselves or apply for someone else, provided that the Applicant has obtained valid consent from the Participant; 4.2.4 One entry per person. Bulk, automatically generated or third party entries are void. 4.2.5 Participants who are selected as Finalists must be able to supply up to three (3) references who can be contacted to verify the scope and extent of the Participant’s activities. References should be persons familiar with the business activities for which the application is made and should not include the Participant, or any person related to the Participant i.e. family members. 4.2.6 Potential nominees are subject to verification of eligibility and identity, which may include a background check and completion of any documentation required by the Sponsor to complete such background check, the results of which must be completely satisfactory as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. 4.2.7 Entries which are unclear, incomplete, and illegible or contain errors will be declared invalid. SELECTION PROCESS 5. SELECTION OF FINALISTS: 5.1 The selection will take place in two phases, namely She Leads Africa will narrow down the applications to the top 20 and then together with Dark and Lovely the top five will be selected. The judging will based on objective judging criteria listed below 5.1.1 Solution (20%): Is the company’s product solving a major problem or pain point for the customer? How well does the solution address the problem? Assessment of the proof of concept and product/market fit. 5.1.2 Team (20%): Assessing the team’s competencies, is this the best team to solve the problem the business is attempting to be the solution for. 5.1.3 Traction (15%): Is there proof of existing customers and revenue generated to date 5.1.4 Scalability (15%): Does the business demonstrate a significant capacity for future growth 5.1.5 Market size (10%): Is there a large addressable market for the company’s product? 5.1.6 Clear growth strategy (10%): Feasibility of the milestones identified by the company for the next 6 months 5.1.7 Unique Value (10%): The company’s product’s edge over other similar products 5.2 The organisers will contact the Selected Participants via e-mail by 20 September 2018. Should the selected participant not be contactable by the organisers after three attempts and by 12h00 WAT on 22 September 2018, the Selected Participants shall forfeit the program and the organisers will be entitled to select a different Selected Participant on the same conditions, except that the organisers will make only one attempt to contact each further name selected until Selected Participants are confirmed. 5. 3 Selection decisions will be communicated via e-mail by 01 October 2018. 5.4 All decisions of the Organisers regarding the Program are final and binding on all Participants and selection of all Winners is within the sole discretion of the Sponsor 5.5 If selected, Participants are required to participate and fully attend every part of the program, this includes but is not limited to; the week long boot camp in Johannesburg, weekly check-in calls, bi-weekly mentorship calls, completion of tasks given by the Organisers, final pitch week and Demo Day. 5.6 Should the entrant be selected to participate in the program, she undertakes to expeditiously provide to the organisers such information as may be required in order to establish her identity and eligibility to enter the competition, and to facilitate the coordinating of the prize. 5.7 The Selected Participants agree to keep all details they acquire during this Competition private and confidential until such time as the Organisers advise that they may disclose any such details. 5.8 Each entrant agrees and consents that the Organisers may run any background checks it deems necessary in relation to the Competition. 5.9 Selection for the program is non-transferable and there are no cash alternatives to the program in whole or in part. 6. OWNERSHIP OF SUBMISSIONS: 6.1 Acceptance of application constitutes the Participant’s’ consent to give the Organisers and its affiliates a royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, create derivative works from, and display such applications, which includes but is not limited to the Participants images, videos, voice recordings, personal information submitted , the
Jobs – Instagram Associate
She Leads Africa believes in the power of young African women to build amazing careers and businesses, serve as community leaders and influencers, and eventually take over the world. Our MotherlandMoguls, as we affectionately call them, are the reason we exist – to provide them with more inspiring and educational content to help them live their best lives. We’re looking for an Instagram guru who’d like to join us in building She Leads Africa *to become the* number one destination for smart and ambitious African women. This role is only open in Lagos, Nigeria and Cape Town, South Africa only. Reporting Structure: The Instagram Associate will report to the Head of Digital Content. Responsibilities: Be proactive about ensuring that SLA is a part of important conversations related to African women, business, career, and life Grow the number of Instagram followers and page engagement Lead weekly strategic meetings on content direction on the Instagram platform Establish and deliver community engagement goals on a weekly and monthly basis Utilize data and analytics to drive decision making and advise social content and editorial decisions Oversee social content production and editing every week Develop new concepts and series for the community and seek out contributors Listen to our users and encourage dialogue on our platforms. Requirements: The ideal candidates will have an interest in building, growing and scaling communities. You don’t have to have official work experience doing this kind of work but we want someone who is passionate about digital content and can learn quickly. If this role is for you, you’ll be excited to work in a fast-paced environment and committed to working until the job is done. Specific requirements include: Intellectual curiosity and an interest in learning new skills Excellent English writing skills and the ability to adopt and change your style of writing Experience in building and growing communities across markets using a variety of content, marketing, and partnership strategies Knowledge of digital marketing strategies Social media savvy and being up to date on current trends Able to deliver on metrics-driven results and an understanding of analytics Graphic design and video editing skills are a major plus Benefits: Entry level salary with commission Opportunity to travel across Africa and interact with Africa’s leading voices and entrepreneurs Work with a moderately fun team who’s just tryna change lives and help women get that schmoney. Applications close on April 27, 2018. Submit your application materials here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfih3X0d2u1uYJAYYzf9kVzy9rvxaLmtw7ehMnEGyQ3EF6TzA/viewform”] Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to contact everyone who applies. We will not be able to answer additional questions via email.
Jobs – Head of Content
She Leads Africa believes in the power of young African women to build amazing careers and businesses, serve as community leaders and influencers, and eventually take over the world. Our #MotherlandMoguls, as we affectionately call them, are the reason we exist and expanding – to provide them with more inspiring and educational content to help them live their best lives. We’re looking for a digital leader who’d like to join us in building She Leads Africa into the number one destination for smart and ambitious African women. This role is only open in Lagos, Nigeria and Johannesburg or Cape Town, South Africa only. Reporting Structure: The Head of Content reports directly to the SLA cofounders and is a member of the senior management team. They will also be responsible for managing a team of 3-4 direct reports. Responsibilities: Specifically the Head of Content will: Grow the digital footprint of SLA across our website and social media followings Develop new content ideas for the website and social media including multimedia and downloadable options Track and monitor weekly visitor analytics and ensure monthly growth Manage digital team employees including the social media, video and email managers Be responsible for all digital programming on social media including twitter chats, webinars, facebook q&as, snapchat takeovers, etc Identify, recruit and retain high quality contributors for our platform Work with the business development manager to develop content ideas for brands Proactively identify revenue generation opportunities Listen to our users and encouraging dialogue on our platforms Requirements: The ideal candidates will have an interest in building, growing and scaling communities. You don’t have to have official work experience doing this kind of work but we want someone who is passionate about digital content and can learn quickly. If this role is for you, you’ll be excited to work in a fast paced environment and committed to working until the job is done. Specific requirements include: Excellent English writing skills and the ability to adopt and change your style of writing Experience in building and growing communities across markets using a variety of content, marketing and partnership strategies Knowledge of SEO and digital marketing strategies Social media savvy, including Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram and up to date on current trends Able to deliver on metrics-driven results and an understanding of analytics Graphic design and video editing skills are a major plus Benefits: Competitive salary with commission Opportunity to travel across Africa and interact with Africa’s leading voices and entrepreneurs Work with a moderately fun team who’s just tryna change lives and help women get that schmoney Applications close on July 10, 2017. Submit your application materials here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://sheleadsafrica.typeform.com/to/QIXAJA”] Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to contact everyone who applies. We will not be able to answer additional questions via email.
Jobs – Finance Manager
The Role: She Leads Africa (SLA) is looking for a self-motivated, Finance Manager to help execute all of our financial goals. SLA is a premium media company for female entrepreneurs and professionals. We’ve built a community of 350,000 digitally engaged women across Africa and we are one of Africa’s fastest growing startups with features in Forbes, BBC Africa, Financial Times and CNBC Africa. Our ideal candidate is someone who can oversee all our financial functions, perfect our financial strategies, and shake the money tree real good! This role is located in Lagos, Nigeria and reports to the co-founders. Job Responsibilities: Responsible for developing and leading all aspects of the company’s financial management and financial reporting. Defines standards, policies, procedures, and measures to meet the company’s financial goals; Creates and maintains a variety of performance metrics and dashboards to ensure the optimal finance operation of the business; Conducts financial analysis and makes reports to co-founders, senior team members and investors; Manages cash flows, forecasting and all financial accounting activities; Maintains banking & accounting Relationships; Manages the company’s financial reporting process; Leads financial administration, planning and budgeting activities; Drives financial strategies to mitigate risk and loss; Ensures the company is compliant with tax authorities, understands the tax requirements, and optimizes tax obligations within compliance. Requirements: The ideal candidate will be exceptionally organized with experience using data management tools like excel. An accounting/ finance/ consulting background is a must. A desire and interest in building a happy and healthy team environment is key Experience in finance, business operations, or management consulting; ACCA, CFA, or ICAN certified; Financial modelling; Excel Knowledge of local tax remittances; Excellent communication skills; Tech-savvy; Detail oriented and organized; Self-motivated (Asks few questions and gets the job done); Prior experience working at startup is a plus*. Application process: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://sheleadsafrica.typeform.com/to/voOlkJ”] Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, we will not be able to contact everyone who applies. We will not be able to answer additional questions via email.
Valentine Mabaso: I am a warrior, I got scars to prove it
[bctt tweet=”I aspire to help those with skin conditions and scars to see that their strength” username=”Rockscarsqueen”] …Shape, size and scars. These are some of the common insecurities that massacre every shred of confidence one can possess. Women feel the pressure to weigh certain kilos, have a particular melanin shade and definitely a clear skin tone. But trying to be something else is honestly a waste of who you truly are. You need to accept the areas that make you feel fragile and capitalise on your strengths. A beautiful soul called Valentine Mabaso embraced her own scars and now gives hope to all those who feel trapped by their skin conditions. This #MotherlandMogul is a Marketing Specialist by day and a Rock Scars warrior every day. Her aspirations are to help others see that their strength is written on their skin and to help them see the beauty in their scars. She lives with a chronic skin condition called Atopic Dermatitis and has been living with it for 10 years to date. The 23-year-old was born and bred in the rural villages of Limpopo and currently resides in Johannesburg, South Africa. Valentine has two awesome younger brothers and they were raised by a single mother who is Valentine’s number 1 cheerleader in her mission to change the world. What Rock Scars priorities are you focusing on right now? At this stage we are prioritizing on the following: To provide a platform and an environment that serves to empower and inspire people living with any form of skin condition or a scar of any kind. To restore self confidence in people of any age and gender, living with scars by providing support, networking, mentoring, encouragement and health care activities across the nation (particularly concerning skin disorders, cancer and scars of any form). Rock Scars also educates people about skin conditions. Do you do this personally or do you have professionals who conduct these sessions? We have unfortunately not worked with any dermatologist to date but we hope to have a professional assisting with that in future. I personally made thorough research about different forms of skin conditions, the common ones and those that are rare. I look at how they can be prevented and/or treated and how to live with them and then I share that with others. We call this Skin Condition Awareness and it is Rock Scars’ way of educating people about skin conditions. However, I always make it clear that our participants should in all cases seek medical attention with professional Skin Doctors. Also, as people come forward to share their stories about their skin conditions, I further research about the skin conditions and then create awareness about them, especially with our online communities. How do you tackle discrimination against the people you assist? I believe that no one is born with a discriminatory mind, such things are learned from people and events around us. If we can teach people especially those not directly affected by us and our scars, then we can change their minds thus tackle being discriminated. We teach people to learn to appreciate diversity and respect people who are different in any way. People may be disabled, transgender, dark-skin or have a different hair color, scars, stretch marks or a skin condition but the truth is, no one chose to be that way so why should we discriminate them. Rock Scars promotes dialogue on social media and during the events where we engage those living with skin conditions and scars and those who don’t. In as much as I wish to protect the people I assist against discrimination and negative remarks, I unfortunately, cannot be there for them all the time. This is why during the sessions or our 1 on 1 conversations I remind them that they are warriors. That way they will be strengthened and will stand their ground under any circumstance. I call them warriors not because I want them to feel better but because it is true. If you can survive a burning house, car accidents, cancer, and its many surgeries, live with a chronic condition for so long, why should words from someone you don’t know break you? I remind them that it matters NOT what others say. They should know that they fought bigger battles and won them and now they have the scars as medals to prove it. How do you respond when Rock Scars is held up as an object of ridicule? The best tool I believe in is education. Most people make such remarks because of misinformation, so the best way to correct such behavior is through educating them about our conditions. For example, I was told a lot of times that I must be HIV positive because of my skin and its scars. This example goes to prove that people can just look at you and make their own assumptions and conclusions. Through Rock Scars, I show people it is not ok to make your own conclusion just by looking at me. Often when we get ridiculed for what we do, I always remind people that no one ever voluntarily goes out there to get a scar for the fun of it. We try to make those ridiculing us understand that even if they are not infected they are probably affected in some way. They have someone in their lives who has a scar or is living with a skin condition. We are patient with those who do not agree with what Rock Scars does and let them know that in any case the same happens to them they are welcome to our family of warriors. To grow, do you advertise Rock Scars or do you rely on word of mouth? Why? I use every opportunity I get to promote the good work Rock Scars does. We interact with most people online and therefore use that as an advertising tool. It allows us to reach a large number of people across the globe instantly and it is cost
Emefa Quashie: From beauty queen to farmer and social entrepreneur
[bctt tweet=”Mamagah Farms is an agricultural social project run by beauty queen Emefa Quashie” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] It’s not every day that you hear the story of a beauty queen owning a farm. But the story gets bewildering when you notice that instead of just employing people to work on the farm (like some “modern” farmers do) she goes hands in and knee deep -getting her well-manicured nails in groveling dirt as she furiously uproots and plants, as she waters and nurtures and as she satisfyingly harvests and reaps. Meet Emefa Quashie. A present farmer, social entrepreneur and an erstwhile beauty pageant winner. When she’s not furiously uprooting and planting on her farm (Mamagah Farms), she is lost in her studies for her MBA in Marketing or running Universal ChildCare Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports needy children. SLA contributor Emma Kwenu Smith caught up with Emefa to get some insights on how to dominate in an unpopular agriculture career for modern young women and simultaneously use it to make a social impact. Tell us about Mamagah Farms. Mamagah Farms is a social project that mobilizes and empowers rural women farmers to adopt modern technologies in farming. We want to commercialize agriculture in rural communities in southern Ghana. Mamagah farms was established in 2015 with the main aim of empowering women economically through commercial farming and creating support schemes. These schemes create opportunities for smallholder farmers to improve their livelihood. Currently, we work with female smallholder farmers in rural communities within the Southern part of Ghana. Simply put: We farm, we train and we support. There are so many avenues for social entrepreneurship -why agriculture and what was the innovative idea behind Mamagah Farms? I was born into a farming community, and my mother was a small holder farmer so I spent a lot of my days on the farm assisting her. Unfortunately, along the line I grew up with a warped misconception about agriculture. Growing up in a rural community, I always thought farming was for the poor and uneducated -after all, many folks there turn to farming to be able to feed their families and also make an economic living. However, over time I came to appreciate the relevance of agriculture and numerous opportunities it presents to the youth. Mamagah Farms was born out of this realization. This is why I decided to take up farming –to send a message to the young women. Do you plan to diversify what you produce and expand to include other parts of the country? How are you preparing for this? With over 200 acres of land in the Volta Region of Ghana, we specialize in growing and harvesting in maize and pepper. Unfortunately, and as is the same with any start-up, not having enough funds can slow down plans of scaling up. We are pitching for investors and hopefully, we would be able to work at optimum capacity, making full use of the land. This way, we will be able to diversify our produce and grow a variety of crops to suit both local and international demands. Funding is everything especially for an entrepreneur who wants to leverage on technology to make farming simple and easier. There are plans to expand to other parts of the country and even West Africa. [bctt tweet=”Funding is everything especially for an entrepreneur who wants to leverage on technology” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How does your business as a social venture empower local women farmers? Mamagah Farms is just like social entrepreneurship project. We apply business principles to solve societal problems. What we noticed is that there is potential for rural women farmers to cultivate on a bigger scale and learn the best farming methods which would ultimately impact their economic livelihood. Realizing this, we use the profit from Mamagah Farms for investments. Apart from financially supporting these farmers to purchase inputs and commercialize their farms, we also partner with local organizations to provide training and extension sessions for these women. Most of the women who work with us are single mothers and while we want to fight poverty and promote empowerment, we want these women to have enough to afford to educate their children. An empowered woman means an empowered family and ultimately, an empowered nation. What challenges have you faced with Mamagah Farms and its related social projects? My biggest challenge has been reorienting the minds of the local folks. As hardworking as they are, the tradition has created a certain mindset towards change. A typical example is technology. When you suggest the use of tractors, some believe that using tractors may disturb the peace of their ancestors. With such a mindset, how can we grow? But it is not enough to recognize a challenge and leave it there. We take the women farmers through training programs, where we address these challenges. We show them concrete examples of how farming is done in first world countries and how we can get there. Culture and tradition can have a hold on people’s mindset, and it is important to give them the needed exposure in order to disabuse this mindset. Why should more women explore the prospects in agriculture in Ghana, and Africa? In recent times, women are defying the odds and taking more risks in their careers. Why should agriculture and agribusinesses be any different? Can a woman not own a 10,000 acre farm and work on it herself, while managing others to work as well? Agriculture has never been and is not a reserve of men. Our natural disposition as women makes us more inclined to be the better farmers, we are nurturing and detail-oriented. This is an important quality. There are several opportunities in agriculture we can take advantage of. From crop planting through to the distribution of produce, there are endless opportunities to explore. Food is a necessity. Africa has arable land and other resources, and there are always opportunities to meet the need for food produce. If you get such an opportunity, why say no? [bctt tweet=”Agriculture has
Trecia Makhubele: It is ordinary South Africans that will create jobs in SA
[bctt tweet=”Bohochic was born from a desperate need for financial stability” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Born in rural Mpumalanga in a small town called Bushbuckridge, Trecia Makhubele, co-founder of Bohochic, is a graduate from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for girls. In 2016, she went on to achieve her undergraduate degree in Politics and international studies. Trecia is currently a Penultimate year law student at Rhodes University where she tutors law first-yearear students and works as a law library assistant. Trecia is passionate about entrepreneurship and believes that it is ordinary South Africans that will be able to create jobs in SA. SLA contributor Jeanette Nkwana interviewed this young South African entrepreneur, this is how it went. How did Bohochic and your partnership with the co-founder come about? Bohochic, like most black owned businesses in SA, was born from a desperate need for financial stability. Rue, my friend and co-founder, and I found it difficult to go to residence trips to buy appropriate clothing for court visits and textbooks because our parents were just not able to provide us with everything that we needed. Instead of accepting our financial situation, we each started our own businesses, mine being Spiritus Mundi designs and Rue’s being Rude-soul chains, making jewellery. However,separately we were not making enough money to sustain ourselves. We then looked at trends and realised there was a growing fascination for crochet clothing. Having had basic crochet skills, we read blog posts and watched YouTube videos and soon we had a couple of designs. Once we were confident enough with the idea, we abandoned our businesses and used their respective profits to start Bohochic. What are some of the challenges of working with a partner and how do you personally deal with them? For some reason, we both work really well together and have never had any major fights to date. I think it’s all about finding someone you have a good chemistry with. Both Rue and I luckily found that in each other. [bctt tweet=”‘Good chemistry is important in a partnership – Trecia Makhubele’” username=”Spiritus_Mundii”] Another reason we hardly face any challenges in this partnership is the consistent brutal honesty between us. If for example, someone makes something ugly, the other is not afraid to speak up. The receiving party does not take it personally either. It simply becomes a laughing matter! This is perhaps due to the fact that we are also friends and thus know each other well. You value your academic career, how do you deal with the pressures coming from school and entrepreneurship? We made a pact that no matter how big Bohochic gets, we would not let it take up more space in our lives than our academics. At the beginning our timetables allowed us to split our times to ensure our academic lives did not suffer. Of late, the business has become too big as we are now doing post-graduate studies which requires more of our time. This has. undoubtedly, put a lot of pressure on both of us. We have decided to start a skills development programme in Grahamstown which allows us to teach a number of people how to crochet so that they can eventually come on board as our employees and do the actual crocheting. This will lessen our burden of making each order and help families like our own by way of job creation. [bctt tweet=”Bohochic is more than a brand dedicated to making money, we want to uplift our communities” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You are also a YouTuber, how has this helped with the success of Bohochic? Bohochic is more than just a brand dedicated to making money. It is about showing young people like ourselves that social media can be used to uplift ourselves and communities. Through our tutorials and videos, we hope to get people thinking. We want to show them that there are awesome business ideas that do not require large sums of money to execute. We have been able to fulfill this mandate through our YouTube channel as most of our viewers are students like ourselves. What is the most fulfilling thing about what you do? The financial independence. Nothing is more fulfilling than being able to buy a bus ticket to school or that ridiculously expensive textbook without having to put pressure on our families. What do you think your customers value most about Bohochic? The creativity that goes into the products we make. We do not just make crochet tops, we take the time to research and see what people are into and translate that into each crochet item. [bctt tweet=”Bohochic looking to expand from crochet tops and chokers to Bohochic Kids and Home.” via=”no”] What can we look forward to from Bohochic this year? Growth, lots of it. We have dedicated so much time to improving our craft. This year we will see the finalization and launch of Bohochic Kids and Bohochic Home. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.