Onyinye Okwuofu Okocha: Learn from the experience, make the necessary adjustment and try again
[bctt tweet=”…I fought for my future, fight back for your destiny – Onyinye Okwuofu Okocha” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Onyinye Okwuofu Okocha was a 26 years old lawyer (non-practicing )when she lost her husband to the Dana Air flight crash in 2012. Faced with the reality of having to fend for herself and her daughter Jessica, Onyinye had to take her destiny into her hands and make a success of herself against all odds. Onyinye enrolled in the Fate Foundation Aspiring Entrepreneur’s programme and also attended a catering school. She is now the creative director of Kairos Treats. Outside running her hustle, Onyinye is a member of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Neca Network of Women Entrepreneurs (NNEW), and International Cake Exploration Society (ICES). What gave you the courage to turn your hurdle into success at a time you were going through a very tough situation? With the death of my husband, I was faced with the reality of having to fend for my then 15-month old daughter and I. Though I had the sympathy of friends, family, and colleagues who rallied around to support me, I was aware that everyone also had their lives to live and responsibilities to shoulder. I, therefore, told myself that I couldn’t afford to be a burden to anyone. I wanted my dignity as a woman and mother intact. When one keeps going cap in hand to seek for assistance, it is only a matter of time before things go south. I had been trained by my parents to be independent and content, then to consistently reach for more and do better. I have a daughter who I want to be proud of me, I knew I had to fight back and succeed for her. Most of all my courage and confidence came from the promise I had in God. I made up my mind to show forth God’s goodness irrespective the circumstance. The fact speaks for itself. Before I started Kairos Treats I had tried other business which did not work out work out so well. I eventually attended an entrepreneurship course at Fate Foundation and also attended a catering school following a leading from God to so do and the rest is history. [bctt tweet=”You would succeed if only you try. If you do not try you have already failed” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What can you tell other women who are going through difficulties they think they can’t get past? How they can pick themselves up? To every woman out there who may be going through a hurdle, it seems like the bottom is caving in and you are sinking fast and you just can’t stay afloat. Whether you lost a spouse, child, job, your business is struggling whatever be the case; I say to you, innate in you is the capacity to not just go through it but to come out refined as gold. Precious jewels go through the fire before the beauty we see is brought forth. Know that you are more than the situation and will come through a success. I fought for my future, fight back for your destiny. God has got your back, do what it takes to get better, obtain knowledge, enter strategic relationships, walk out of unproductive or abusive relationship. Don’t just sit back and throw a pity party, get up and go. You would succeed if only you try. If you do not try you have already failed. If you try once and things do not seem to work, do not give up; learn from the experience, make the necessary adjustment and try again. I first began to import and sell shoes, which did not go so well. I then went back to my first love makeup artistry, but I had to give that up because of its mobile nature, my daughter needed me. [bctt tweet=”Precious jewels go through the fire before the beauty we see is brought forth” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has it been running your business and taking care of your daughter as a single parent? Raising a daughter and running Kairos Treats has not been a piece of cake, but God’s grace has been sufficient. The early days was pretty tough, I didn’t have a help. I would attend to my daughter by myself, get her to school, do all the baking and decoration. I often had to work over night, effect deliveries, pick her up from school, attend to her again, think of ways to increase sales and clientele, find a way to pick our bills, grapple with personal and family issues…then there was a pending law suit plus all the drama dished out by the solicitors representing Dana air. Wth all that, I still had to manage to look good, put on a smile and carry on like all was well. God lovingly held my hand through it all and it all got better with time. Could you give us some insight of how you started Kairos Treats? How have you built the business so far to become its creative director? As I mentioned earlier, some months after my husband passed on, I began to import and sell shoes. That did not go so well, so I decided to go back to my first love, makeup artistry. The mobile nature of being a makeup artist made me have a rethink, I needed to be available for my daughter so I took time out to inquire from God what to do. I needed to make money and also have time to attend to my daughter. While I waited, I attended Aspiring Entrepreneurship program at Fate Foundation to obtain requisite entrepreneurial training. Towards the end of the programme, I got clear directions to attend a catering school. On graduating, I registered my company as Kairos’n’kosh with the help of a dear friend. We started really humbly, it was just me. I had just basic equipment and had to borrow some things initially. A major boost to our sales and clients came via a strategic partnership with DealDey.
Chika Ilang: I always dreaded the idea of running a business
[bctt tweet=”Chika Ilang – Besides the money there’s that freedom the life you truly desire gives you.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Cliche but true; if you have a dream or goal, pursue it. It doesn’t matter how terrible your job hopping may seem, doing what you love is all that matters. In most instances it may be that you know where you want to be but you just don’t know how, now that’s when Chika Ilang International comes into play. This personal development company was launched in 2016 by Chika Ilang. It is dedicated to help women overcome the fear that keeps them from turning their dreams into a reality. Chika believes everyone has equal opportunity to achieve greatness if you show up for yourself. But just like Dr Rob Yeung puts it, “Unless you want to be one of the floundering masses, take the time to identify your vision”. She’s driven by the desire for career advancement, financial independence and living a fulfilled life. It’s her earnest desire to teach more women how to live a happier, wealthier and fulfilled life. Chika Ilang, the Clarity Mavern, please introduce yourself to the readers. I’m Chika Ilang, the founder of Chika Ilang International. A personal growth platform that helps women overcome the fear that keep them from turning their dream into a reality. Walk me through the step-by-step process that you went through to get to where you are today. I’d say mine is a long walk to purpose and freedom. You know that freedom you get when you are finally able to get your acts together. I mean, beside the money and fame, there’s that freedom and fulfilment the life you truly desire gives you. So in 2015, I started my side hustle because I was tired of desiring to do something besides my 9 to 5…something that I didn’t have a definition for at the time. I occupied myself with that side hustle while I figured out what was next for me. I sold smart kitchen tools, gift items and even did fruit carving and display. Life seemed okay at the beginning but that feeling was short lived. The hunger for growth set in and I felt unsettled. I wanted more. What this ‘more’ was exactly , I didn’t have an answer to, yet. And like most people I have multiple interests in different things but I couldn’t coordinate them optimally. One thing was rather certain, “I am made for more“. To get this more, I decided to shut down my business and seek what my heart yearned for. This period gave me the opportunity to understand myself better, connect and engage coaches and mentors who guided me, some of which are still guiding me on my journey. Bit by bit, the vision started forming, got clearer and got bigger. In 2016, Chika Ilang International was birthed, to help other women who like me, desire more but do not know the how to birth this more, to be able to turn that desire into a reality. Interesting! Can you tell us more about the Fruit carving and display. How did you start and did you have to do a course of some sort? I started off with gift items and smart kitchen tools. When it seemed like a good venture, I decided to add another item to the list. I always admired fruit carving and my tutor was on my BBM contact. You can imagine my thoughts each time she uploaded her work. Eventually I reached out to her and decided to take a course with her on fruit carving and display. [bctt tweet=”Chika Ilang International helps women who desire more but don’t know the how to birth this more” via=”no”] And Chika Ilang International? What is it and how well is it going in relation to the purpose for which it was created? Chika Ilang International is a personal development hub for women who seek life and career growth. We work with them to gain the clarity to build the life and careers they truly love and turn that dream into reality. It’s been a fairly smooth ride since inception, but there’s always room for improvement. So how long were you running the business before you started paying yourself? How did you live through those first few months/years? The business didn’t start making money immediately. But when it did start, I was careful not to lounge but churn back into my business and build myself up. Fortunately for me, my 9 to 5 sustained me before I started earning from my business. That is why I always tell people, don’t run to quit your 9 to 5 when you catch the rhythm of your life purpose, because you surely need money to fund your dream. [bctt tweet=”Don’t run to quit your 9 to 5 because you surely need money to fund your dream” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What techniques do you use to increase your clientele? What are your goals for increasing the number of clients you serve? Referral works for me. I love it when a client says, “Miss A told me you would help me get the solution I seek”. It simply means, Miss A has experienced me, has achieved positive result and feels the need for Miss B to achieve that result too. I just want to keep helping more women to become more and birth their dreams. Recently on your YouTube channel, you gave a tip to craft a personal mantra. What is your chant? I actually have more than one mantra. There was a time I easily got distracted with things that didn’t matter much. I coined a mantra sorta that says “Chika, you woke up to be great, and not because of XYZ”. XYZ here represented the things that didn’t matter much but somehow, they always eyed me and wanted my attention. I have another from the Bible that tells me “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” … oh this one fuels me when fears
Facebook Live with Ink Eze: How I grew AsoEbiBella to one million followers(June 21)
Whatever it is you do, or services you provide, you need social media and digital marketing to grow and boost your business. If you’re thinking you can only reach young people on social media, you’re wrong. Even our yummy mummies and daddies are online ready to patronize you and your product. This is 2017, there’s no time for dulling. Its about time you master the tools and strategies of online marketing, to enable you reach your target audience. As part of our Boost Your Business digital marketing training series, we are bringing you a Facebook Live session on Wednesday June 21st with Ink Eze. Ink is the founder and brains behind the famous African fashion online community, AsoEbiBella.com . She’ll be sharing with us some of the tools she’s used to grow the AsoEbiBella platform, and get over 1 million followers on Instagram. [bctt tweet=”Ask Ink any questions about how to grow your audience with social media. Facebook Live( June 20)” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Register below to get the exclusive link to join this session Some of the topics we’ll cover Best practices to generate brand awareness and reach your target audience How you can leverage Facebook, Instagram and other social and digital platforms to market your business. Key digital marketing lessons Ink has learned since founding AsoEbiBella Must-know social media and digital marketing techniques and tools to drive traffic and generate revenue Facebook Live Details: Date: Wednesday June 21st 2017 Time: 2pm Lagos// 3pm Johannesburg// 4pm Nairobi Where: facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/ Watch here: https://www.facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/videos/1900264340196877/ About Ink Ink Eze is the Founder of AsoEbiBella.com, a platform for sharing African traditional styles. She became BellaNaija Weddings editor in 2013, and Assistant Editor of BellaNaija, heading the lifestyle section – style, beauty and living until January 2017. In her early years, she was head girl of her secondary school. Ink attended the prestigious United World College of the Adriatic, then studied modern culture and media at the Ivy League Brown University. Under her leadership, BN Weddings gained international prominence and became Africa’s foremost wedding media brand with millions of followers across several platforms and coverage on BuzzFeed, BBC & more. She’s conceived of BBN Wonderland, Nigeria’s top bridal event since 2015 with Baileys Nigeria. Now she spends her time on AsoEbiBella and sharing her insights with the world. For more Ink, join her on @Ink.Eze | @AsoEbiBella
Mariam Sule: Social media exposes me to a lot of readers
[bctt tweet=”I want to serve as a bridge between readers & writers- Mariam Sule, founder of @TheBookDealerNG” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Mariam Sule is a writer and educator. Her fiction and nonfiction have appeared in the Ake Review, Brittle Paper, Ebedi Review, ITCH Creative Journal and Litro Magazine UK. She was a writer-in-resident at the Ebedi International Writers Residency. TheBookDealerNG is her tech startup that provides a platform where book lovers can access titles published by writers of color. Mariam currently lives in Ilorin, Nigeria. What inspired your decision to start selling books? I have always really loved books. I love being around them. The scent of a book makes me happy. Also, I discovered that many other readers found it difficult to find books particularly African Literature and other books by people of color. I recognized a wonderful opportunity and I was happy to invest in it. What are the three key things you consider while trying to promote your brand online? Readers, publishers, and writers. I think carefully about what the readers see when they go through my pages. I make sure what I am offering is appealing. Also, I want to make sure that writers and publishers see me as a great outlet to distribute their content and that I can serve as a bridge between writers and readers. I achieve this by starting conversations on my pages. How has social media been able to help increase your productivity? Social media exposes me to a wide range of readers. Because of social media, I can keep people engaged by talking about books and writing and also collecting orders. [bctt tweet=”I haven’t encountered fraud on social media – Mariam Sule ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What was the major social media campaign/experience/incidence that put you into the limelight? The very first giveaway I hosted was in December 2016 and it was a Christmas-themed giveaway. A classic buy-one-get-one-free promotion. Free books were given out to people and TheBookDealerNG received a lot of positive publicity including a blog feature. How have you been able to cope with social media fraud? So far I haven’t encountered fraud on social media. I am careful when I interact with people and I ensure that my transactions are transparent. Apart from social media, are there any online methods you use for promotions? Not at the moment. TheBookDealerNG’s site is still under construction. What’s your perfect one-line statement for young women trying to build a brand via social media? Go girl, I’m rooting for you! If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Instagram Q & A with Peace Hyde: Fighting against the odds (May 30)
Day after day, African women keep breaking boundaries and creating an impact in their respective professions. Who says you can’t do the same? Sometimes we might encounter a hitch during our journey, but as Motherland Moguls, we have to keep fighting against all odds and let people know that we’ve got this! Award winning presenter and TV host Peace Hyde is contributing to the narrative of growing female power on the African continent. Through her work, she encourages young African women to be bold and break barriers to achieve their set goals. Join us on Instagram for a Q & A session with Peace Hyde on Tuesday 30th May. Peace will be sharing her entrepreneurial journey with us, and answering all your questions about fighting against the odds. [bctt tweet=”Join @Peac_hy for an Instagram Q & A on May 30 to discuss fighting against the odds” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] We will be giving away a FREE cheat sheet with Peace Hyde’s top 10 lessons for everyone fighting against the odds. Register below to get your copy. Instagram Q & A Details: Date: Tuesday May 30th 2017 Time: 1pm Lagos// 2pm Joburg// 3pm Nairobi Where: https://www.instagram.com/sheleadsafrica/ About Peace Peace Hyde is the Forbes West Africa Correspondent. She is most widely known for her role as host of the flagship Forbes Africa TV show, “My Worst Day with Peace Hyde”. Some of the guests on the show to date included Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote and second richest woman in Africa, Folorunsho Alakija and many more. Peace is scheduled to launch a new show “Against the Odds” which will feature appearances from prolific African women who are recognised for their accomplishments in business or career.
Boost your business with Morin Oluwole: How to market your business on Instagram (May 23)
Now that Instagram has over 300 million daily active users, true Motherland Moguls are leveraging on this huge market to boost their businesses. Social media is the new marketplace for anything, and Instagram is taking the lead, become the most popular platform. So why are you not selling on Instagram? As part of our Boost Your Business digital marketing training series, we are bringing you a Facebook Live session on Tuesday May 23rd with Morin Oluwole. Morin will be showing us how luxury brands sell their products on Facebook and Instagram and how you can do the same for your products. Morin is now Head of luxury at Facebook, and was formerly Chief of Staff to the VP, Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook where she developed business strategies for global brand partners. Register below to get the exclusive link to join this session Some of the topics we’ll cover How you can leverage Facebook and Instagram to get clients Key digital marketing lessons learned while working with global luxury brands Best practices of selling fashion on Instagram and Facebook Social and digital strategies to market online Facebook Live Details: Date: Tuesday May 23rd 2017 Time: 3pm Lagos// 4pm Paris// 5pm Nairobi Where: facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/ Watch video here: https://www.facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/videos/1887518318138146/ About Morin Morin Oluwole is an expert in positioning brands on social media. With more than 10 years of experience at Facebook, she knows what works and how to best maximize it. Morin holds a BA and MA from Stanford University in Human Biology and Sociology and an MA in Management from Columbia University. She was a Bill Gates Millennium Scholar and received the Dean’s award for academic excellence – both for 5 consecutive years. Morin who has lived on three continents and currently resides in Paris, has been featured in the New York Times, Black Enterprise, Movelifestyle.com, and Alder Social Media Report. She speaks four languages (English, Yoruba, Spanish, and French).
Facebook Live with Adepeju Jaiyeoba: Finding a purpose and choosing a career path (May. 19)
Have you been asked many times what you want to be, or do with your life, and every time, your answer has been different, or you stutter? When it comes to deciding on what career to face, some people get it right the first time, while others find themselves twirling and spinning, until they find a rhythm. Join us for a Facebook Live session on Friday 19th May, with Adepeju Jaiyeoba – White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur and Founder of Mother’s Delivery Kit and Brown Button Foundation. She’ll be talking extensively about finding your purpose and choosing a career path. Adepeju will be answering individual questions during the Facebook Live, so register below and ask your questions. [bctt tweet=”Join @pjlalah to discuss finding your purpose and choosing a career path on Facebook Live (19 May)” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Some of the topics we’ll cover Life after university: Your next steps 7 ways to finding your purpose Making the right professional and career decisions Facebook Live Details: Date: Friday 19th May 2017 Time: 1pm Lagos// 2pm Joburg// 3pm Nairobi Where: facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/ Watch video here: https://www.facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/videos/1885847208305257/ About Adepeju Adepeju Jaiyeoba is the Founder of ‘ Mother’s Delivery Kit ’ social venture which provides ultra affordable sterile supplies for women to use at childbirth while also increasing access to quality healthcare services, as well as Brown Button Foundation, an NGO which trains traditional birth attendants that takes more than 55% of child delivery in Nigeria. Although she’s a graduate of Law, she has a strong background experience in global health with the United Nations Foundation and background knowledge in Business from the University of Texas, Austin USA. Adepeju is a White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur honoured by President Barack Obama, and has been mentioned in the 2017 100 Most inspiring Women in Nigeria, She Leads Africa’s top 10 female entrepreneur for Diaspora Demo day, 2017 ONE African Champion, 2015 YNaija top 10 most influential Nigerians under 40 (Advocacy), and an acknowledged Global Change Leader by the Coady International Institute, Canada.
Amarachi Attamah: It hasn’t been easy, but we have succeeded
Sometimes it takes another eye to see and encourage you for you to know that what you are doing really makes sense! Amarachi Attamah is just a young simple Igbo girl. She is someone who scribbles some lines and calls them poetry. Amarachi, by career is a broadcaster and she has worked with different radio and television stations. As a young woman who loves who she is, Amarachi’s career draws from her identity, her roots and her cultural heritage. “My father would always say, ‘When you go out, remember that you have roots, so don’t go out and get lost’”, she says. Today, Amarachi is a performing poet specifically in Igbo language, and a writer. She has four published titles which include, “My Broad Daydream”, “Tomorrow’s Twist”, “Making a Difference” and her first Igbo collection, ‘’Akuko Ifo Nnem ochie koro m” (Folktales my Grandmother Told Me). SLA contributor Onyekachukwu Asadu met Amarachi in Enugu to find out more about what she does and how it is contributing to the growth of her community. Do you think you are making a difference? If yes, how are you making a difference in your community? Of course, I think I am making a difference. If I am not, I wouldn’t have continued what I am doing. However, the encouragement comes from seeing that what you do, actually makes a difference, even if it seems so stupid sometimes or unrealistic. I was born in Northern Nigeria and I grew up amongst a people that know who they are and are proud of it. As a child in that environment, I would tell you that I never saw a northern child that couldn’t speak their indigenous language; be it Hausa, Gwari, Nupe or whatever. They speak their language. They were always proud of their local food, or dressing. However, coming back to the east, I noticed that it was different; we were not even proud of our names. This got me worried and I made a resolve that the negative trend of denying our culture had to stop. I am proud of my identity and culture, and I have to make others see the same. So I thought to myself, ‘perhaps I should bring in this consciousness’. Honestly, I can’t tell when it started. When I was doing my NYSC, I wasn’t quite fluent in Igbo language but in my local dialect (Nsukka). I had published my first Igbo collection in 2007 and it was during that time that I met the literary icon, Professor Anezi Okoro. Despite my challenges at speaking and writing the Igbo language (I had failed Igbo language in my Senior School certificate examinations!) he encouraged me to do something in Igbo. I remained resilient and kept learning. I decided to dress in Igbo attires, making Igbo hairstyles. During that time, I started thinking of how to present my poetry and when I started displaying my craft on stage, I got a good response! So I continued, I never planned it but I saw the opportunity and so I started creating awareness about Igbo language and culture. I went to secondary schools, talking to students and teachers and parents; persuading them to speak the Igbo language. From there, we got the inspiration to organize festivals where schools make presentations and cultural displays in the Igbo language, then we published a collection of poems rendered by students. Gradually, people started coming around and getting involved with what we do. We have not gotten there yet but we have engaged the community, we have increased their consciousness and we are restoring the dignity of the Igbo race. Tell us about OJA Cultural Development Initiative. What plans are you making to reach and impact a global audience? OJA is ‘Odinala na omenala jikoro anyi’, which implies the culture and traditions that bind us together. It is an NGO created out of my passion to unite people. As a broadcaster working in the civil service, I discovered that even with most employees coming from Enugu State, there was still discrimination and segregation along village and local government lines. This did not sit well with me. I also realized that at the village level, certain positive elements/practices of our culture that united us was no longer there. For example, the women associations that changed the communities, the kinsmen and age grade meetings were no longer as strong and edifying as they used to be. This is because we accepted/adopted the foreign individualistic style of living that is not our cultural heritage. In as much as culture can be modified, we should not destroy our culture or lose the major ingredients that bind us together. This is why OJA is working with the younger generation because they are the ones that are mostly affected by this. To achieve this, we introduce regular festivals to bring these kids together and remind them of who they are. We go around reviving positive cultural practices that are going down. We don’t promote clandestine practices, after all, beyond Nigeria; there are cultures that are repugnant to natural existence. In addition to OJA, we also have a cultural outfit, Nwadioranma (The child that puts smiles on people’s faces) outfit. It is into cultural performances and all creative enterprise promoting our culture. People call us to perform at their events for entertainment. We also train young and consenting adults to work with us there to raise funds and further support our work. [bctt tweet=”Amarachi Attamah’s passion to unite young people and preserve Igbo culture with the OJA Cultural Development Initiative” via=”no”] You once worked with a Broadcasting house. As a Mass communication graduate, tell us how you perceived it was time to leave paid employment to becoming the one calling the shots? As you know, world changers are not regular employees. The world needs people with passion to drive a cause. To drive a cause, you must be creative. People will say you are crazy, they will assume you are not well.
Bilikiss Adebiyi- Abiola: I chose waste for impact
[bctt tweet=”Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola – I like that my work makes me live a life of purpose” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola developed the idea for Wecyclers while she was a student in the US. She wanted to address two major challenges of waste management and unemployment by offering recycling services to low/middle-income households. Once she returned to Nigeria, Wecyclers Nigeria Limited was born. Wecyclers is now an award-winning company and as its Co-Founder and CEO, Bilikiss’ work is well recognised. She is a Carroll Wilson Fellow, an Echoing Green Fellow and a 2013 recipient of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. She is also a member of the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, founded by the Lagos state government. SLA contributor Olayemi Olajide recently caught up with Bilikiss to find out more about her journey….. Kindly tell us about Wecyclers? What made you return to Nigeria to start this company? Wecyclers is an award-winning company that is committed to improving recycling in Nigeria. We address the challenge of waste management and unemployment by offering sustainable and convenient recycling services to low/middle-income households and businesses while creating grassroots jobs and economic partnerships. The idea for Wecyclers was developed while I was in the US as a student at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Following a five-year career as a corporate software engineer at IBM. I was assigned to a study project to help people at the bottom of the pyramid (people living on less than $2 a day). I decided to work on waste with a focus on its uses, collection, and processing. After the project was completed, we (the project team) did some research and saw the huge potential in the waste recycling sector in Nigeria. Especially among the manufacturing plants who are hungry for a cheaper and easily available source of raw materials due to local and foreign demand for end products. I then decided to move the idea forward and Wecyclers was born. What do you enjoy the most about doing business in Nigeria? I like that my work makes me live a life of purpose and that it is having a positive effect on my country and my children. Wecyclers turns waste into wealth and supplements the income of thousands of households. Since August 2012, Wecyclers has registered over 15,000 households for our collection service in 3 Lagos neighborhoods, collected over 3,000 metric tons of recyclable materials, created over 100 jobs and rewarded our subscribers with over $75,000 worth of gifts and cash prizes. Since August 2012, Wecyclers has registered over 15,000 households for our collection service in three Lagos neighborhoods, collected over 3,000 metric tons of recyclable materials, created over 100 jobs and rewarded our subscribers with over $75,000 worth of gifts and cash prizes. [bctt tweet=”@wecyclers @realwecyclers @bilikiss are demonstrating that waste can be a source of wealth” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has your experience working and living outside the continent helped you shape Wecyclers into what it is today? I think my educational experiences and starting my career as a software engineer in the United States provided me the toolkit with which to solve the kind of large-scale problems we are tackling at Wecyclers. It also provided opportunities to build an international network that has helped to guide and support our work. It also provided opportunities to build an international network that has helped to guide and support our work. [bctt tweet=”@bilikiss @wecyclers We have benefited greatly from the Lagos State Government’s progressiveness” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How has your partnership with Lagos State Government and other organizations contributed to building Wecyclers? Can you tell us names of organizations you have partnered with? Our partnerships with Lagos State Government and organizations has been a critical part of Wecyclers’ development. We have benefitted greatly from the Lagos State Government’s progressiveness and openness to working with organizations that provide solutions to Lagosians’ challenges. Wecyclers recently received a grant from the Lagos State Government to expand our collection and processing services into two new local government areas, create 120 jobs and 8 micro enterprises and reach an addition 68,000 Lagosians. Our partners also include FCMB, DHL, Unilever, Oracle, the Nigerian Bottling Company, MIT Sloan School of Management, and others listed on our webpage. Our partnerships have helped to improve our visibility, enabled large-scale programs like clean-up days, and enhanced our management operations. What are the constant challenges you face running Wecyclers? What’s next for Wecyclers? A major challenge is funding. We are a social enterprise, so we are more focused on having a positive impact on communities than generating profit. We are always looking for companies and foundations that are willing to support our efforts. Another constant challenge has been ensuring the supply of electricity to our hubs, which is essential for processing the recycled material we collect. We also have to deal with the negative perception that some people have of working in waste recycling as a dirty job. We are demonstrating that waste can be a source of wealth and that handling it well is good for our communities and the environment. Our plan is to continue expanding our operations and reach, encourage more communities to get involved in recycling. My plan is for Wecyclers to operate all across Nigeria and my long-term goal is to be the largest recycling company in Africa. [bctt tweet=”Bilikiss Adebiyi Abiola – My long-term goal is to be the largest recycling company in Africa. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 5 things you do to relax when you are not working. Listen to music, work out, cook, travel and read books. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Third Stop on the Delicious Naija Food Tour? Daura, Katsina
Katsina is claimed to be the home of heritage and hospitality, so Delicious Naija went to go see what that was all about. A trip to the history-heavy Kusugu Well solidifies Bunmi’s place as a tourist and her ride on the significant horse had her feeling a little like royalty. Then it was food time! The real reason we’re here… Lucky Bunmi got to share a meal of Tuwo Shinkafa & Miyan Kuka with the famous Northern musician, Sani Danja (Man, you should see that plate of Tuwo – salivating galore!) And then she was off to Hajara Sanni Lawal’s home, a young wife, mother, civil servant, teacher, MAGGI Star and all-round boss! She taught Bunmi how to make millet-based Fura & Nunu and a local cous cous based meal called Brabisco. So, if you’re on that healthy train, this Katsina episode was totally for you! Hajara Sanni’s husband says he rushes home everyday and hardly eats outside… that’s #goals and we knew the recipe was going to be lit! Definitely going to get the family to eat dinner Daura-style soon. We really enjoyed this episode and you should catch up on Delicious Naija episodes on the Maggi YouTube channel. The food journeys of Delicious Naija can always be watched at 7:30pm Saturday on Africa Magic (Family), at 5pm Sunday on NTA and at 5:30pm Friday on Arewa24. But if you can’t get to these, that’s okay – there’s Facebook, Instagram & Youtube to keep you updated! Go watch! Sponsored post