self development - Women of Rubies

In Inspiration February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Meet Ory Okolloh, The Kenyan Activist Using Her Skills To Increase Government Transparency

Tech-savvy lawyer and activist Ory Okolloh Mwangi combines her skills and passion to increase government transparency and accountability.

She is known as the “Kenyan pundit” for good reason: not only does she have strong opinions about government transparency, the role of entrepreneurship and African storytelling – she has also always been committed to helping others share their voices.

Until recently, Ory was the Managing Director, Omidyar Network and Luminate Group in Africa – both part of The Omidyar Group – a diverse collection of companies, organizations and initiatives united by a common desire to catalyse positive social impact.

She serves on the board of several organisations including the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company, Stanbic Holdings Plc and Stanbic Bank Kenya, and is the Chair of the Stanbic Foundation.

She is also an Aspen Global Leadership Network (AGLN) Fellow and has in the past served as advisory board member to Twiga Foods, Amnesty International Africa and Endeavor Kenya among several other organisations.

Ory has a Juris Doctor (the equivalent of a master’s degree) from Harvard Law School and a B.A in Political Science (summa cum laude) from the University of Pittsburgh.

Her current role as a non-executive director at East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) saw her picked as a member of the Covid-19 ICT Advisory Committee which is tasked with integrating ICT in the fight against the pandemic.

A gazette notice issued by Cabinet Secretary for ICT Joe Mucheru stated the role of the newly established committee would be to assess how ICT can support efforts to combat the virus, including to develop and implement a framework for identifying, supporting and scaling local technology.

Prior to her new frontline role, Ory was Google’s Policy and Strategy Manager for Africa. She was at the forefront of developing technology innovation as a founding member of Ushahidi.

She is also the co-founder of Mzalendo, a website that tracks the performance of Kenyan MPs. Ory Okolloh spearheaded the founding of Ushahidi, a revolutionary crowd sourcing utility that enables citizen journalists and eyewitnesses all over the world to report incidents of violence through the web, mobile E-mail, SMS, and Twitter.

In 2011 Ory was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and one of Africa’s most Powerful Women by Forbes Magazine.

In 2014 she was featured in the prestigious list of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

Source: leadingladiesafrica.org

In Inspiration February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Aisha Gumel Is Helping Teenagers Overcome Peer Pressure

Aisha Gumel Farouq is the teen educator and Pre-marital coach. Aisha understands peer pressure and it’s diverse effect on teenagers. She provides them with the necessary guidance and the answers they need.

She is the founder of Playhouse Daycare, a successful and most sought-after early childhood centre focused on educating young children in a safe, nurturing, and innovative environment. She believes every child deserves a good foundation in education and should be given one.

She is also a partner in a consultancy firm (The Playhouse Mini Co.) that helps individuals start up their early childhood centres and organisations to set up daycare pods.

The educator is also known as “Coaching with Mrs F” where she guides intended couples and young adults based on her experiences and skills.

Additionally, Aisha is a member of the technical sub-committee, a part of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) member tasked with curating the conversation around the annual high-level summit from 2019 to date.

She enjoys learning about innovative education and hopes to be a catalyst for change in the educational sector.

We celebrate her for helping teenagers make the right choice and live a purposeful life.

In Interviews&profile February 16, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Elizabeth Ovwigho Is Teaching Women How To Succeed In The Jewellery Business

Elizabeth Ovwigho, popularly known as Aunty Muse, is a seasoned Entrepreneur and brand influencer. She has a Masters (M. Ed) in Early childhood and educational foundations and a first degree [B.A(Ed)] in Educational Administration.

She is a serial Ring and Jewelry merchant with an affinity for creative accessorizing. This birthed the MUSE brand in 2019, which is fast becoming a household name on Twitter and other social media platforms.

Elizabeth values customer relationship and Consumer feedback. This has definitely given her a leverage in the Jewelry business. She is also teaching other women how to succeed in the business, sharing daily tips and educating them on the need to prioritize customer satisfaction.

Her vision is to own one of the biggest Jewelry e-commerce store in Africa as well as become a voice to reckon with as an Accessory Consultant. She can be reached via: Lizzybovwigho@gmail.com

In Inspiration February 10, 2022 By Women of Rubies

#WCW | Meet Tobore Anne Emorhokpor, Pharmacist With A Burning Passion For Women And Children

Tobore Anne Emorhokpor is the founder of Nigerian Child Protection Trust and the convener of the End Child Sexual Group. Tobore is a leading voice in the women and child development sector.

Tobore Anne started her educational journey at Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Ojo. She then relocated to the UK for her A levels. She attended Cardiff University where she obtained a Masters degree in Pharmacy.

Driven by personal development and self-improvement, Tobore obtained additional qualifications CIPD level 5 course in Human Resources. She also did a virtual Leadership Principles Course at Harvard Business School.

Tobore has emerged as a credible voice armed with a passion for getting justice for the oppressed. She loves to go beyond people’s expectations and delight them.

She is renowned for her unique style of blended mentoring, empathy and speaking up for the oppressed through her various social media channels. Her inspirational leadership, empathy and benevolence makes it easy for women and children to have a connection with her.

At the core of her heart, Tobore defines herself as a woman driven by love, whose vision is that of a world where children are well taken care of. She wants a Nigeria where women are empowered to look after themselves and their children.

Tobore has been at the forefront of the movement for women to be treated with kindness by their spouses. She desires for children to live good lives and have a quality education. She detests children being used and abused for child labour and wants a great reduction in sexual abuse and rape of women and minors.

The testament to her impact is the media mentions she has gotten for her humanitarian works and advocacy.

Tobore is the recipient of the Right Livelihood Award for outstanding role in reducing hunger, inequality and improving sustainability. She has also clinched the Drum Majors for Peace award for her giant strides and contributions to women and child development.

We celebrate Tobore’s passion for humanity, and her contribution towards the safety of women in the society

In Inspiration February 7, 2022 By Ruby Girls Nigeria

‘My Podcast Was birthed Out Of My Love For Radio’ -Winifred Njoaguani

Winifred Njoaguani, host of The Word of Wini Podcast. She is an experienced customer relations officer, a communication media creative, an audio, visual and text content creator. She is passionate about equity and females all over the world, creating content for female-based platforms like The Girl Power media and has attended several global leadership trainings.

She shares her Ruby Girl story with the team.

1. Tell us about your childhood, Winifred. What was growing up like for you?

I had an amazing childhood, I must say. I’m the first child of four kids so I have always had the responsibility of looking out for and taking care of my younger ones. I grew up in a Christian home that upholds values and morals, my mother is a disciplinarian and she would never allow anything go wrong under her watch or give room for any of her kids misbehave.

However, as strict as my mother was, she taught me to always talk to her about everything, even though I was going to get in trouble for it. I shared a close-knitted bond with my family, including my cousins, and we have maintained that till date

At school, my sibings and I have always excelled and made our parents proud. I was always the one selected to handle several leadership positions; class prefect, head girl, social prefect even being leader of cultural dance groups, school choir, etc

Growing up was a mixture of discipline, education, family love and leadership for me.

2. Have you or people around you always known that you would be this passionate about equity and females?

In my family, we always represent fairness in every situation and regardless of things like gender, age, tribe, etc
I’ve always been passionate about females, people who know me well know that you cannot come near my sisters or my female friends, I will bite you (laughs). I remember one time in Secondary School when I was made class prefect by my class teacher and then someone made a side comment that it should have been a boy. I didn’t understand why and it didn’t make sense to me.

One time a male classmate hit me, I hit him back and we broke into a fight, my class teacher gave reasons I shouldn’t be fighting in school; It was morally wrong, I agreed to that, I was a Prefect, I agreed to that, I was a girl, now this confused me. He said a guy can hit back because he’s supposed to man up but a girl should run crying to the staff room. It didn’t make sense.

One other time, during sports activities, we were playing tug of war, girls vs boys and girls won, a teacher said to the boys, “you’re not ashamed, you let girls win you” that didn’t make sense as well!
So, yes, I had always known.

3. One accessory you can’t leave home without?

I barely wear jewelleries so I’d say my glasses. I could have said my phone but it could be an emergency and at that time I just want to see where I’m running to properly.

4. Judging by your years of practice in the Customer relation office, what have you noticed most organizations and institutions are lacking in regards to customer relations? Any suggestions on how they can improve?

I think that would be the speed at which they attend to even the smallest of issues and some unnecessary protocols I see in some places. It’s easy, as much as you can, reduce the difference in time between when a customer laid an issue to when that issue is being resolved and make the entire experience less stressful and more simplified for customers. Also, there are times when customer service personnels are helpless, maybe it’s a management policy that they really cannot do anything about asides from trying to pacify the customer. As much as feedback from external customers matter, institutions should take feedback from their internal customers (staff, etc) seriously as well, listen to them and try to make their own service experience better.

5. You specialise in creating female-based contents, how do you source for your content ideas? And any major lessons or tips?

My ideas spring from personal experiences, experiences from people around me, societal norms that I’m uncomfortable with and some relatable social media trends. However, one must be very careful not to spill too much personal information or mention names especially in stories that are sensitive and always seek permission before sharing a person’s experience.

6. What inspired the birth of your podcast, “The Word of Wini Podcast”?

My Podcast was birthed out of my love for radio and I think the media generally. When I was in Secondary School, I started a magazine project, I can’t remember what I wanted to name the magazine but it was female and child based, it wasn’t published because I couldn’t get anyone to sponsor it financially. I also tried out a YouTube channel in 2017, *La Déesse TV* La Déesse is French for *The Goddess* and it was really promising. In fact, I recently ran into a proposal I put together for my first guest on the channel and I was so impressed, I wish I had gone ahead with that project. In my University days, I waltzed into the radio life and I enjoyed talking on air, I always looked forward to going into the studio for my radio shows, coming out and hearing people talk about how good I was.

I couldn’t continue with radio because of my 9-5 job but a lot of people kept encouraging me to go back to being creative and sharing my views, so in 2020, I created The Word of Wini Podcast and it is slowly becoming my identity.

7. To many Feminism means not being submissive, proud, rude and wanting to be in control, what’s your take on feminism?

I don’t like it when people refer to me as a feminist because of the controversies surrounding that term and how people have been defining it recently. Regardless of your gender, you should be humble and take cognisance of the next person’s feelings at all times, I really don’t like the way they use that word submission *na so so submission, shey we get assignment?*

Feminism for me is, what is sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose. Feminism is absolute respect for the rights of a female; fairness and equity and not placing her below the radar.

So, if you’re telling a woman to be submissive to her husband, be sure to tell a man to be submissive to his wife. Now if you have a problem with that school of thought then it means you think that being submissive is a sign of weakness and it’s for women alone.

Feminism is acknowledging that if a woman wants she can remain unmarried till she attains a certain age, she can aspire to build a house before getting married if that’s what she desires, her favorite colour can be black and she doesn’t have to learn to cook just because she is female, she should learn to cook because it’s a survival skill. Thankfully, this conversation has been had and embraced almost everywhere.

8. A random fact about you that is oblivious to many.

Somehow, I always manage to have a slightly different opinion on things so people may think I’m controversial and like to argue. On the contrary, I love peace and I detest when I’m just trying to air my view on something and hear out the other person so that we can both learn and people turn it into an argument. I would walk away and almost never talk about anything to that person, I love peace.

9. ‎ If you were to be the President of the Nigeria, which changes would you implement?

This is hard honestly because positive change is relatable. But I think some of the things I would most definitely try to put in place would be affordable quality education and a country where basic amenities are accessible and available to all… I mean not everyone should live a life of luxury, there must always be a margin between the rich and the not-so-rich and I get it but you see basic amenities like water, food, electricity, health care and good roads, every human living in the country should have a lifetime access to them.

10. Mention 3 women who inspire you and why?

There’s an entire list, in no particular order, there’s Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie for very obvious reasons, that woman is so intelligent, she speaks and writes admirably, she’s well known and yet managed to maintain a life of privacy. I admire the creative power of the likes of Kemi Adetiba and Mo Abudu, I see myself in every female character that they have put on screen who exude so much power and class. My mother also inspires me, like I said earlier, she’s a core disciplinarian yet very amiable. Only my mother would tell you to go to hell in such a way that you’d be looking forward to that trip (laughs).

11. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?

It is always hard to answer this whenever I’m asked, I’m really not in charge of my life, I do hope God takes me to really high places in career, wealth and pursuing my dreams.

12. If you were given the opportunity to address a group of girls five years younger than you, what will be your advice to them?

Five years younger than I am meaning they should be about 19/20 in age, that’s a really sensitive time of their lives… Your life starts now, not when you are done with school, now! and you need to start putting things in place, the way you speak, the things you do and the choices you make now play a huge role in shaping the next stage of your life. Oh and also, a health worker told me something about the rate at which 19/20 year olds get pregnant so, no matter what you do, if you are not ready to train a child, do not have unprotected sex. Acquire as many skills as you can, tech skills, financial skills, etc, it’s not too early to be the best version of yourself.

In Inspiration January 24, 2022 By Women of Rubies

‘The Online Space Has Vast Merits That Women Can Leverage On’- Ruth Atim

Women who combine different career and stay focused don’t only win wherever they take their light, they also encourage other women to have “Can Do” Spirit. Ruth is making impact and touching lives in Uganda, using the media as a toolkit, and her passion as the drive,

Ruth Atim is a Journalist by profession and has worked for both broadcast and print media. In 2019, she was shortlisted as a finalist in the Isu Elihle awards, a South African Media award that rewards innovative
journalism about children. Ruth also Co-Founded the Gender Tech initiative-Uganda (https://www.genderinitiativeug.org) a not-for-profit organisation that empowers women (mostly journalists) with digital safety/security skills and Digital literacy skills. She is very passionate about Gender and Tech and most of her work is geared towards ending online abuse that targets women and her work has been able to save many women from online harassment. Ruth’s seeks to Empower women from various spheres of life and professions to fight Online Gender Based Violence. She shares her story exclusively with Esther Ijewere in this Interview.

Childhood Influence

Well, I didn’t have an easy childhood. I grew up in a family of 2 boys, and I was the only girl, raised by our widowed mother who later passed on leaving us to face the world. The world taught me that nothing comes easy, hence my inspiration to work hard and do the things that I do.

Why I pitched my tent in the Media sector

I started my Media career when I had just joined university, after graduation, I decided to continue with the media because I loved it. It felt good getting paid for doing what you love doing.

Inspiration behind the Gender-Tech initiative

Gender-Tech initiative-Uganda is an organisation that supports women human rights defenders, mostly journalists with skills to fight online gender-based violence. I have been a victim of online violence before, but by that time, I didn’t have any knowledge about it and I almost left the profession at that time because of the constant harassment. After attending a leadership program (Young African Leadership Initiative) and Safe-sister fellowship that empowers aspiring Tech Savvy Women), I developed a huge drive to start-up something that would support women and that’s how Gender-Tech initiative-Uganda came in place. We started out by having informal conversations with some female journalists and some of their thoughts shaped the organisation Vision and Mission statement.

Being passionate about online abuse that targets women in Uganda, and across Africa

The online space has vast merits that women can and have to leverage on. But because of online violence, some of them have decided to do an internet detox, and this means that they are missing out on the opportunities and connections that come with being online. To avert this, I and my team decided to carry out numerous digital safety/security trainings in a bid to equip our trainees and beneficiaries with skills to fight online Gender based Violence. This has also played a great role in bridging the already existing and wide gender digital divide gap.

Challenges of my work

As an organisation, most of our activities need funds, and it doesn’t come in timely. This has affected our work but we are now working towards self-sustaining projects.

Other projects and activities

Our other projects are school ICT Clubs. The purpose of these clubs is to motivate and empower young school girls to consider taking up an ICT Career. This is still in the initial stages but we plan to roll it out in upper primary and lower secondary students.

What I enjoy most about my Job

I enjoy the process of preparing content especially when I have a training coming up. It feels good knowing that you are working on something that will impact many lives.

3 women who inspire me and why

To start with, Stella Nyanzi inspires me a lot. She is is a medical anthropologist, feminist, queer rights activist and scholar of sexuality. She is one of Africa’s most prominent gender rights activist and was recently awarded the 2020 Oxfam Novib/PEN International award due to her poems and writings that have drawn her a huge fan base both in and out of the country.

Why she inspires me, is the length she’s willing to move on what she believes in is admirable. My second one is Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for female education and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. This young incredible woman overcame an assassination attempt by the Taliban at the age of fifteen, to campaign for women’s rights and children’s rights to an education.

The fact that she advocated in an area where the Taliban pose a serious threat makes her an inspiration to me. She has fought life and limb for what she believes in. And lastly, Winnie Byanyima. She is an aeronautical engineer, politician, and diplomat. To me, her name screams hope and resonates with what a woman can achieve if she believes in herself a little more.

Byanyima was appointed as the executive director of the UNAIDS by the UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres following a comprehensive selection process. Before this, she served as the Oxfam International executive director.

If she can achieve this and more, why not me.

How I balance my work as an advocate and journalist

Well, I just get my priorities right and plan for my day, a day before. I also love to delegate, because I believe that one can’t achieve much if they are everywhere doing different things. I focus on one thing at a go, and delegate if I am swamped.

Impact of my work in Uganda since inception

I have trained over 300 young women, and the feedback just excites me. Many of my beneficiaries’/ trainee’s report being more comfortable and at ease maneuvering the internet without any fear of bullying or harassment because they know just the right thing to do in order to be safe online. That to me is a push to do more.

To young women who want to combine journalism with social work

Both professions are fulfilling. Just find a way and strike a balance between the two, so as to be effective and deliver appropriately.

My view on Gender based violence, and how it is addressed in Uganda

Gender based Violence is everywhere and it was at its peak during the pandemic due to lockdowns and movement restriction. In Uganda, a few perpetrators are being held accountable for their actions, but we need to do more. Women are also very much aware of their rights which is a plus towards fighting Gender based violence, all thanks to the different stakeholders who have made it a point to empower the women.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I support and empower women to be better versions of themselves.

In Inspiration January 15, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Parents Need To Communicate More With Their Children- Dr. Nimi Ekere

There is nothing as motivating like a woman who is passionate about humanity, and has a strong affinity for change. Dr. Nimi Stephanie Ekere is a Consultant Family Physician, a Fellow of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Family Physicians. She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and a Certified Management Consultant. Dr. Ekere is a Certified Management Specialist with distinction in Time Management from the London Graduate School. Dr Nimi Ekere is also a child advocate, author, speaker, coach and humanitarian.

Dr. Ekere has practiced medicine in urban and rural areas for over 15 years and has endeared herself to her patients through her dedication to duties. She loves geriatric medicine and has had numerous training, workshops and certifications in geriatrics. Dr Nimi Ekere also loves to guide children and teenagers into their full potential. She is a strong proponent of effective and intentional parenting. She convenes several sensitization programmes and has featured in many panels and conferences both in Nigeria and abroad. She is passionate about combating child sexual abuse, working through her foundation, the SmileandShine Children’s foundation, to tackle the menace.

She is also an author of 4 books for children, pre-teens, teenagers and parents on the dangers of child sexual abuse with effective remedies. three of these books are government-approved for use at schools in Lagos State. Just recently, all four of her books were approved and added to the curriculum of the Rivers State ministry of education to be used in primary and secondary schools in the state.

Nimi Ekere was recently featured by the York City Journal, as one of the most Inspiring Women to look out for in 2022.

Childhood Influence

I grew up in an environment of empathy, kindness, and charity. These qualities literally formed my ideologies about life. I grew up seeing my mother give and care for people so genuinely. Interestingly, my mother also saw her mum give out the little she had to the needy. Helping people and being kind come naturally for me and this is because this was all I saw around me whilst growing up.

On another hand, the zeal to read also came from seeing my dad read lot and this of course, influenced me a great deal. I read a lot of newspapers, journals, articles and even novels. This made me love to write and I started writing so early. I would write poems and short stories. I wrote a whole lot .So yes, I think my childhood prepared me directly or indirectly for what I do now.

Inspiration behind SmileandShine Children’s Foundation

I saw a profound need to save children as I had seen and related with a lot of them who were hurting so badly from the horrendous effects of sexual abuse. I had also encountered some adults who were still grappling with the effect of sexual abuse suffered in childhood. The scary part was that a lot of their parents were completely ignorant and even the few that knew their children were abused preferred to keep it “secret”. Sexual Abuse was and still is an unpopular area to delve into, as the culture of silence has eaten deep into our fabrics as a people. It is said that our people wear silence like a badge of honour. People still hold on to false dogmas about sexual abuse and are quick to judge and shame the victim rather than the perpetrator.

The victims and their families suffer morbidly from stigmatization in their communities, schools, market and even places of worship. I knew that I could change the narrative as I saw more and more children being sexually abused, leaving them with so many life long complications. I also noticed that a lot of parents didn’t know how and when to discuss sex education with their children. They would rather not discuss it or just keep waiting till the child is “old enough” , by which time they would have been fed with so many false information by their peers or even the internet. Being that I love children so much, I knew I could do my part to ensure that children are protected and kept safe from abuse especially sexual abuse. This gave rise to SmileandShine Children’s Foundation, a non profit organisation that is aimed at preventing child sexual abuse and profering solutions to victims and those at risk, including members of their families.

We do a lot to create so much awareness about this menace by educating and enlightening children and even the general public on ways that child sexual abuse can be prevented. We also offer interventions in the sad event of an abuse. Smile and Shine Children’s Foundation offers primary medical and psychological care and in collaboration with other NGOs, ensure that justice is served and rightly so.

Impact and lessons from practicing medicine in urban and rural areas for 15 years

I would say that I am very dedicated and proficient at my job and this is judging by the wonderful feedbacks I get from my patients and even my employers. Beyond the fact that I love my profession, I see it as a CALLING and intentionally love to make an impact in the lives of my patients. And being a Family Physician has helped me so much in this regard because it actually goes beyond treating symptoms, it is about the person holistically. Being a Family Physician entails that I provide continuing, comprehensive and coordinated health care to individuals and families across all ages, genders and diseases and this requires a great deal of compassion, good interpersonal skills, good work ethics, maturity, willingness to learn more and more, patience and of course expertise, and letting these become a part of my life has helped shape me to the amazing woman and professional that I am today. Additionally, practicing in rural areas makes you more humane as you literally see what a lot of the poor populace go through. It brings out the humanitarian in you as you see yourself inevitably paying a lot of medical bills and this is why I advocate an open health insurance policy for every citizen of the country. As a rule, equity is my watchword at every point, so no matter the age, sex, race, socio-economic status of a person, it is non negotiable that they are treated impartially. Every life is important and this means that I go the extra mile to give ALL my patients the best. So whether it is in the rural or urban setting, my consistency and commitment to patient care remain unwavering. The lessons I have learnt from these years of practice would be that having a great measure of empathy, and emotional intelligence are very important beyond your expertise. Being empathetic makes you do more to ensure that your patient gets the best that you can give, and emotional intelligence helps you understand that a sick patient may not be so polite or put together, so you are much more patient or tolerant.

My books and testimonials from those who read it

I am an author of four books that address the issue of Child Sexual Abuse. Being a child advocate and working closely with abused children, I thought that teaching them through story telling about self protection, body boundaries and having a good parent- child relationship would be more productive and far- reaching. I thought that writing age-appropriate books would help them a great deal to understand better about the menace and ways to tackle it . I had always wanted to write children books and I was sure that writing on child sexual abuse in words that were comprehensible and relatable to the children would help them stay safe. Being one who loves children and works with them, I knew that writing age- specific books would resonate better with them and help drive home the message more profoundly, so I wrote “Some Parts Are Special” for children aged two to seven, “Setting Boundaries” for pre-teenagers, “Sparkles at Dawn” for teenagers and young adults.

I also thought it was ideal to write for parents and guardians who are literally primarily responsible for the upbringing of the child. Sex education is inevitable in parenting and a lot of parents do not even know what to do in this regard. “Into the Light”, is my fourth book for parents, written to ensure that parents are equipped with the Whens, Hows and Whats of sex and sexuality education. It is a well researched exposé that dymystifies sex education, letting parents and guardians know that sex education starts with an efficient parent- child relationship. This book will help parents and guardians know about child sexual abuse, how it can be prevented and what to do in the sad event of a molestation.

My books are approved in Lagos State Government to be used in primary and secondary schools in the state. Also in Rivers State, all four of my books are in the curriculum of the Rivers State ministry of education and one of them is particularly recommended for use in the Junior WAEC Examination. My gratitude goes to the governors of Rivers and Lagos States for this step taken to ensure that good books on sex education are introduced in schools. It will go a long way to curb the menace. As regards the testimonials from my books, I will say that it has been amazing and mindblowing. I get feedbacks about how children are so bold and empowered after reading the books. I must add that apart from the values and lessons that the books teach, they were carefully and deliberately written to also enhance the children’s comprehensibility and improve their vocabulary. Children who were not bold to speak about body boundaries are now bold to say that no one has has the right to see or touch their special body parts( private parts). It’s been wonderful and I am so happy that these books are really impactful, not just in Nigeria but globally.

My York City Journal feature as one of the most inspiring women to look out for in 2022

It felt like a dream. To say I was exhilarated would be putting it mildly. I was even happier and more shocked to know that I was the only black featured.. This just goes to say that our good works do not go unnoticed. God is watching and He definitely rewards our labour and sacrifice. People are watching too and as long as you are passionate and tenacious at what you do, the sky would not be your limit but your starting point. All the glory goes to God. I thank my husband and children for the support and motivation always. You truly cannot live your dreams and go very far without the support of a good spouse.

My husband has supported me amazingly. My kids too have been my source of strength. They are so excited to give me their clothes and belongings to the less privileged. When we go to rural communities for our sensitization outreaches, my kids are always so happy to share their clothes, bags, shoes and toys to indigent children. This feature is an honour and I do not take if forgranted. I specifically give all the glory to God and promise to continue to do more not only for the Nigerian or African child but for children all over the world.

Parenting and the ills of the society

I think the ills of today would have been curbed drastically if more attention was paid on effective parenting. A lot of innovations which were absent in the past but present now have their advantages but we know that there are lots of disadvantages associated with them. For example, in the past, children did not have to study with laptops and tablets. It was easier to monitor what children did at the time, not forgetting that the economy was better and at least one parent was more available. Right now, parents have to work really hard to give children the basic things of life and this leaves the children without adequate care, making them very vulnerable to abuse of all forms. So, whilst the ills of today will not go away any time soon, parents must be ahead of their game with better and more result- oriented parenting skills that will keep the children safe and make them responsible adults. Parents must do more than parents in the past did as kids now are more knowledgeable and even more exposed to vices and ills via technology and westernization. This is no walk in the park as it looks overwhelming for parents but it is really achievable. My foundation ( smileandshine children’s foundation) has parenting classes and conferences and we are having quite a number of sessions this year. The aim is to help parents from all walks of life learn more about parenting and child protection in the digital age as this.

Other projects and activities

This year, we have quite a number of activities. I already mentioned the regular parenting classes and conferences we are putting together in a lot of states in the country. We hope to have child protection conferences in as many states of the country as possible and this would involve children and parents. We also have a lot of programmes for children in public and private schools to educate them on safety/ protection, morals and values. I am very passionate about the hard -to -reach children because a lot of them are left out in programmes like these, so we would deliberately be reaching out to them through various community sensitization programmes and a special project called the “Talk to me project”, a programme that targets children in hard to reach areas, teaching them about safety, protection, morals and career path. There is also the big event, in September which is called ” the STRIVE conference, first of its kind for children, in Lagos State. This conference will have notable speakers, child advocates, religious leaders and role models speak to the children on how they can stay away from vices, protect themselves from abuse, live their dreams and become whatever they set their hearts to become. It is going to be a phenomenal one and the first of its kind in the country and Africa

3 women who inspire me and why

I have so many women that inspire me and yes, I keep adding to the list. I have been asked to mention 3 and I will do just that(laughter). In no particular order, it would be: *Mrs Ibukun Awosika, I think she is phenomenal. Intelligent, humble, God fearing and so entrepreneurial. She is one woman that has excelled in every capacity and inspires me in no small measure.

*Prof Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, because she has literally raised the bar for women and proven that everything is possible for us as women if we believe and work hard. She has broken glass ceilings, challenging gender stereotypes in male dominated terrains. I see some of her attributes in me. Her resilience, tenacity and dedication to what she believes in, are qualities that women should strive to possess.

*Mrs Bola Tinubu, the founder of Ceceyarah Foundation is another woman that inspires me. Like me, she is a child advocate and I think she has done well in the area of child protection. She does inspire me a great deal.

Child sexual abuse advocacy, and the role of parents and Government

The first line of defence for children is the parents who need to pay more attention to their child’s welfare, especially in the line of communication. Parents need to communicate more with their children, a lot of times parents do not even know what is going on around their child even when the abuse takes place right in the home. Sometimes, children are so scared to discuss with their parents and they would prefer to walk the journey alone rather than tell anyone, including their parents. Again, parents need to be more intentional about their child’s safety and make efforts to ensure that their child is not put in harm’s way by anyone. For example, when you’re not with your child, make sure you run a background check on who is responsible for the child’s care, be it at school, church or even with relatives and when you’re with your child, make time to cover for when you missed and what you missed.

Secondly, the government is the most equipped line of defence for the child. Policies need to be made in this regard, and enforced. For instance, child marriage is still boldly practiced in some parts of Nigeria without contention. Only the government can stop that. While 26 states have adopted the Child Rights Act, 10 states are yet to domesticate the CRA in their respective states. Even some of those states in which the Act has been domesticated, there are still concerns about enforcement. Lastly, we have to help ourselves in the society. We should watch out for possible predatorial tendencies, whether or not we are directly involved, and call out perpetrators. No one should be too big to pay for their crimes. If justice is rightly served, it would definitely serve as a deterrent to others and help a great deal to curb the menace.

One thing I wish I could change in the health sector

One thing I would change is the weak performance and famished state of the primary health care centres in the country. I will strengthen and ensure viable and high performing primary health care services in all the 774 local government areas in the country and their respective wards, and advocate for more budgetary allocation, knowing that primary health care is the closest health care system to the common man and serves as a gate opener to other higher health care services. This will go a long way to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality in our country.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I would say that I am a woman of Rubies because I love to be the best at everything that I do. I go the extra mile for my patients, and I also believe that the depth of passion, dedication and hardwork I bring to my job(work) and the fact that I am very detailed make me endeared to my patients. As a child advocate, I am very passionate about what I do. I put in my time, resources and all that I can give to ensure that children are safe. As a wife and mother, I do my best to take care of the home front and also keep my kids safe.

See more photos of Dr. Nimi Ekere’s outreach programme;

In Inspiration January 14, 2022 By Women of Rubies

‘I Started My Cleaning Services To Put Myself Through School’- Obiora Miracle Nzubechukwu

Show me a woman who is passionate about her work, and I will point my compass at Miracle Obiora, popularly called “Celebrity Cleaner”. She loves her job, and she does it with relish and pleasure.

Obiora Miracle Nzubechukwu is a native of Uga in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.

She is a graduate of Criminology and Security Studies from Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Anambra State, Nigeria. Miracle is the CEO of Mummies Professional Cleaning Services (MPCS) popularly known as ‘Celebrity Cleaner’ on social media. The cleaning agency is located in Awka, Anambra State.

The hardworking professional service provider has handled several commercial and industrial cleaning in the East and South-south, and it is willing to extend its tentacles to other parts of the country. It’s known for their excellence in delivering topnotch services to the satisfaction of its clients.

Childhood Influence
Yes, my childhood prepared me a lot, and I owe my hustling and building spirit to my guardian (Mrs joy udoji), who happens to be my aunt from my father’s side, she took me in after my last mother passed, and I remembered vividly I was four years when she bought me to Lagos, she is and is still is a hustler that never gives up, so growing she really embedded in me that hustling spirit. My childhood wasn’t boring neither was it full of excitement, but it was good, we were just an average family in Lagos living day by day.

Why I went into cleaning services?
Initially, I started the cleaning to see my self through school, so as to bypass unwarranted insult from lecturers, but as time went by, I found joy in it, the peace and the comfort that comes with knowing that I can solve this problems and make a person happy.

Inspiration behind mummies professional cleaning services
Ans: Honestly, the inspiration behind it was God, and the first year I was about to start my business, I remember kneeling down to pray for a name to call my business, and the only words that kept ringing in my mouth was mummies, and till this day, that was the only name I can remember.

The journey so far
Honestly it been God’. Some days are rainy, some days are sunny, but everyday I keep seeing new methods and techniques in reaching my goal.

Services

We offer commercial cleaning services , industrial cleaning services which is mostly known as post construction cleaning for residential and private houses. We also do staff maintenance for houses. We also handle marble and terrazzo polishing. We also handle 3d epoxy flooring We are very good at before event and after event cleaning both on commercial and private level. We also do interlock polishing and compound washing.

Challenges
Mostly it is just client we feel may not be satisfied, but we are quite professional when dealing with them.

Other project and activities
No ongoing projects for now, I’m more concerned towards growing and pushing mummies to a very high and well known level.

What I enjoy most about my job
The experiences it brings, both the good and bad. I also enjoy the fact that I meet high personnel’s that always needs my services, and I the exposure it brings whenever we get to other states in Nigeria to work. It is kind of a tourist journey for me…And most importantly, the fact I fix cleaning problems in people’s environment.

3 women who inspire me
1) MO Abudu – recently just made it to Harvard course, she’s exceptional, a ground breaking goal getter, that has been challenging status quo in the media industry.
2) Genevieve Nnaji – she is a silent achiever, and doesn’t make any noise, I mean she is definition of silent billionaire in the igbo tribe.
3) Ovaiosa – This lady is a true definition of hardwork, I am amazed everyday with the way she go out there in the world and get it.

Studying criminology and security studies but choosing another career path
Fate.. Because I have planted my seed in this industry.

Managing my business during the pandemic
Relevancy, consistency, and awareness. The covid issue was a nice marketing tools for us, because it helped us create an avenue for people to see the benefit of using a cleaning company to disinfect and clean your house.

If I could change one thing in the cleaning services business
Under-rating and under pricing from clients. It still baffles me how people are able to build houses of over millions of naira, and and when it get to the aspect of giving you a spotless and sparkling environment, you begin to under price a cleaning company. I always try to explain to my client that my services are premium, the mental and physical work I and my team put in are very sophisticated.

To young women who want to go into my line of business
1) Get the knowledge and experience from a good cleaning company first. I personally was trained and trained in I worked for three different cleaning companies before I started.
2) Don’t go into the business with making quick money mindset, my dear Mark my word, the first six month you are likely to give up. Go in with the mindset of creating solutions, it the passion that will keep you in business.
3) Make research on your own, learn new methods and skills in the janitorial industry.
Lastly, have God, you will need him a lot.

Why they call me ‘celebrity cleaner’
It is actually” royal celebrity cleaner”, 60% of all the jobs we do are mostly from Royal families, and so technically I am a royal cleaner.

Being a woman of rubies
My ability to be a goal getter. I am a woman of rubies because I see my sisters rising and breaking the tides in every industry in the world and I am super proud that we are no longer confined to the backyard, but we are now are leading.

In lifestyle January 3, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Money Matters With Nimi: Don’t Procrastinate On Your Financial Resolutions

At the start of each new year, many of us have grand plans to repurpose our lives, careers, relationships and finances, however, we sometimes expect magic by hoping for the best but doing nothing to make it happen.

Is procrastination a major problem for you? Procrastination can have many negative consequences: deadlines are missed; opportunities are wasted; work is rushed with the attendant fall in quality standards; impressions are created, as you consistently arrive late at important meetings and events,because you didn’t leave home in time but put the blame on traffic or the weather instead.

Many people procrastinate to a degree, but if your case is a chronic one, it must be addressed swiftly or it will have significant implications for your future. The costs of procrastination are substantial in every aspect of life, but when it relates to delaying or putting off important decisions related to your personal finances and investments, the damage to your financial future can be excruciating. The financial cost of procrastination has effects on your emotional and mental health.

Are you still planning to insure your property or write a will? Are you waiting until your 50th birthday before you get around to saving and investing for your retirement? Do you routinely submit your tax returns late and end up having to pay penalties and late fines? Is budgeting something you have thought about but never really practiced? If you don’t control your spending now, you will soon be wondering where all your money went.

Our lives are shaped by many different life events, most of which come with financial consequences that must be planned for. By not planning in advance, by not saving and investing today for a more prosperous tomorrow, by not protecting your assets, by not planning for your legacy, you jeopardize all that you have spent a lifetime building.

Procrastination can be a chronic habit – so deeply ingrained that you can’t break it overnight. It can only stop being a habit when you take active steps to beat it. Here are some tips that should help:

Write down your money-goals and work towards them systematically.
Break down tasks to reduce any sense of feeling overwhelmed.
Start each day with a list and include at least one of the items that you have been avoiding; eat the biggest frog first.
Delegate. Can someone help you complete the task? Paying for that service may be a better option than delaying things further.
Find an accountability partner to support you and that will hold you to your plans.

Once you start to enjoy an accomplishment or two, you will be motivated to do more. Focus on the success you have achieved, reward yourself, and enjoy that freedom from the burden.

This year, be proactive about combating financial procrastination; it is one of the worst kinds as its consequences can be devastating. Unnecessary delays come with serious risks you cannot afford. Get things done.

In Career Gems January 3, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Vimbai Butawu Is Helping Young Learners In Zimbabwe Discover Their Passion

Vimbai Angela Butawu is a Zimbabwean young social entrepreneur. She is an energetic, goal-oriented young lady with a heart for social development especially focusing on child and youth development.

She holds 2 degrees from the University of Monash South Africa. She graduated with her first degree in Bachelor of Social Sciences (2017) double majoring in Child and Youth Development and Criminology and holds a Postgraduate Degree (2019) in Business Management specializing in Corporate Governance.

Vimbai’s commitment to service is outstanding and has been internationally recognized. She was one of only 10 students out of more than one million students worldwide in the Laureate Universities network (200 campuses worldwide) who were recognized as honorees of the Here for Good Award—for making a positive social impact in their communities and countries. In the same year, through the MSA LEAD program, she was selected as one of the top 10 social entrepreneurs in South Africa.

She started My Africa Child and Youth Development Organization in 2018. Her dream is to make a positive change in Africa, creating opportunities for young people. She believes that young people are the future leaders and giving them a platform for positive growth will be beneficial to the development of the continent. Her vision is to create an organization that focuses on making a profit for good, thus creating a self-sustainable organization making a positive social impact on the continent.

On what she does at MACYDO

MACYDO is an organization that focuses on the development of young people in Africa. We aim to groom young people to become influential leaders and change-makers in their communities and countries and play a vital role in Africa’s economic and social development. We believe that young people are tomorrow’s leaders; therefore, it is of utmost importance to invest in them positively.

MACYDO focuses on various sectors that play a role in young people’s lives: education, Entrepreneurship, Health, and Entertainment. MACYDO has been operating since 2018. The organization was found in South Africa and has impacted more than 50 young people through our talent-based Saturday classes.

In 2020 MACYDO Education launched a scholarship program in Zimbabwe, and we currently have 20 scholars benefiting from the program. The scholarship program focuses not only on providing education funding for the scholars but also on self-development, leadership, and entrepreneurship training for all our scholars.

In 2021 MACYDO Entrepreneurship pioneered a fellowship program for young entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe – MACYDO Leading Entrepreneurs foR African Development Program (LEAD). The program focuses on empowering entrepreneurs with projects that impact the country.