lifestyle - Women of Rubies

In Career Gems July 5, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Mercy Eke Is Supporting Entrepreneurs, Widows & The Less Privileged With Her Newly Launched Foundation

2019 Big Brother Naija winner Mercy Eke is giving back to the community with her newly launched charity foundation to assist those who are struggling to satisfy their varied requirements.

According to her, Mercy Eke Foundation will help widows, struggling entrepreneurs, students who cannot pay their school fees and take needy children off the streets.

The reality star and entrepreneur stated in a video posted on her Instagram on Friday that her first initiative will provide N5 million grants to small business owners to help them grow. In the caption, she wrote:

The Mercy Eke Foundation is finally here💞🙏🏻

I have always wanted to give back, and I’m glad I can finally make this dream of mine a reality.

The Mercy Eke Foundation is a charity organization and we would be helping different group of people from time to time.

From struggling business owners, to sick people who can’t afford their bills, to single mothers, to widows, to students who are struggling with their fees in school, to kids on the streets, and more.

For our first project tagged #MEFWithBusinessOwners, we would be giving out N5million, to help a few business owners who are struggling or have brilliant business ideas but have no money to start up.

To be a benefactor, all you have to do is upload a creative 1 minute video on your Instagram, telling and showing us what you do or what you want to do. Post with the hashtag #MEFWithBusinessOwners and tag @mercyekefoundation

Our team will make a selection for the final pick.

I wish you all good luck…

In Food June 28, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Adanne Uche, A Nigerian Agro-Processing Entrepreneur Improving Consumer Nutrition Through Her Spices And Cooking Ingredients

Great meals go beyond having excellent culinary skills or knowing how to mix ingredients or spices to achieve great taste. It involves ensuring the cooking ingredients used are healthy enough for consumption. This is why Adanne Uche, a graduate of Foreign Languages and Literature, started Ady’s Food Mart in 2017 to improve nutrition and help consumers stay healthy and also ensure families and catering companies have healthy options of cooking ingredients to use for their meals.

Adanne was inspired to venture into this line of business when she observed the overwhelming influx of adulterated food ingredients and spices in the market and its effects on the health of its consumers. This is why she saw a need to process and package healthy food ingredients and spices for consumers in Nigeria and Africa, where healthy African dishes are appreciated.

It has been a rollercoaster but something I am confident in saying is that we have scaled to become a household name.

With no previous knowledge in entrepreneurship. Adanne started her first business after the birth of her first daughter, but having no entrepreneurial skills it failed after 2 years. She started another business after a year, it still did not work, that is until she found something she really enjoys doing and that is cooking.
So she decided to cook and do something that could give her joy and at the same time pay her a salary.

Ady’s Food Mart was birthed with a N30,000 loan from her brother. She decided to solve food adulteration problems starting with Palm Oil, then grew to other food ingredients and a world of spices, where they process, package and distribute healthy spices to families in Nigeria.

From her journey and experience, the simple piece of advice she can give to anyone is “Find your passion that can get you paid, study it, look for someone that has done it before you, learn from them, run with it, and be resilient.”

In Fashion June 23, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Emma Maame Efua Tandoh, A Ghanaian Fashion Entrepreneur Using African Textiles In New Creative Ways

In Africa, fabric and prints are more than just cloth; it’s at the core of who we are as Africans, expressive, creative, confident; a colourful and authentic people that carry an inextinguishable spirit.

African print has been finding its way into mainstream fashion for a long time, but it is always good to see a brand emerging from the continent that innovatively celebrates its diversity. This is why we acknowledge Love Ankara, a fabulous retail, footwear and accessory brand, proudly made in Ghana but loved by the continent.

The Love Ankara brand is here to re-define and showcase what authentic African fabric stands for. This it does by promoting authentic African prints, empowering women and preserving existing local textile industries.
Love Ankara shoes and accessories are made for powerful, outspoken, daring empowered women who are not afraid to be authentic and stand out wherever they are in the world.

Truly, one’s upbringing and environment during their formative years play a role in deciding the paths one would go in life. This is seen in the case of Emma who was raised in an entrepreneurial background. She grew up seeing her mother juggling between a 9-5 job and other businesses including clothing and drinks supply and distribution.

Forget the odds and go for it. As crazy as it may seem, the future of our continent rests with us women; especially women entrepreneurs. You will make some mistakes, but heck, start, go ahead and begin that dream and keep at it every day.

Emma always knew she would venture into entrepreneurship but she still worked in several industries including print media and marketing roles until she decided to launch her business by first creating an awareness around local African prints.
She launched her unique shoe making business after gaining access to lock prints like Woodin and GTP, both produced in Ghana.
Her mission is to provide employment to skillful artisans while the same time pushing the “Made in Africa” agenda.

Their foldable women’s shoes are made from premium leather soles as well as authentic African prints. The in-soles are extremely soft and prioritize comfort and the fabrics are all authentic pieces and do not fade after several washes. The shoes are machine and hand washable and dry within 3 to 4 hours. Because they’re foldable, they’re great for tucking away into a clutch purse, mini shoulder bag or handbag and are also packaged in mini shoe boxes which are great for presenting as gifts.

The Love African shoes are purposely made using Eco-friendly packaging that supports the “green” initiative as proof that quality, yet Eco-friendly products can emerge from Africa.

Love Ankara also retails men and women’s slides, beaded bags with ankara, jewelry boxes and other fashionable African accessories for the urban market.

Entrepreneurship is a journey and for us women, we often pride ourselves with being jugglers who perform the balancing act to almost near perfect, but entrepreneurship is challenging and will push you almost to the point of burnout so its important to also remember to pace yourself and schedule, as much as you can, and get much needed rest and relaxation.

In Fashion June 23, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Femi Olayebi Is Leading In The Nigerian Leather Space With Her Femi Handbags Brand

A translator turned designer and manufacturer, her entrepreneurial journey started in 1992 when she tried her hands at making a diaper bag for her first daughter.

Since then, she has poured all her energies into building her business, consistently pushing the boundaries and emerging as a leader in the Nigerian leather space.

Renowned for her statement, colour-drenched pieces, Femi has received several awards, and in 2013, her business became a case study for MBA students at the prestigious Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.

Nothing, absolutely nothing in her background had prepared her for the world of entrepreneurship and she did not have an entrepreneurial mindset as both parents were academics.

She learned all she needed to start up her business from books, as the Internet was barely three years old when she started and Google didn’t exist then. She kicked off as soon as she got tangible information and started with her friends and family as her first set of customers.

Success as they say, is 10% inspiration (creativity) and 90% perspiration (hard work), that failures, frustrations and setbacks are all part of the growth process and that very simply put, in spite of the curveballs that life may throw at you, you must keep showing up.”

In her words, “A major turning point along my journey was being selected in 2008 as one of the first set of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women scholars. This gave me the opportunity to attend an entrepreneurial programme at the Enterprise Development Centre in Lagos and undergo a business course for the very first time. After that, the ball started to roll and I was twice nominated to attend mentoring and networking programmes in the United States, where I job-shadowed some famous American handbag designers.”

“In 2010, I participated in my very first stand-alone international Accessories Show, Pure London. I felt the time had come to reposition my brand, and that led me to rename my line of leather handbags; Femi Handbags was born. Before long, my business became a case study for MBA students at the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos.

“In 2017, determined to change the landscape, I took the boldest step of my life and created the Lagos Leather Fair, a platform designed to promote Nigerian talent, tackle the industry challenges and begin to unlock the massive potential of the leather industry in Nigeria. With the support of the Bank of Industry, and a few other organisations, we were able to curate a massively successful, world class event. We have earned some recognition and been featured on local and international media, including CNN Marketplace Africa and BBC News Africa.”

2018, she opened her first flagship store in a high-end area of Lagos, showed on the runway at the Autumn/Winter edition of the London Fashion Week and have since participated at two editions of the Coterie trade show in New York at the invitation of SheTrades, a businesswomen’s empowerment initiative under the International Trade Centre (ITC) based in Switzerland.

Femi believes you are not successful until you have creates value in the lives of others.

Your team plays a very vital role in your business, and no matter how successful you become, you’re really nothing without your team.”

She enjoins entrepreneurs to work hard as much as they believe in their dreams. She believes in hard work, grit and tenacity as the key to success.

She said they must not be afraid to ask for help, but build a tribe on the way up, because at the end of the day relationships matter. That they must stay focused, stay curious, expand their mind and programme their mind to win, so they can develop a growth mindset and continue to thrive and grow.
Entrepreneurs must keep challenging themselves, never stop learning, keep building and preparing because, like they say, luck favours the prepared mind. They must seek to exceed expectations, and excel in all they do. And finally, they should trust the process, and remember always that good things take time.

In terms of the brand however, Femi Handbags has become much more than a handbag brand. It embodies the values of excellence and integrity to be cherished and has become a symbol and an expression of creativity, positivity and possibilities.

The brand sends out very clear messages and seeks to tell a powerful African story, change the negative narrative around ‘Made-In-Africa’ brands and shatter established stereotypes around African luxury.

In Career Gems June 18, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Anto Lecky Launches “Edo Babes Are Fly” Initiative

To commemorate June 16th as International Day of the African Child, media personality and entrepreneur Munirat “Anto” Lecky has revealed plans to launch the Edo Babes Are Fly Initiative to promote girl child education, empowerment and skills acquisition, and reduce the rate of gender-based violence and sex trafficking in Edo State. Through her NGO, Anto Lecky alongside Musleehat Hamadu, plan to use the Edo Babes Are Fly Initiative to combat the many issues facing women from Edo State. Edo State is known as Nigeria’s capital for human trafficking, especially of young women and girls. According to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM), 94% of women trafficked to Europe from Nigeria are from Edo State.

To kick-off, the initiative is celebrating history made and history in the making by paying homage to great women who have shaped and are shaping Edo history and Nigeria at large with an educational tribute photoshoot featuring some favourites in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

These women include: Anto Lecky herself as Queen Idia, the Queen Mother and a cultural symbol of modern-day Nigeria; Jemima Osunde, Physiotherapist and Actress, as Princess Elizabeth Olowu, the first female bronze caster in Nigeria; Idia Aisien, Actor and TV Host, as Mabel Dorothy Segun, broadcaster, author, and first Nigerian woman to play table tennis; Arese Ugwu, Author and Executive Producer, as Osaretin Demuren, First Female Chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank; Vanessa “Vandora” Williams, TV Presenter and Influencer, as Prof. Lilian Salami, current and second female Chancellor of the University of Benin; Linda Osifo, Actress and Brand Ambassador, as Aisha Yesufu, socio-political activist and convener of Bring Back Our Girls Movement; Winfrey Dania Okolo, Media Personality and Lawyer, as Omosede Igbinedion, lawyer and youngest female member into the 8th Assembly of the House of Representatives (Nigeria).

Anto Lecky says her initiative will celebrate Edo women both home and abroad who contribute immensely to the betterment of society and also spur the younger generation to attain greater heights. She noted that the tribute photo shoot is a reminder of the giant strides that women of Edo extraction have made, and continue to make.

“I’m inspired by the stories of all of these women we are paying tribute to, and my colleagues who were so earnest to be the muses for the project. All of these women are role models for girls around the world. We decided to pay homage to these women, while encouraging other Edo women that they are “fly”, and can soar above any stereotype” She said

She also revealed that the Edo Babes Are Fly initiative is one of the many works the Live Wire Project will be championing. “We plan to host impactful events on key days, and offer educational & skills acquisition resources.” “We hope to share the stories of survivors of sexual violence and trafficking. We also hope to partner with international organizations and to amplify the efforts of domestic organizations that need celebrity backing.” She further added.

Anto Lecky is not new to celebrating Nigerian and African women. She hosts a talk show on Ogelle Africa titled “She’s A Boss” celebrating African women who strive and thrive; and has paid tribute to some of her favorite women in the Nigerian entertainment industry on International Women’s Day.

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connect with The Live Wire Project on Instagram @thelivewireproject or email livewireprojectng@gmail.com.

In Fashion June 18, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Temilade Adegbite Is Impacting lives In The Society By Making Shoes For School Kids Who Cannot Afford One

Shoes perform the dual function of making a fashion statement and protecting our delicate feet from dirt and dust. It is without doubt that I say that everyone loves great shoes that both look good and feel great.
Sadly, for many school kids in Nigeria, having such shoes is simply not an option, and when it is an option, it is a luxury for them. The desire to make a remarkable impact in the lives of these Nigerian school children, coupled with intense passion for making beautiful shoes led Temilade Adegbite, an entrepreneur shoemaker to launch Right Legs shoe business.

Temilade who didn’t come from an entrepreneurial background was inspired to launch into entrepreneurship due to her personal problems with finding shoes that fit her big foot. As she grew older, it became a challenge as it became more difficult getting the designs she wanted for my size. She found out through a survey she carried out that a lot of other people face her dilemma and she acted on the thought that prompted her into learning shoemaking craft and produce designs that are inclusive of all sizes.

Temilade sees building a business that produces bespoke shoes for customers as a means to contributing to the society at a social impact level, using her expertise to produce shoes for those kids that don’t have and cannot afford them.

This is why the goal of Right Legs is centered around catering to big-footed customers and supporting poor kids with good footwear to wear to school. And as a standard policy, 5% on the price of every set of footwear bought by customers goes towards the making of school shoes for kids that can’t afford to buy them.

Beyond the profit, her greatest satisfaction as an entrepreneur comes from being able to solve the problem of access to footwear in different sizes. Another satisfaction comes from being able to create great shoes from raw materials, producing something that is both beautiful and practical and that everyone wants on their feet.
Temilade also enjoys the pleasure of creating shoes for Nigerian future leaders.

Her personal experience is the best piece of advice she can give to every intending business owner, it is simply:

Find the need and solve the problem.

In Food June 14, 2021 By Women of Rubies

The Musonda Sisters Put Zambia On The Global Map With Their Indigenous Chocolate Company

Passion is one of the key ingredients to building any successful business and brand. And, in the world of artisan chocolate making, it is one of the Savanna Premium Chocolate brand’s strongest assets, thanks to founders Chiinga Musonda and Lynn Musonda Phiri.

Chiinga has previously worked in banking with JP Morgan Chase and UBS in NYC. Most recently, she worked with the scientific publisher / information services provider Elsevier in The Netherlands. She also has an MBA from the Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics and in Computer Science from Smith College in the USA.

Lynn, the second half of the company, previously worked for the Zambia Telecommunications company. She is currently pursuing an MBA in International Business and has a BA with honors in Business Studies with Marketing from University of Greenwich.

These two sisters have a tracked record of different previous work settings, but nothing beats the passion which drove them to produce chocolates. The pleasure they derived from eating chocolates right from childhood and also the joy on the faces of loved ones when gifted chocolates were enough to fuel their passion and kickstart the journey.

Today, we have Savanna Chocolates because two sisters in love with chocolates decided to recreate the standard in Zambia.

As expected from an Indigenous manufacturing company, the duo absolutely love the support they are getting from the Zambian community. Chiinga and Lynn learned pretty quickly that this is not about them manufacturing chocolate in their beloved country, Zambia but that they are building a Zambian brand and the people want to engage with the brand in help to make it the best it can be.

The invaluable feedback received from their community has helped them improve in packaging designs and even in the chocolate flavors.
The excitement they get when their customers purchase their products and then share their feedback on social media cannot be contained as these positive feedback in turn motivates them to keep improving their products.

Chocolate letters, a product of Savanna Premium Chocolate

They take pride in the fact that their chocolates are made from carefully selected single origin cocoa beans to preserve the flavors of the country of origin. They are constantly improving on their chocolate making process to ensure that consumers get premium quality chocolates.

What makes their chocolates different from others is that they sell handcrafted chocolates and chocolate products that are made from natural ingredients with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no preservatives.

“Start before you are ready”. If you have a business idea, don’t wait until you feel you are ready. Just start and with every step that you make, it will become clear what you need to do and you will learn what needs to be done. The product or service may not be perfect in the beginning but you can keep improving as you build. By starting you will get invaluable feedback that you need to grow or make adjustments to your idea. The more momentum you build the more you will see your dream become reality,” are their final words to women who have a business idea they’re afraid to launch.

In Food June 14, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Gladys Kgorane Is Helping People Eat Healthy by Providing Fresh Farm Products To South Africans

Gladys Kgorane is the founder and owner of Caleb’s farm in Potchefstroom, South Africa, a niche agri business that supplies farm fresh products, eggs, free range chickens, sheep packages and pork packages for its customers.

As a family oriented entrepreneur, Gladys is married with three children, she started her farming business on her smallholding back in 2013. Today she has seen it grow substantially from those early days, and now supplies 30 trays of eggs daily to customers, in addition to a wide range of farm fresh meat and fresh vegetables.

The love of farming and providing farm fresh products inspired her to start Caleb’s farm. Caleb’s Farm, supplies farm fresh products, eggs, free range chickens, sheep packages and pork packages for our customers. They also provide fresh cut processed vegetables which are ready to go into the pot.

As part of their service, they offer a fresh produce supply service for the catering of funerals and weddings, and also for households and companies, starting with 1kg packages through to 10kg packages or larger quantities as required by our customers.

Her company’s premise is to save customer’s time while still maintaining quality of products.

Gladys’ passion lie on being a solution which is why she launched her farm to solve the problem of unhealthy feeding. In her own words, “My journey has been full of challenges, but the dream has always been to be the solution, and that has been my inspiration. To feed the nation.”

While other people chase after profit as an entrepreneur, Gladys’ most satisfaction as an entrepreneur comes from her being the solution to poor feeding habits in her country. She aspires to expand her farm and go into commercial farming sometime in the future.

Gladys is one resilient and determined woman which is shown in her advice for up and coming women entrepreneurs.
“Start with what you have and know that giving up is not an option,” is Gladys’ piece of counsel to every intending entrepreneur.

In Fashion June 14, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Kulukaya Sadiki Is Making Impact In Malawi Through Sustainable Fashion

The fashion sector is one of the most important sectors from a job creation and economic contribution perspective, and for Kulukaya Sadiki, founder of Glo-Ray Designs Sustainable Studio in Malawi, sustainable fashion is key.

Her business approach is to incorporate fabric recycling and reuse into the production process to create timeless fashion pieces with minimal environmental impact.

Kulukaya Sadiki is a Sustainable Fashion Designer, Humanitarian and a Marketing Strategist by profession.
She selected as a Young African Leader for the ‘Leadership in Business’ cohort for her business skills by the Mandela Washington Fellowship, a USA program in 2020.

She started her sustainable fashion business in 2017 after realizing that it is possible to make a difference within the community and environment using an important aspect of humanity which is clothing.

Her clothing brand focuses on recycled and rejected fabric to create timeless trends thereby delaying disposal and minimizing fabric pollution. She works in the market with women fabric suppliers, inspiring them and empowering them with business knowledge.

Kulukaya is also the Founder and Chairperson of a registered non-profit organization called ‘Ladies of Influence’ which focuses on sustainable development in Malawi through humanitarian effort with the main focus being the girl child.

She launched into entrepreneur after learning from her late father who was an entrepreneur who had a studio with over 20 employees. He instilled a spirit of determination and resilience in all his children. He encouraged them and told us to go out and become whoever we wanted to be.

In 2011 Kulukaya joined her sister in her IT venture because it felt that her sister was the best person to mentor and prepare her for the business world and more.
She learned from her sister how as women we must work twice as hard to claim our place in the business world. Through her sister’s entrepreneurial venture, she learnt how to work for every penny.

Kalukaya started her business while she was working with her sister.
In her words, “Growing up in the environment I did, my entrepreneurial journey was inevitable.”

As her entrepreneurial advice to women who are planning to launch a start-up, she said:

“I know that life feels like an uphill when you look at the distance between where you are and where you want to be. I know there are voices pulling you from every side, some are encouraging and others are distracting. Invest time in knowing who you really are, so your NO will be firm and your YES will be particular.”

“Choose your circle carefully because this is one important aspect of self-development, move with the driven and ambitious. At the point you are now, I have been there before and I am still there in some parts of my life but child, God did not create us on earth for mediocrity.”

“You are special and the world needs you to use every gift you have to make it a better place. Fear is nothing but a feeling, it gets smaller with each step you take to climb up to your dreams. You are different because God chose you, you are special just the way you are.”

“Rise up and act on your dreams, don’t let the world drown your voice but speak up where you need to and be the one who raises a generation of fearless, driven, ambitious and action oriented young people!”

In lifestyle June 6, 2021 By Women of Rubies

9 Regular Sunday Habits For A Productive And Worry-Free Week

Have there been weeks where Monday starts and you already feel like you’re behind? That can easily be avoided by implementing these smart Sunday habits!

I know I’m not the only one who some weeks scrambles to get things done because there “isn’t enough time”. There is always time, but it comes down to being organized and prepared.

Of course, sometimes beyond our control happen and you can’t predict every single moment of every day, but being prepared for what you DO know will happen will make all the difference.

1. Plan out your week

One of the easiest ways of staying on top of your game and have a smooth week is planning it out.

Here are some things to put into your planner:

Appointments: doctor/dentist, salon services, etc
Intentions: write down anything you want to accomplish this week. Drinking more water, getting 8 hours of sleep, waking up at a certain time.
Habit tracker
Class schedule/work schedule.
Work/school meetings

2. Clean out your purse

Throughout the week, your work or school bag probably accumulates a lot of junk. Don’t worry, mine does too.

Sunday is the perfect time to clean out your bag and get it ready for the following week.

The best way that I have found to do that is to take everything out, shake the bag upside down to get rid of any dust, tiny papers and other dirt, and then put everything back.

I personally like to keep things in little bags inside my purse. I have a little bag for my charger and headphones, another one for my makeup, and another little bag for feminine products and medication.

This helps keep everything organized, and helps me know where everything is if I need something in a hurry.

3. Grocery shop and meal prep

Making your own food takes some time, but if you prep on Sundays, you will have less to do during the week.

Going shopping on the weekend is going to ensure that you have everything you need for your meals throughout the week, so definitely don’t skip this step.

Making a weekly menu before going shopping also helps, because that way you’re going to use up the food you buy. No wasted money there.

4. Clean your home

One of the worst things when coming home after a long day of work or school is coming home to a mess.

Cleaning up before the week starts is a great way to stay organized. After all, who wants to come home to a messy place all week?

Change your sheets, dust, vacuum, and clean your kitchen during the weekend. You’ll thank yourself later.

5. Do your laundry

I know I’m not the only one who hates doing laundry, but doesn’t it feel SO good to get it done?

Imagine how much better you’d feel if you came home to clean and folded laundry, rather than coming home to your clothes spilling out of the laundry basket.

Not only is this going to help you get peace of mind, it’s also going to make it a lot easier getting dressed each morning.

6. Pick out your outfits

A HUGE timesaver is to prepare the outfits you’re going to be wearing the following week on Sunday. Clothing, accessories, shoes- the works.

If you want to be super organized, you can hang each outfit together on one hanger, and hang them all next to each other in your closet.

That way, when you wake up in the morning and have little energy, you already have outfits prepped and ready to be put on!

How’s THAT for saving time?

7. Set your goals

Setting goals is another Sunday habit you should consider.

Setting small and achievable goals for the week is half the work in getting them done. You can write your goals in your planner to have them where you can see them every day.

The more you see your goals, the more likely you are to achieve them.

8. Check your bank account

Don’t be one of those people who have no idea what they have in their bank accounts.

Checking your bank account at the end of the week will help you get some perspective on what your everyday spending looks like.

You can work on financial goals so much better when you periodically check your bank statements and know what’s going on there.

9. Indulge in self-care

Being productive and on top of things is great, but we also can’t forget to recharge our batteries.

Sundays are perfect for that. You can finish up your week with a little Netflix and chill and relax, which will help you get ready for the week ahead.