Skip to main content

Women of Rubies

Connect with us

Facebook Instagram Linkedin X-twitter Youtube
Menu
Become a Member
Menu
Join the Community
Author

Esther Ijewere

Browsing
In self development By

SIMONE BILES, COCO GAUFF, AND BRIGID KOSGEI ALL MADE SPORTS HISTORY

Young women out in the world breaking records and making history is always something to celebrate, so let’s break down exactly how these three are changing the world of sports.

Simone Biles

View photos

49th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships – Day Ten

Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

Biles’s breaking of records is certainly nothing new—she’s been doing it pretty much every day she competed over the past week at the world championships in Stuttgart, Germany. On Sunday (October 13), she won gold medals in the individual floor and balance beam competitions, bringing her career world-medal total to 25. That means she is now officially the G.O.A.T., becoming the most decorated gymnast—male or female—in history.

Olympic Channel

✔@olympicchannel

Queen of the @gymnastics world! 👑@Simone_Biles has become the most decorated World Championship gymnast of all time after winning gold on balance beam at ! @USAGym

View image on Twitter

3,428

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Of her 25 medals, Biles said, “It’s older than my age, so I’m pretty thrilled with it,” per NPR.

Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff, the 15-year-old tennis star, was last seen by most of us in an emotional moment at the U.S. Open when she lost to Naomi Osaka. But now she’s celebrating her first professional title, at a WTA tournament in Austria. The win makes her the youngest player to accomplish such a feat in 15 years—and she’s only just getting started.

Team USA

✔@TeamUSA

The youngest U.S. woman to win a tour singles title since 1991:

15-YEAR-OLD COCO GAUFF. 🏆 https://twitter.com/usta/status/1183391575482650625 …

USTA

✔@usta

The winning moment ☺️@CocoGauff | #TeamUSATennis

Embedded video

2,082

Twitter Ads info and privacy

Brigid Kosgei

While Biles and Gauff were killing it this weekend, a third black woman was also making sports history. Kosgei won the Chicago Marathon for the second year in a row and totally shattered a world record in the process. She finished the 26.2-mile race in just 2 hours, 14 minutes, and 4 seconds—81 seconds faster than the women’s world marathon record set 16 years ago by Paula Radcliffe.

Leandri Janse van Vuuren@Lean3JvV

CONGRATS! 🏆 Brigid Kosgei sets a new Women’s Marathon World Record of 2:14:04 at the Chicago Marathon, breaking Paula Radcliffe’s 16 year old record! 🇰🇪 What an AMAZING weekend for Kenyan marathon runners!! 👏🏾

Embedded video

282

Twitter Ads info and privacy
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m suddenly feeling the need to hit the gym.

by
Keep Reading
In Interviews&profile By

WOMAN BECOMES ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT SCHOOL SHE ONCE WORKED AS CLEANER

A woman from the US has served as an example of strength and inspiration after climbing the ranks at her workplace. Pam Talbert who once worked as a school janitor mixed hard work and perseverance to give rise to a booming career as an assistant principal.

According to WBRZ, the mother of three had a learning disability that had not been diagnosed but this did not stop her from achieving her dreams. For someone who could not read or write, becoming an educator was nothing short of a miracle.

For someone who could not read or write, becoming an educator was nothing short of a miracle.

“Miracles happen and you are looking at a miracle. I am a miracle. I could not read and write. I was on a third-grade level,” she said. Pam admitted her kids pushed her to greatness and forced her out of her comfort zone. The dedicated assistant principal learned and read what her kids were learning and started to pick up a few things from their books. Pam admitted her kids pushed her to greatness and forced her out of her comfort zone.

Most times, when the kids returned from school they would tutor their mum. Eventually, she managed to go back to school and earn both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Southern University. ‘‘It was very hard, but I persevered because I knew that it was important that I did that,” Pam added. Even more inspiring, Pam and her son are headed to school to earn their PhDs from Southern University. “Despite where you are coming from, or your background, your history or where you live… It is going to be alright if you persevere. If you try,” Talbert said.

Source: Tuko

by
Keep Reading
In Editor's Choice By

“BEING AN ARTISTE, TEACHER AND MUSIC INSTRUCTOR HAS IMPACTED ME GREATLY”- COREISA JANELLE LEE

Coreisa Janelle Lee was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama to two parents who dedicated their lives to pastoring a church. She attended a performance arts highscool in Alabama where she  majored in Music performance. After highschool she  accepted full scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music in New York city where she got her Bachelors degree in Music Performance.While Coreisa is her final year of her Masters Degree, she also works as a Flute Teachers Assistant , where she teach students privately about music and performance.

The young musician who grew up with three older brothers who are musicians, including her parents is very passionate about African Music, she recently found out about her Nigerian roots and she says the love and support has been huge online , while she looks forward to visiting the Country in the nearest future to showcase her talent and introduce her work to the larger Nigerian community and bring the history to the world through her talents.

Coreisa Janelle Lee shares her Inspiring story with me in this interview

Childhood Influence

My childhood absolutely prepared me for what I do now. I grew up in a household of all musicians. My dad and mother pastored a church in Birmingham, Alabama and had a strong belief in talents gifted by God. With my parents both having a background in music, they put me and my three older brothers into music class at a very young age. From there, I’ve danced, sung, played piano and discovered the flute. I started taking Flute lessons in the fourth grade and has stuck with that passion ever since.

Impact of coming from a family of “Musicians ”

My parents encouraged my practicing. They put me in all the music programs and pushed me to take all opportunities to continue my talent. They were my teachers at home, telling me what I could do to be better. I played piano in church every Sunday and I watched my brothers interest in music production, as they also fell in love with music. Really, I had no choice but to become a musician. It was my entire childhood. My parents pushed me to audition for the Alabama School of Fine Arts where I was accepted and awarded high training in Flute performance. I then was told to reach outside of the box and audition for a Music conservatory in New York City. I did and received a full scholarship to move to New York and to be trained by the great musicians there. While in New York, I was discovered by Meredith Vieira, a talk show host on NBC, where she invited me as a 19 year old girl to come on the show, tell my story and then was awarded a free, brand new 14,000 dollar professional flute. The rest is history.

Being a teacher and music instructor

Being a teacher and music instructor has impacted me greatly! Originally, I believed I needed more time to work on my skills before reaching out and telling others what they can do better. I was not seeking to teach but for more performance opportunities. After receiving a full scholarship for my Masters, I walked into a position that required me to be responsible for College level teaching. It forced me to realize that I have reached a level where it is time to give back. I had reached a level where I was looked up to, so teaching has definitely brought another level of confidence to my music and place in this world. Also, teaching has technically made me a better musician as there is a moment where you must know the things you are teaching in order for the student to fully receive what you are saying. You must demonstrate, you must speak with confidence and assurance; Therefore, it has pushed me to make sure I know what I am saying.

Plans to  bring my vision to Nigeria

I have big plans to visit home. It has been a journey of finding who I am and I am so happy to know I have Nigerian blood. I want to come visit and I would like to share my talents with all of my brothers and sisters. This is where I ask for help from those in Nigeria. I want to organize a recital/performance that will allow me to travel to Nigeria, share myself and meet as many people as possible. I will be graduating from My Masters soon and would like to plan this performance shortly after. If there is anyone with any ideas or wisdom please reach out to me as I would be so grateful! I am looking for performance spaces, a classical accompanist/orchestra and financial support to make it happen.

Challenges

As a musician, as an Artist, this life can be very unpredictable. At one point everything could make sense and the next you are searching for what’s next. It’s a push and pull on your sanity and I find this the hardest. From personal experience and seeing my students and colleagues experience the frustration, I know that this is simply the life of an artist. Choosing to steer from the 9 to 5 path means that you have to build your own career/success. You not only must organize a 9 to 5 schedule in order to perfect your craft, but must have enough business inside of you to bring enough revenue to stay afloat in the music world. It is very difficult, but once figured out, completely worth it.

On Giving up

I know of many stories of people where they felt like giving up, but for me personally I have never been pushed that far. It has been hard for sure, but I’ve known since a little girl that I am doing what I am meant to do. As I do not know the future, and I also believe “Faith without works is dead”, I continue to work and experience all of the troubles of planning my future, but I have not once questioned if I should give up or not. God has blessed my life and I am so grateful for this peace.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I agree that Women are nurturers by nature. I find those instincts within myself and thank my mother for being such a great example. Through everything I do, I look to encourage and uplift those around me. Now with the internet, I have found that I am able to touch and encourage many people on a wide scale and feel it is my duty to do so. As a musician, a platform that is universal, I have found my calling. My music, my story encourages and inspires others and has helped me to understand I must keep going. As one of the few African Classical Flute performers in the world, I have reached a place where my career is important for the youth growing up looking to see someone who looks like them and made it out successful. For them and for my family and many others, I have and will continue to rise and push. Thank you Women or Rubies for being a platform for people like me to express themselves. I am grateful for the recognition.

On recognition of upcoming musicians

I think being a musician on a recognized level is a very difficult and long journey. There are success stories of quick elevations to fame, but for the most part the stories are usually long and requires patience and smart work. I think those who are recognized deserve the attention and are appreciated, but unfortunately there are also those that work hard and go unnoticed – It is a battle of extremes. I think in order to balance this out, more successful musicians need to have it in there minds to bring more deserving musicians into the spotlight. We all need each other on this earth and no one can ever replace you. There is no need of selfishness and envy. We all have a place on this earth and should not hesitate to extend our hands out to uplift others.

Any final word for Women, especially young women who want to go into music?

You deserve your beauty and you deserve your talent. Never let anyone try and divide these two characteristics of you. You can be both and you ARE both. Hold yourself with dignity and strength and show the world your power. Do not look down on other women’s power. We are all powerful in nature, we are queens and we all have a place in this earth!

 

 

 

by
Keep Reading
In Interviews&profile By

#RUBYGIRLS| “DON’T EVER LET YOUR GENDER LIMIT YOU”- ENIOLA APAPA

Eniola Victoria Apapa is a nineteen year old final year student of Political Science and International Relations in Caleb University. She has been a recipient of Best Student Award in her department right from her first year till date.

Eniola owns her own makeup outfit, Glam by Enieey. She combines academics, entrepreneurship and holding major student leadership positions effectively.

She shares her Ruby Girl story in this interview.

1. Let’s meet you. Who is Eniola?

My name is Apapa Eniola Victoria. A final year student of Caleb University, department of political Science and International Relations.

2. What are your hobbies?

I love to cook and watch movies. I love to hang out a lot but I’m also one of those people that enjoy being in their own space.

3. Who and what inspires you?

My mum inspires me a lot, she’s a really strong woman and I just want her to be happy.

4. What is your biggest fear?

I don’t want to loose my mum.

5. What is that one accessory you can’t leave home without?

I really don’t think there is an accessory I can’t do without, but let’s just say my phone.

6. You have been receiving the award of best student in International Relations right from your first year and you are on a first class? How does that make you feel? And what do you think is the secret to this great record of yours?

Yes, with this being achieved, I’ve realized that I can do anything I put my heart to. Back in secondary school I was just an average student and here I’m one of the best. It’s basically just hard work and determination to achieve set goals.

7. What is that one thing you’ll like to change about yourself?

I am very pessimistic and I need to change that. It’s quite interesting being a realist as an International Relations student but I think I need to slow it down.

8. What keeps you up at night?

I cherish my sleep a lot so the only thing that can keep me up has to be my books.

9. If given the chance to be the President of Nigeria for a day, what will you change?

I would ensure that Nigeria is well represented at the international level to be able to maintain our relevance as a country.

10. You have your own makeup brand. What inspired you to venture into it? And how has the journey been so far.

Well, while growing up, I spent a lot of time by the mirror with my mum’s cosmetics bag. I started doing her makeup for events and that’s how I developed interest in learning more about makeup.

The journey hasn’t been easy so far but of course I can see growth and I know very soon I’ll get there.

11. How do you juggle everything together?

It’s not easy combining work with academics and also holding major student leadership positions in school but I just set my priorities right.

12. Where do you see yourself/your brand in the next 5 years?

In 5 years, I want to own various range of makeup products and of course working my way up to becoming one of the top influencers of Nigeria’s diplomatic relations.

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

Firstly, I’ll make them know that they can achieve anything they set their hearts to.
Don’t let your gender or certificate limit you. Try to explore your world and make the best use of your time.

by
Keep Reading
In Interviews&profile By

KENYAN GIRLS WHO DEVELOPED APP TO FIGHT FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION NOMINATED FOR SAKHAROV PRIZE

The app – i-Cut – makes it easier for young women to seek help, find a rescue centre or report the procedure to the authorities.

Kenyan Girls Who Developed App to Fight Female Genital Mutilation Nominated for Sakharov Prize

 The Restorers

The European Parliament has nominated 5 Kenyan students from Kisumu Girls High School who developed a mobile app to help victims and potential victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The girls, who go by the name “The Restorers” are Stacy Owino, Cynthia Otieno, Purity Achieng, Mascrine Atieno and Ivy Akinyi. The app – i-Cut – makes it easier for young women to seek help, find a rescue centre or report the procedure to the authorities.

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is awarded each year by the European Parliament of the European Union.

FGM was made illegal in Kenya in the late 1990s and early 2000s in a series of laws and decrees. In 2011, another law, the prohibition of female genital mutilation act 2011, came into force in October. Generally, there has been a decrease in FGM cases nationwide. According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, the 2014 prevalence of FGM in Kenya stood at 21%. This is in comparison to 27% in 2008/9 and 32% in 2003. However, amongst some communities, the prevalence is still quite high such as the Somali at 94%, Samburu 86%, Kisii 84%, and Maasai at 78%. Emerging trends include a change in the type of FGM, lowering the age of circumcision and the use of doctors.

The Restorers previously participated in the 2017 Technovation Challenge in Silicon Valley in August – they were the only African group to take part in the challenge.

The other finalists for the prize are Brazilian human rights defender Marielle Franco, Chief Raoni and Claudelice Silva dos Santos; and Uyghur economist Ilham Tohti.

by
Keep Reading
In Interviews&profile By

MEET THE 20-YEAR OLD FEMALE TECH GENIUS CODING AT ETHIOPIA’S FIRST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LAB

She has several apps copyrighted solely to her name, was contracted by the government at the age of 12 and has her own company.

Meet the 20-Year Old Female Tech Genius Coding at Ethiopia's First Artificial Intelligence Lab

Her name is Betelhem Dessie, and she is a web and mobile technologies developer. At 20, she currently coordinates a number of nationwide programs at iCog, the lab that was involved in the development of the famous humanoid, Sophia the robot.

Born in Harar, Ethiopia, in 1999,  Betelhem showed a propensity for the craft at an early age. Consequently, her career in the industry began when she was just 9 years old.

Betelhem’s interest peaked at her father’s electronic shop where she stayed to familiarize herself with computers by using her father’s computer. When she was turning 9, she asked her father for money to buy a present. Unfortunately, he didn’t have much to spare that day. She decided to work for the money herself. She took on several tasks in the shop, such as editing videos and sending music to customers’ phones. She made 1600 birr. That was a turning point for her.

Betelhem gradually improved her skills in video-editing, computer maintenance and installing cellphone software. At 10 years old, she had started coding in HTML. She soon started teaching basic computer skills to her classmates in school.

Her fame grew as her skills did and local news agencies covered her story. When she was still 10, then Prime Minister of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi invited her and her family to live in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa. And so Betelhem and her family moved from Harar to Addis. Pretty soon, Betelhem was under the government’s employ. From 2011 to 2012, she was a developer for the government at the Ethiopian Information Network Security Agency (INSA). She was just 12 years old at that time, and the government paid for her education as well.

In 2013, iCog Labs, Ethiopia’s first artificial intelligence lab, launched. In 2017, iCog Labs teamed up with Betelhem’s own company, Anybody Can Code (ACC), of which she is founder and CEO, to open up a new academy to popularize coding in Ethiopia. The new academy, situated at the International Leadership Institute, targets children between the ages of 6 to 13. She coordinates several nationwide programs at iCog-ACC and is currently a project manager at the labs.

Betelhem has a number of apps copyrighted solely to her name, including an app developed for the Ethiopian government to map rivers used for irrigative purposes and a digital library she created at grade 10.

Together with Girls Can Code, a US-based organisation that seeks to plug the gender-gap in coding by teaching girls to code, Betelhem taught young women to build websites and apps. The gender-gap in Ethiopia’s coding scene isn’t lost on Betelhem as at iCog-ACC she runs several programs to increase the participation of girls and young women in the field. One such project is the Sophia School Bus, a bus that goes around Ethiopia with laptops and other electronic materials to create awareness on such technologies. “Who can solve the problem of a female if she cannot tell you the problem, and find her own solution?” Betelhem posed.

The biggest thing we have in Africa is a young generation. So if we train the young generation in tech, we’ll be able to build something that is everlasting.— Betelhem Dessie

Betelhem was recently named one of the young African innovators to watch in 2019 by Quartz Africa and she has taught approximately 20,000 children how to code.

Header Image Credit: Betelhem Dessie

by
Keep Reading
In Interviews&profile By

EATING NATIVE FOOD, FARMING SECRET TO MY LONG LIFE – 104-YEAR-OLD NIGERIAN JESSIE ONUIGWE

Healthy life is everything. A Nigerian woman, 104-year-old Jessie Onuigwe, has shared the secret to her living that long.

In an interview with BBC, the Nigerian said that farming is her secret to long life, adding that the reason for young people’s shaky health is that they engage in unhealthy lifestyle like smoking, and drinking alcohol. She said that young people are lazy, and do not farm. The 104-year-old who hails from Anambra said that she also extracts palm oil from palm kernel.

She said she went into farming because she believes it is beautiful venture.

“If you don’t have money to do business, you can venture into farming. Agriculture helps to fight climate change, which is destructive. “What has helped me live long is eating my native food, and believing in Jesus. Your body becomes stronger when you farm,” she said.

The old woman, who also has four children and 124 grandchildren, said that she used profits from her farming to feed her family. Onuigwe said that farming helps her to combat issues like global warming. The centurion said that farming is a good alternative for anyone who lacks capital to venture into business.

by
Keep Reading
In self development By

MOTHERS ARE SLEEP DEPRIVED FOR THE FIRST 6 YEARS OF PARENTHOOD

No one expects to get a ton of sleep when they have a newborn at home, but most of us believe that we’ll get more sleep when the kids are older.

New research suggests that’s a myth that sets parents up for frustration because parents (particularly mothers) are still sleep deprived four to six years after bringing a baby home.

The study examined the sleep patterns of 4,659 German parents who had a child between 2008 and 2015 and found that parents’ sleep duration and satisfaction don’t recover to pre-pregnancy levels until the first child is in first grade.

Parents of older children often feel like they shouldn’t be as tired as they are since they no longer have a baby at home, but this study proves that sleep deprivation doesn’t end when your child starts sleeping in a big kid bed. It continues, and we can’t address the problem if we don’t acknowledge it.

“While having children is a major source of joy for most parents it is possible that increased demands and responsibilities associated with the role as a parent lead to shorter sleep and decreased sleep quality even up to 6 years after birth of the first child,” says Dr. Sakari Lemola, of the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick.

And moms get less sleep than dads, a trend that starts right away and lasts until elementary school. Researchers found that in the first three months after a baby is born, mothers sleep on average one hour less than before pregnancy. In those first three months, dads lose out on about 15 minutes.

“Women tend to experience more sleep disruption than men after the birth of a child reflecting that mothers are still more often in the role of the primary caregiver than fathers,” says Dr. Lemola.

By the time the kids in the study were 4 to 6 years old the moms were still missing out on about 20 minutes of sleep, while dad’s sleep deficiency remained steady at 15 minutes below the pre-kids duration.

“We didn’t expect to find that, but we believe that there are certainly many changes in the responsibilities you have,” Dr. Lemola told The Guardian, explaining that kids may stop crying at night as they grow up, but they may wake up feeling sick or due to nightmares, and that stress related to parenting can also keep parents up at night.

First-time parents lose the most sleep compared to more experienced parents, the research notes, and in the first one and a half years of a child’s life, breastfeeding moms lost more sleep compared to bottle-feeding moms.

It may seem kind of bleak to think that you’ll still be losing sleep when your child is in kindergarten, but it’s important for parents to know this so we can set realistic expectations and give ourselves grace when we need it.

You can have a 4-year-old and be almost as tired as you were when they were 4 months old. It’s okay if you need to sneak in a nap today, or if you fall into bed tonight with your mascara on.

There’s nothing wrong with you, there’s nothing wrong with your kiddo. It’s just a part of parenting.

The good news is, parents don’t get more sleep deprived the more kids they have. Whether you have one under six or three under six, you’re still only going to lose 20 minutes.

If you are feeling really sleep deprived, don’t be afraid to ask your village for help. If your partner, co-parent, a grandparent or trusted babysitter can stand in for you overnight, let them help you and get the sleep you need.

One day your kids will sleep through the night, but it’s okay to ask for help until that day comes.

Source: Motherly

by
Keep Reading
In Interviews&profile By

NIGERIAN GRADUATE WHO HAWKS INSECTICIDES TO MAKE ENDS MEET ( VIDEO)

A social media user recently used her platform to call the attention of the public to the plight of a Nigerian graduate that hawks pesticides and insecticides for a living.

The concerned individual identified as Adaobi Okafor, reached out to Legit.ng with the story of the female graduate who was forced to take up a menial job due to her inability to secure a white collar job. According to Okafor, the lady identified as Julian Olikeze hails from Awka Etiti in Anambra state, and has a degree in French language from the Ebonyi State University.

She said Olikeze passed out from the university with good grades and also has a good command of English language. “This beautiful lady by name Julian Olikeze from Awka Etiti in Anambra state is a graduate of French language in Ebonyi State University (with good grades), but now hawks insecticides and pesticides just to make ends meet because of unemployment. She also has a very nice voice and her spoken English is top notch,” her post read.

https://www.facebook.com/adaobi.okafor.31/videos/2512527765525454/?t=0

by
Keep Reading
In Inspiration By

MEET THE STRONG 102-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO STILL GOES TO THE GYM 3 TIMES A WEEK

Ida Wheeler, 102, is challenging narratives about old age and health by visiting the gym to pump iron three times in a week to stay fit and healthy.

At 102, Wheeler is still a very healthy, strong woman and this is due to her frequent visitations to the gym. In an interview with KCRA, Wheeler revealed the secret to staying fit and healthy is ”just work and plenty of rest and no drinking of alcohol.” Wheeler, who just turned 102 emphasised that it is important people rest and eat good meals. According to Blacknews, since the 1970s, Wheeler has a workout routine she never wanted to miss. Wheeler even visited the gym on her birthday with her daughter and granddaughter, who often join her going to the gym. Shirley Rodgers, Wheeler’s granddaughter, said her grandmother credits her good health to her own cooked meals, physical activities, and daily news reading habit.

She is ”certainly an inspiration, a truly amazing and I’m proud of her being 102 and working out,” Rodgers said. Meanwhile, a 106-year-old woman identified as Nancy Stewart from Clonard, Ireland, has stated that having a good sense of humour is her secret to a long and healthy life. Stewart who is said to be the oldest person in Ireland still living in her own home, also advised that staying off alcohol and cigarettes can aid longevity. While speaking to RTE, she said: “Have a good humour, don’t fight with anyone and do your job well. That’s all.”

by
Keep Reading

©2026. WomenofRubies. All Rights Reserved.