Uganze Ude Kalu: Your Food Geek
Meet Uganze Ude Kalu a Restaurant Blogger and a Restaurant Visibility Builder. She studied Law at the Abia State University. She practiced a while before starting a new niche. Her “Your Food Geek” brand focuses on assisting diners to make informed decisions when it comes to dining out. Her recommendations have significant sway over her readers and where they have their next meal. In this interview with SLA, she shares on her journey and lessons since starting Your Food Geek. You operate quite a unique niche. How did you begin? Yes, it’s quite a unique niche, especially around here. Well, for as long as I can remember, I have always loved to eat out. So after years of continuously eating out, I was spurred on to create a guide for the next person. A guide to assist diner owners makes informed decisions on dining out, thereby getting value for their money. A lot of diners do not know about the existence of so many restaurants, because these restaurants are not visible enough. The restaurant industry is fast becoming a competitive one. With lots of competition and rapidly changing trends in the business, it becomes tough for them to stay at the forefront of customers’ minds. With the struggle to acquire new customers, to retain existing customers, every restaurant needs all the visibility it can get. And that is what Yourfoodgeek helps them to achieve. How did you make the switch from Law? Are there things from your Law background that help in your unique business? Truth is, I haven’t totally switched. I’m in between. Law is dragging me, restaurant visibility business is dragging me on the other hand. It wasn’t difficult getting into restaurant visibility because it’s something I love doing. I love the art of dining out, so I’m always encouraging people to go out and have a meal. While at it, I noticed a gap. A lot of people don’t know where to go to. They don’t have any guidelines as to where to go eat, how to get value for their money, the types of the restaurant out there based on what you feel like eating, the type of crowd you have and what the“occasion” is about. This is for the diners. And for the restaurants themselves, a lot of them do not have the type of visibility that they require. A lot of them. Some are just existing on their own, without a lot of people knowing about them. And this affects sales and profits. While some of them do not have the measures on how to treat your diners well. These were some of the gaps I noticed in terms of dining out, both on the diner’s side and the restaurants themselves. And that’s where Yourfoodgeek comes in. I assist both parties. As to things I learned from Law that are transferable to my business, maybe how to write and think logically. What challenges did you face and how did you scale through? My niche is quite a unique one and I needed to find my own voice. It was a bit of a challenge initially, but I pulled through by being consistent. With consistency comes acceptance. That is, people tend to “come round” when they see commitment and consistency. It simply shows them that you’re here to stay and not going anywhere. How would you advise a young woman wanting to start something but with no one in that business/industry to look up to? As with every kind of business, regardless of the niche, I will always advise it to be passion driven. Passion is the first thing to put you on the right path. Create a simple service Craft a marketplace for your niche Become the leading authority in the niche Be specific, distinctive and relevant Give us some tips to start a successful niche Find your passion and what drives you. Carve out a niche with the passion, and then drill down even deeper. Create value with the niche. Be consistent Are there any career opportunities in the restaurant visibility business? There is Restaurant Consultancy. When a restaurant is having trouble with some aspect of its business, its management can hire a Restaurant Consultant. As a restaurant consultant, you offer plans, advice, training, and support for the improvement of a restaurant. So someone might think this is just about eating out and hanging out in the cool places. How important is this niche to the average consumer? It’s beyond hanging out in the cool places. The restaurant industry is fast becoming competitive and this stems from the fact that restaurants are sprouting up like mushrooms on a daily basis. There are so many of them around. So every restaurant needs to be visible to be able to stay top on the mind of diners. On the other hand, people are beginning to embrace the culture of eating out, but they need a guideline. The average diner needs to make informed decisions when it comes to dining out, in other to get value for money. What’s the next thing for you? International partnerships? I’m looking forward to great partnerships, both local and international. I’m looking to form a formidable force and create more magic in my niche. What do you wish you knew earlier when you started out? I wish I knew the essence of believing in one’s dream, early enough. I struggled with believing in my passion, but when I eventually did I was happy. Final words to our Motherland Moguls To every female entrepreneur out there, all you need is to birth an idea from a place called passion. Believe in it, stay focused, stay consistent and watch it blossom/bloom. If you’d like to get featured on our Facebook page, click here to share your story with us.
Jobs – Marketing Outreach Intern (Abuja)
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 a Digital Marketing Growth Intern to ensure that all our MotherlandMoguls around the globe know about us, and have access to all our inspiring content and FREE resources. About the Marketing Outreach Intern Role: The Marketing Outreach intern will help grow the SLA community in both Abuja and Kaduna in preparation for our Lafiya Lifestyle Expo event on June 30, 2018. What Digital Marketing Growth Interns do: Manage Influencer and Organisation Outreach Manage Participant Outreach Help to manage content creation alongside the Marketing Manager Responsibilities Curate a list of up to 50+ influencers in the Abuja and Kaduna; Create communications to send to influencers with proposals for post swaps, promotion and ticket giveaways – target at least 10+ post swaps; Curate a list of up to 20+ media companies in Abuja and Kaduna; Curate a list of up to 20+ relevant women’s organisations and universities in Abuja and Kaduna; Create communications to send to groups with proposals for sponsored social media and/or radio and television promotion and ticket giveaways – target at least 5+ giveaways/promotions Draft 20+ Facebook and twitter posts to promote Lafiya Lifestyle expo weekly; Coordinate with the content team to have posts about Lafiya Lifestyle scheduled across all social media platforms Draft, send and track WhatsApp messages and emails to interest leads; Perform other similar tasks to help the Marketing Manager for Lafiya Lifestyle Expo, and; Assist the Program Manager on the ground on the day of Lafiya Lifestyle Expo Requirements: Based in Abuja Research skills Written communication skills Reporting Structure The Marketing Outreach Intern will report directly to a Marketing Manager through a check-in and check-out process. Submit your application here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbTszvEZmkMtx0EPzFQf-rviV-rsS4WflgQME7mk19Uu-2fw/viewform”] Please note only those successful will be contacted for interviews.
Jobs – SLAY Festival Business Development Intern
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 a Business Development Intern to assist in the planning and liaising with clients and vendors for SLAY Festival Johannesburg. About the Business Development Intern Role: The Business Development intern will help build the business development pipeline for SLAY Festival Johannesburg. Responsibilities Researching brands to host activations Developing pitch documents Identifying small businesses to serve as vendors Manage the vendor application and selection process Requirements: Ability to be based in Johannesburg for the duration of the Internship Minimum four-month commitment 1-2 years experience in a relevant field is preferred Skills including, but not limited to: + Research + Graphic design and presentation skills + Written communication skills Reporting Structure The Digital Marketing Growth Intern will report directly to their manager through a check-in and check-out process. Submit your application here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbTszvEZmkMtx0EPzFQf-rviV-rsS4WflgQME7mk19Uu-2fw/viewform”] Submit the application by Thursday, May 31st 2018. Please note only those successful will be contacted for interviews.
Jobs – Digital Marketing Growth Intern
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 a Digital Marketing Growth Intern to ensure that all our MotherlandMoguls around the globe know about us, and have access to all our inspiring content and FREE resources. About the Digital Marketing Growth Intern Role: The Digital Marketing Growth intern will help grow the SLA Instagram account in key target cities including Johannesburg, Nairobi, and Accra. What Digital Marketing Growth Interns do: Spread the word: Advertise and publicise SLA through conversation and interaction with our Instagram account. Act as a contact point between the SLA Team and our audience Give us feedback and new ideas. Connect with women and women groups in the target geographies and dominate their city. Responsibilities Engaging with our current followers in target cities Researching influencers and micro media outlets in target cities Developing creative concepts to boost engagement Running Instagram Lives and contests with local influencers Requirements: Minimum four-month commitment No specific job experience required No specific location requirement (i.e you can work remotely if you have a laptop and solid internet connection, however time zone aligned with WAT is preferred) Skills including, but not limited to: + Graphic design + Data analysis + Research + General understanding of social media trends Reporting Structure The Digital Marketing Growth Intern will report directly to one of the SLA co-founders through a check-in and check-out process. Submit your application here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScbTszvEZmkMtx0EPzFQf-rviV-rsS4WflgQME7mk19Uu-2fw/viewform”] Submit the application by Thursday, May 31st 2018. Please note only those successful will be contacted for interviews.
4 personal development skills you need to slay your first meeting: Don’t forget the handshake
[bctt tweet=”In a professional setting especially, it is important to display confidence at all times – @saweelar ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I cannot count how many times I have been told that I have a really good handshake! And most of the times, its men who tell me this. Perhaps its because they are not used to women having strong handshakes, in general – which, unfortunately, is quite true. The truth is, I have encountered handshakes from women that I can only describe as ‘watery’. The women seemed very shy and reluctant. But why? In a professional setting especially, it is important to display confidence at all times. It may just land you that job by distinguishing you from the rest. It’s the little things that we take for granted that make a difference when employers are making assessments of different candidates. Here are a few non-verbal cues you can start working immediately to get a step-up from the crowd and slay. 1. Maintain Eye contact We all want to talk to someone who pays to us! It may seem trivial, but it can really get distracting when talking to someone whose focus isn’t on you. Of course, sometimes, people may be shy to maintain eye contact. However, if you maintain eye contact with the person you are talking to, it shows that you are fully focused on the interaction and that are actually interested in what they are saying. This goes a long way in portraying you as a keen individual. If it doesn’t come naturally to you to maintain eye contact, you may have to cultivate the habit. Consciously remind yourself to keep your eyes focused on the person you are talking to. Start with close friends and family, and then slowly make it a habit that you can confidently apply to work. 2. Posture Posture has to do with the space you occupy in a room and how you fit into your surroundings. Having a straight upright posture makes you more noticeable and makes you seem confident in any situation (even if you might not be feeling that way). Quite often, our posture which is influenced by our emotions comes subconsciously. For example, If you’re in nerve-racking situations, your body will know how to place itself without you telling it to do so. So, train yourself to always maintain a good posture, despite what your body wants. 3. Initiating Contact Though this is not a must all the time, when you are in a situation where you want to impress or showcase your confidence, you would rather be the first to approach and engage. This act alone showcases your confidence and your proactivity. 4. The Handshake After you have done all the above things, the most important to remember is your handshake! Presidents, CEOs, and all people in power respect people with tough handshakes. Even President Trump is known for a strong handshake and sometimes accused of strong-arming people. German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “All credibility, all good conscience, all evidence of truth come only from the senses.” A firm handshake can very well present how confident you are. [bctt tweet=”Ensure that you don’t lose opportunities because of how you present yourself” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] “I learned that excellence is a habit and it should go into every detail of your work process- from how you type emails, speak, dress, react etc” – Heard during exit interviews at the SLA HQ. You about that life? Learn more here.
Mmakgosi Tau: Choose a cause that is closest to your heart
Mmakgosi Ophadile Anita Tau is a performing, recording and literary arts specialist who recently released her poetry single titled “Popcorns.” She recorded a Jazz ensemble album in Pretoria, South Africa with “It Has to be Jazz,” in 2016. Mmakgosi is currently a scriptwriter for the ‘Colors’ Drama Series which is in production. Previously, she was the Head Scriptwriter for ‘Property 4U Television Show’. Mmakgosi also co-founded Sekei girls and MO Scripts which are both Arts activism organizations. As a mental health awareness advocate, Mmakgosi fuses performing arts and film to sensitize people on mental health issues and social concerns. She also has an annual show, “Mmakgosi Live,” which raises awareness and funds for her initiatives. Mmakgosi loves travelling, networking, experiencing different cultures and sharing her truth through film. Her passion has seen her perform across Botswana, Zambia, and South Africa. What led you to becoming a poet? Destiny! My life is a composition of God’s gifts bundled up to serve humanity. Poetry is a medium that has cultivated my oratory skills, boldness, creativity, confidence and mental agility. I perceive poetry as my springboard, a channel that has pieced together the fragments of my purpose in life. My first poem was published at the age of ten and I have never put the pen down since. Art is the truth that enables me to live through words and create works that change lives. In art, there is no oppression or grief. There is healing, power and although personal, art has a ripple effect of impacting other people’s lives. I survived and overcame bipolar and depression through writing. It is through writing that I have found my purpose in life. [bctt tweet=”Art has a ripple effect of impacting other people’s lives – Mmakgosi Tau” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Tell us about the social impact you’ve created through your work. My art is a healing platform for every unspoken emotion that my fellow countrymen have been subjected to. It’s a collage of different art forms that enable artists to collaborate and generate income as a united front. Being vocal about overcoming bipolar and depression has catapulted me to platforms that reach masses of people. People from all walks of life can relate to my experiences and draw inspiration to rise triumphantly in the midst of their trials. This has allowed me to encourage and counsel those I speak to about mental health. It has also sparked conversations about patients, the mental health care system and policy refinement. Have people been receptive to your art or work? Yes, I find that the years I’ve spent writing, reciting and dreaming were all building my audience. My storytelling comes in the form of various art mediums and which have pleased the souls they ministered to. My short films have received positive reviews, so has the “Words Unspoken,” album and my latest single “Popcorns.” I cherish everyone who has granted me the opportunity to take them on a journey with my mind and words powered by the Holy Spirit. What challenges have you faced in an industry that is not popular in regards to our context? Firstly, as a professional poet, I found my art used to cost me more than it made me. Though people love poetry, not all of them consider the depth of its monetary, social and holistic intrinsic value. As a tool for social advocacy, poetry is an art that attracts those waging wars on social ills. Despite not feeling the gender disparities in poetry, I realized that there were few women writers and directors in the film industry. I opted to study this course because I wanted to bridge the gap and influence more young women to pursue careers in filmmaking. Thirdly, creating awareness for mental health issues is difficult when there are financial limitations. There are not many corporate social investment policies that fund mental health campaigns and tours. What fears did you overcome to get into the business? Taking risks, which I now do almost daily Rigorous networking Bearing my scars in their nakedness to the world Not being able to spend time with my family What were your biggest regrets and biggest achievements? My biggest regret was not attending the five international invitations I received in 2017 to perform and facilities workshops. It moved me to realize that my work has captivated the hearts of art enthusiasts around the world. Yet, I learned to accept the things I cannot change, and when I don’t have the strength to do that, it’s God I look to. I am a firm believer in my intentional God and know that my life is ordered by His authority. My biggest achievement was my first ever live show held on 8th September 2017. For a long time, I organized shows for people, performed for various audiences yet never once held my own exclusive poetry show of this magnitude. It is my greatest achievement because it signified my evolution from being a poet combating social ills. Botswana’s Minister of Health and Wellness, Honorable Dorcas Makgato, officially launched me as a mental health activist. The show was a fusion of poetry, film, music, fine art and fashion. I collaborated with various artists of great repute. I also made powerful connections that relayed my intentions to the people I was born to serve. What advice would you give someone who wishes to venture into creative arts as a business? [bctt tweet=”Recognize your value, gifts and potential before you expect the world to do that – ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Once you do, never sell yourself short for anything or anyone. Empower your mind, read and research about strategic tools that will position your brand purposively to your target audience. Don’t ever think like an artist when you handle business deals. I struggled with that for a while, when I had merchandise it always wound up as someone’s gift. Creativity is impulse and spirit oriented. What you give freely with your art is not a trait you need in your business. As a creative, choose a cause that is
Nnanke Essien: The Visibility Expert
Nnanke Essien is a visibility strategist and business transformation coach. She helps individuals with awesome ideas, products and services to get seen and found by their ideal clients. She does this using a 5 step visibility building process to build an effective and efficient visibility roadmap. Nnanke believes that the path to success is littered with awesome but poorly marketed ideas, hence her mandate is to support businesses find this sure pathway. She is a John Maxwell Certified coach, a HR professional and a visibility builder round the clock. She has been supporting start-ups and businesses since 2007 even through college. Why is it important to stay visible? If nobody knows you exist, nobody will buy from you. It’s really that simple, you must always find a way for your ideal clients to remember that you exist. We call it top of mind awareness. In other words, if at any point your client has a need, your brand name should be top of mind. How can brands stay visible despite strong competition on social media? Truthfully, social media isn’t going anywhere and the earlier business owners understand this and take ownership the better for brands. Firstly, to stay visible, brands must adhere to a stellar mindset. Beyond this, brands need clarity on why they are in the business. This is in terms of the business mission, vision, values, identifying their business playing field (niche), their core message and their brand positioning on the value chain. Brands also need clarity on their ideal clients. Who are the people whose lives and businesses will be transformed by virtue of the fact that this business exists? Understanding the client’s exact needs, desires, challenges, what they need to transform, lifestyle, spending power and motivation is key to business visibility success.Finally, brands can also stay visible by authenticating their authority in the market. Having consistent, attractive and meaningful bio’s on their social media platforms can contribute to this. Their bio must contain relevant information on who the brand is. Also, nurturing communities i.e groups, leveraging on content and becoming an information reservoir for clients can be a great way of authenticating authority. In all of these, consistency and building revenue generating models, systems, processes and assets are key to success and visibility. What are your top three tips for business owners to incorporate into their brands? Have a consistent brand voice and visual appeal that is easy for people to spot and recognize. Focus on building relationships using KLT (Know, Like and Trust) techniques like live videos, Instagram stories, guest appearances et al. Leverage on content that your ideal clients need. How can women balance putting themselves out there while not appearing too forward? Woman know what you want. Don’t do things out of compulsion or pressure. The woman you buy shoes from didn’t shy away from her calling, the woman who sells human hair didn’t shy away from her calling. Recognize your hustle. Validate it! Look for a group of persons or coaches and mentors who can help you identify your hustle, find your sweet spot, stay there, flaunt it and own it. What do you wish more entrepreneurs knew about today’s changing marketplace? I wish they would spend more time actually researching than copying and wasting endless time doing idle and non-income generating activities. Behaviors are changing. The spending power of your ideal clients is changing. Algorithms on all the social platforms you are using are changing. [bctt tweet=”Spend more time researching, strategizing, building systems and processes that will stand the test of time – @gnnanke” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What is the next step for you in 2018? I want to have intentional positioning. This will include focussing on my visibility cure show and collaborating with industry veterans. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Chantal Fraser: When I switched careers, I began looking at design as more than just a hobby
Chantal Fraser is a fashion designer and house singer based in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She started her fashion label Chante Clothing in 2010 as a side hustle and transitioned it to full time in 2014. Her clients comprise of everyone from local celebrities, to brides and bridesmaids and any young lady wanting to look chic and well put together. Chantal also works with locally based international brands like Edgars which is part of the Woolworths Group of companies. Following the family tradition, Chantal finally decided to venture into music in 2017 and released her single Better than Yesterday. When did you fall in love with fashion? I’ve always had a passion for it since I was young – like seriously young. My passion started with creating beadwork and eventually sketching fashion ideas. What gave you the courage to pursue Chante Clothing full time? Passion full stop! My passion was burning so much that I just could not ignore it. I was miserable, working and doing other things. Even though I was getting paid well, I just didn’t have the passion. I said to myself, if others can dive into their passions and do it, why can’t I? What setbacks did you have during that transition period? Definitely, finances. I was jumping into an unknown business. Yes, I had passion but obviously, I was still trying to weave my way through it. In addition, I had to patiently grow my clientele which took a lot longer than I anticipated. When people are committed to their designer you know that’s it. It is hard to convince them to try someone new. Before setting up Chante Clothing, what were you doing and how did it help you later on? I was doing accounts. I hated it! But for some reason, I’d find myself doing accounts in jobs. But when I did switch careers, I began looking at design as more than just a hobby – but a legitimate way of making an income. This made establishing the business easier. Do you feel like there are enough structures that help women build a business? Yes and no. There is still a mindset that it depends on what the trade is. Some people don’t look at design as a business; they still see it as a plaything. But if there are women seeking financial assistance for something like chickens they are able to source funds much easier than us. I believe that there is a bias against fashion to some extent. Have you had any mentors help you in your entrepreneurial journey? Yes, I have. I’m privileged to know loads of people in the same business as me. My fiancé has been in the fashion industry much longer than I have. Since we collaborated on C and C Clothing, I have been able to learn a lot from him and his support. I also have friends who helped me learn to sew. While I did have the passion, I needed to acquire the skill. This led me to camp at a friend’s house and eventually learn how to sew. I really appreciate her for doing that for me. What has opening a business taught you about yourself? It’s taught me that I can have discipline when it comes to money lol. Initially, I didn’t think I would be this disciplined, but opening a business had really exposed me to some of my strengths. [bctt tweet=”Fashion fades but style never fades – @chanteclothing ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What do you want Chante Clothing to represent as a brand? I want it to represent elegance and style. It’s about bringing out the inner you. It’s about genuinely feeling confident and beautiful and not conforming to what people say is the latest trend. That’s what my business is all about! Who are your style or fashion icons? I really like David Tlale and his tenacity. Dolce and Gabbana are also inspiring as they are a team like my fiancé and I. We look up to them. If they can do it, so can we! You currently have a single out, Better Than Yesterday. How did you get into singing and why a motivational track specifically? My parents are actually musicians, they had a band ages ago. I didn’t choose music, music chose me! It was in the blood! I’ve always had the passion and have been singing from forever. When I released my track, I chose motivational music because there’s a world out there that is extremely confused. A lot of people do not know who they are really. If media says this is the style everyone moves to that. No one has a backbone to stand on. So, with my motivational music, I hope to inspire people to be who they are no matter what situations they are going through. The themes vary but basically, it’s about you being you being proud of who you are! So where did you get your obviously innate sense of confidence? I think I got it from my parents (Not I think, I know!) and especially my mum. She was a very bold person and I learnt a lot from her. I was fortunate to have parents that allowed us to be who we wanted to be. No matter what you wanted to do they supported you all the way. What advice can you give about being true to yourself and following your dreams? Every child is born with a dream, and as time goes on, people that surround you can slowly discourage you. Don’t forget what that first love was. Go back to it and don’t allow anyone to stand in your way. Even if it seems hard just keep going, keep at it because at the end of the day, that’s what you were born to do. There’s nothing as depressing as doing something because it’s a trend or because family is pressuring you. Misery is the most disheartening thing ever. Indulge your passion and you’ll get there eventually. How do balance two careers (and
Jobs – Operations
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]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 operations whizkid who wants to ensure that we find and retain the best people, give them the best tools and the best environment so they can do their best work. This role is open in Lagos, Nigeria. Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the co-founder and will work in a team of 2 with medium term opportunity to manage junior team members depending on abilities. Responsibilities for Operations department: A. Find the best people Establishing SLA as an employer of choice using on and offline strategies Being able to work with units and quickly understand their people needs Developing clear and nuanced recruiting pipelines that differ by role as appropriate Ability to manage a hiring process including developing innovative and interesting interview processes, screening candidates appropriately B. Retain the best people Implement a data driven performance management system that isn’t cumbersome on team member’s time. Implement an onboarding processes to quickly bring new hires up to speed Consistent research to ensure we stay up to date with the market C. Best Tools Identify and recommend tech tools that could be used to improve efficiency across business units e.g. Slack, Wunderlist etc Work with business units to improve processes and efficiency D. Best Environment Design initiatives to improve team work, employee morale and motivation 10 signs you’d be a good fit for this role You like coming up with unusual and creative ways to solve a problem You’re good at getting the necessary information from people and know the right questions to ask to You have the ability to implement new systems and procedures and then evaluate their effectiveness You prefer to make your decisions based on data rather than feelings or intuitions You’re comfortable using reason and logic to identify the strengths and weaknesses of multiple options and then weighing these to determine which option is best. You’re able to clearly explain the logic and thought process behind your decisions You’re thoughtful and have close attention to detail You are very curious and always want to know why something is happening vs. just accepting that it is what it is You go out of your way to learn new things including online, reaching out to experts even if you don’t know them. You have the ability to analyze, organize and prioritize work while meeting multiple deadlines Benefits of working with SLA: Opportunity to shape and mould a new organisation Opportunity to work independently and develop your leadership skills Opportunity to come up with creative and innovative ideas and then actual implement them Opportunity to influence high level strategic decisions Work with team that’s all about results not how much face time you put in at the office Work with a moderately fun team who’s just tryna change lives and help women get that schmoney. Submit your application materials here: [typeform_embed type=”embed” url=”https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScmv_xc5QMp4HnWXsQ-9zDoFi8ToCEvOuWWFHkcCk7-5uZ0fw/viewform?usp=sf_link”] 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.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Alice Gathekia: Young People Need to Step Up and Take Their Rightful Place
On Paper, Alice Gathekia is the perfect match for any legal department in corporations. She has worked for the Law Society of Kenya and with COMESA Court of Justice. However, despite her consistent efforts dropping her application in town, she remains unemployed. She founded Kenya Youth Professionals with fellow youths that were facing the same plight in an effort to fight for better employment for young people. Why does the youth need to step up now? “Our government had promised about 30% of employment slots to youths in their campaign manifesto. This includes formal employment or tender allocation. It is time we held them to their promises.” She says. Alice is the deputy director of Kenya Youth Professionals (KYP) and has petitioned the members of National Assembly on the issues that plague the youth in general when seeking employment. This includes a reduction in experience in the job descriptions put out to give the youth a chance. She is also keen on getting a youth-friendly Principle Secretary in the Youth Docket to deal with Youth Affairs, and reduce the amount of government certification is needed prior to an interview. When asked the major issues that have inhibited youths from getting jobs, she says without hesitation that the absence of generational change is a major cause. It has impeded the youth from accessing opportunities ideally designed for them. The advanced retirement age and the scarcity of jobs leave the incoming youth out of the employment slots given that there are genuinely no jobs to go for. The lack of mentorship has also led to the degradation of the employment scene. This scarcity accelerates corruption as well, which, to be honest, is really a buzzkill in Africa’s economy. [bctt tweet=”It is time for the youth to step up and take their rightful place ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Alice’s faith in the Kenyan youth Alice described the Kenyan youth as innovative, creative, and hard working. To her, it is really wrong that there is an unfair distribution of jobs despite the qualifications. She believes that it is time young people fight for their space in the political, economic and social world. She believes that once given the chance, the youth is equal to the task of leadership. After all, young people have more to lose in the future if they make wrong decisions. This motivates Alice to spend her time petitioning the government institutions to fight against the odds that are stacked against the Kenyan Youth. What are the challenges she encounters? Some of the challenges she and her team face includes the politicising of the agenda. Some rival groups and ill-willed people often accuse the group of having a political ‘Big brother’. This is a conditioning of the political mindset where people fail to realize that young people can fight as well as wage wars against systems set in place discriminate against the youth. This campaign aims at ensuring that the youth catch up from previous injustices visited upon them. For her, this is a lifetime mission not only in Kenya but also in Africa in general. It is time for the youth to participate in making decisions that will benefit them in their future rather than a span of short time. This does not need to be the grandest action and a simple start can go a long way. It is time for the youth to step up and take their rightful place. KYP stands by their motto: “Nothing for us without us”. A normal day for Alice Alice wakes up about 6 am, and her morning routine often involves putting herself together (which includes makeup because…why not). She travels to the city, and depending on the day, spends several hours in meetings discussing the issues that surround youth employment and how to resolve them. Alice intends to globalize this movement, which, to her and the rest of us, is a few years late. [bctt tweet=”Alice Gathekia is the modern day Khaleesi of Youth Revolution” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.