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Esther Ijewere

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WHEN YOU HAVE TRY TO GIVE, WHEN YOU LEARN PLEASE TRY TO TEACH” – SONNIA AGU

Sonnia Agu is the founder of G-1st International Foundation, an acronym for God First, an NGO designed to propose solutions to social problems that affect the well-being of Nigerians. She is a devout believer in the Nigerian dream with over seven years of strategic and diversified professional experience in Social Work, Media, Aviation, Oil and Gas as well as Business Development. Agu is a certified Harvard Business School entrepreneur, self-motivated millennial and social entrepreneur. She is also a member of the Pan African Youth Commission and an executive board of director for the Nigerian chapter and has won numerous awards for her selfless service. In her bid to make Nigeria a better place, her foundation has partnered and volunteered internationally with organisations including Growth Foundation, London; SOS Foundation, Gambia; Lawrence Hope Foundation, South Africa and Food for Life, Hungary. The Civic Engagement arm of G1st Foundation is The Sapiosexual Club which is Nigeria’s first social will association, open to both local and international membership, driven by intellectual capacity and social enterprise. The Club employs a novel approach to empower young Nigerians so they are stirred and inspired to take social development seriously and apply their creative minds to contribute tremendously to the all-round progress of Nigeria and the advancement of the entire human race. The Sapiosexual Club now has a membership strength of over 10,000 young professionals and birthed a vibrant community of high achieving entrepreneurs, civil society leaders and public servants. In this interview with IJEOMA-THOMAS-ODIA, she shares her passion for driving social change.

Tell us about your growing up 
I was born and bred in Lagos. I attended Christland Primary School, then Federal Government Girls College (FGGC), Oyo State. I got into University of Lagos where I studied Creative Arts, until my third year and then moved to Eastern Mediterranean University, Cyprus where I graduated with a first- class in Public Relations and Advertising. I then started my masters in critical aspects of Media and Communications. To further deepen my knowledge, I recently got certified in Entrepreneurship in Emerging Societies from Harvard Business School.

What informed your decision to start the Sapiosexual Club? 
I have always had an innate desire to change the narrative and do good. I come from a very charitable family as well; I remember growing up with people always in front of the house with one issue or the other. The ice cream truck pulls up and the whole street lines up because my dad is buying for us all. We had over 30 cousins and extended family in the house every holiday as my dad was the one they looked up to, the list is endless. My Mum would take all our clothes and have us give to charity always. So, moving back to Nigeria and the things I saw broke my heart. I had to struggle too. Even with my First Class, I was working at the airport where I had to push wheel chairs and earn not up to N70,000. Men and women with children earned way less. I was transferred to Cargo at some point and it was crazy as the men I saw had families and they earned lesser salaries and were expected to live right, not steal, come to work Mondays to Saturdays for peanuts. I need not tell you my NYSC experience. The truth is, people are suffering.

Tell us about some of your activities 
We have monthly gatherings, debates and a platform that allows us continue our intellectual conversations which are centered around entrepreneurship, work- life balance, human personal developments and relationships. We try to also change people’s opinions and narratives especially when the issues of Nigeria come to play. We also have a mandate to carry out monthly charity works and good neighbourliness projects; during the past election, we managed to register over 5000 Nigerian youths in
Lagos and encouraged young people to carry out their civic duties.

What has been the impact of G1st International Foundation as an arm of the community?
With our foundation, we have impacted, empowered and partnered with other charity foundations across Africa and the western part of the world. Our flagship initiatives-Essence of Nigeria, Girls in Nigeria and the Hub Project- respond to issues in the areas of civic engagement, education, girls/women empowerment and community development respectively. We recognise that people, norms and the way we interact in groups and communities are the processes that shape our development. Our projects and programmes are therefore geared towards educating, empowering, engaging and giving Nigerian youths a platform to nurture and realise their potential so that they are well-placed to contribute selflessly to Nigeria’s sustainable development.

What has kept you going in your social development drive? Aren’t there challenges?
I will say God’s grace. Not trying to sound sanctimonious but take His grace out and I will stop. The last intervention I had in Makoko scared the life out of me. I was held hostage at knife point, robbed etc. The hoodlums held me and my team and asked for money. I was first all robbed off my money in my purse, they helped us carry some cartons of food stuff, which they stole and didn’t bring it to the other end of the boat. It really hurt and scared me so bad. I don’t want to think about the feelings that incident brought me, as I almost threw in the towel.

How can more young people especially women be empowered to take on their dreams and make impact?
Women need to be intentional, especially women who are already successful. Women should learn to support and encourage one another. The fight isn’t against us, it’s against poverty.

From your experiences, what in your opinion is the challenge hindering young people from breaking grounds?
Fear! Most if not all of us are very skilled and industrious but the fear of failure and the unknown. A friend once said to me that he won’t marry even with N10 million in his account until he is sure he can be earning N1million a month. My point is, do it while you are scared, married, working, have a job, whatever it is, just start.

When you are not chasing your dream in social development, what is Sonnia doing?
To be honest, this is all I do day in, day out. I’m getting scared and worried myself. I have had to sacrifice all for this dream. I quit managing my dad’s company and my printing press. My dad owns a real estate and building factory which I was managing alongside the club. For some reason, the club demands my undivided attention.

What advise do you have for young people?
When you get please try to give, when you learn please try to teach. That way, the world becomes a somewhat better place. For instance, in your journey and life if you find an investor that’s willing to give you N10 million, I am pretty sure in the nearest future someone may need N100, 000 from you, please give them. If also you learn a skill or an idea, please share, mentor and teach others genuinely so they can be encouraged by your story.

What is your philosophy of life?
God first, stay happy, serve humanity.

Interview by Ijeoma Thomas-Odia for Guardian

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In self development By

YETTY WILLIAMS: HOW PARENTS KILL THEIR CHILDREN’S CONFIDENCE

As parents or caregivers, we want our children to grow strong and healthy. We also want them to have healthy confidence and self-esteem. Sometimes, despite our best intentions, we may do things that actually hurt our children’s confidence and self-esteem instead of helping it.
Here are five ways parents can kill children’s confidence:

. Comparing them to others: 
Instead of motivating your child to improve, comparisons will most likely make your child have low self-esteem. It is never a good idea to draw comparisons between siblings or those within their peer group. Children need to know that they are accepted and loved for who they are, not because they are better or not as “good” as another. You do not want them to feel like they have to act like someone else to get your approval.

. Always solving their problems for them: 
Constantly solving a child’s problems or correcting their mistakes deprives them of a chance to learn, mature and develop self-confidence. This will ruin their chances of developing the skills and confidence required to navigate through life. When children solve their problems, even if they do not get it right, it is a great way to learn problem-solving skills.
Also, are you in the habit of speaking up for your child even when they are old enough to speak for themselves? This can make your child become withdrawn and lose confidence in their ability to speak for themselves. Allow your child to express themselves both in private and in public.

. Always shouting and nagging about their mistakes
Shouting at your children when helping them out with homework, or teaching them a skill can kill their confidence. As a parent, you have to be patient with your child. Making mistakes is an integral part of a child’s learning and growth process. At some point when you ask a question, they will be too scared to answer because of your shouting habit. Always correct them with care and make them feel that they can do it. But don’t over-pamper them. Teaching your child to accept mistakes and failures positively is a good way to go about things. There is a great deal of value in recognizing when you make a mistake and then correcting it.

. Making fun of their physical differences:
Many parents want their kids to be physically and emotionally flawless. They often view their children’s physical and emotional differences as imperfections to be corrected and/or changed. However, this has the opposite effect and gives the child a permanently poor body and self-image. Some young children have become anorexic just to escape being called “fat” while others become obese to avoid being called “skinny winky.” Most often than not, namecalling affects children’s self-esteem. These days, teenage girls cannot wait to turn 18, so that they can go in for surgery.

Focus on building your child up and preaching positivity. Instead of pointing out their flaws, help them develop their positive characteristics. Teach your child that no one is flawless and that everyone makes mistakes.

. Living your life through them and planning their careers:
There are parents who plan their children’s lives from birth to marriage to career and beyond based on what they want for themselves. They believe that they are making their kids’ lives easier and less stressful. However, they are doing irreparable damage and making their kids quite dependent and indecisive regarding the simplest life choices. Many people are living their parents’ lives, not their own authentic lives, much to their regret.

It is okay to set some boundaries and steer your child in a direction you’d like to see them go in, but let them have some independence. Support the choices they make and the lifestyles they want to live.

. Denying them your attention:
Children need and crave love and affection that only their parents can give. Not being there for your children creates “emotional neediness” in them. Some of these children crave and look for a “mother” and “father” figure in other people which could sometimes lead to abuse. Be intentional about spending time with your children. This might be difficult since we all live busy, stressful lives and have endless concerns as parents. However, give your children all your attention, some of the time! Whenever you have time to spend with your children, ensure that they have all your attention. The occasional hugs, kisses and “I love you” should also not be forgotten.

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MEET YOUNG LECTURER, SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR & OPPORTUNITIES CURATOR GRACE IHEJIAMAIZU

Grace Ihejiamaizu, a lecturer and social entrepreneur who’s working to promote quality education and empower the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs.

Grace, who graduated from the Sociology Department of the University of Calabar, now teaches social work at the institution, armed with a masters degree in rural sociology and community development from the University of Uyo.

She’s the founder of iKapture Centre for Development, a centre for youth development that provides afterschool education and services to students and out-of-school youth in Nigeria using creative learning methods and ICT.

While studying for her first degree, Grace joined a global campus-based organisation called Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) UNICAL (it’s now known as Enactus UNICAL), and eventually served as its project director, shaping her life and helping her kickstart her career as a social entrepreneur.

After graduation from the university, she worked as a full-time volunteer with American Corner, Calabar and in the process, she kick-started my first personal project, RYPE (Raising Young and Productive Entrepreneurs) Initiative which later metamorphosed into iKapture Center for Development.

In 2012, Grace founded Opportunity Desk, a platform for youths looking for international experience through global scholarships, internships, jobs, conferences, competitions, fellowships, grants and awards.

She’s also the author of Go Global with Opportunities.

Grace has been named one of Google’s 12 brightest Young Minds in 2011 and a Global Changemaker in 2012. She’s one of the nominees for the 2013 Future Awards Africa Young Person of the Year Prize.

She’s been recognised by the US State Department as the “International Exchange Alumni Member of the Month for September 2012.”

Grace holds certificates in Civic Leadership from Kansas State University; and another in Social Entrepreneurship from University of Connecticut, USA.

We celebrate her for following her passion and impacting the society in the process.

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“I AM COMMITTED TO ENDING ALL FORMS OF NATURAL HAIR DISCRIMINATION IN AFRICA” – CHIOMA JOY EZECHUKWU-ALAEBO

Natural hair advocate; Chioma is a 26 year old young entrepreneur and final year student of Abia State Polytechnic, studying Public Administration.

Her unfortunate experience with hair relaxers and dyes launched her into advocacy. Chioma, who had spent the last three years of her life growing a healthy natural hair, is a social innovator who creates awareness on natural hair advocacy. She founded Black Hair Community and other online platforms where she has trained more than 1000 women across Africa how to grow healthy natural hair with ease. She also launched her cosmetics brand; Favent Beauty Cosmetics in 2017, Because of her passion for Natural Hair Care Education, and published her first book “Healthy Hair Secrets” same year. A book that explains what every woman’s healthy hair checklist should be.

Chioma is committed to ending all forms of Natural Hair Discrimination in Africa and encouraging African women to embrace their natural hair. She is currently working on a Natural Hair Documentary in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (10) that will expose the hair discrimination against African women and their children.

On the 25th of May, 2019, she hosted the first ever Natural Hair Growth Hangout in Aba, Abia State, where she had guest speakers and lots of natural hair lovers in attendance, the event went viral on Facebook and opened her up to more opportunities globally.

In her words: “Our hair is more than just hair. It is our identity”.

The beautiful “Naturalista” who is also happily married to her supportive husband shares her story with me in this interview.

Childhood Influence

My childhood really prepared me for what I do today. I was born into a family where mum was a petty trader and dad , a carpenter; I was faced with visiting the markets after school. Though, I had always wanted to be a lawyer, my childhood and environment rather prepared me for business and entrepreneurship. After secondary school, I couldn’t further my education immediately because of lack of funds. I was left with getting a job at Tonimas Nigeria Limited Aba to work as a factory worker. My experience in that company left a vacuum in my life that being just an employee will never fill. My stay there was one of the things that inspired me to be a business owner. Not just a business owner like a mere trader. But, to become a company owner. I stopped aspiring to be a lawyer immediately. And started dreaming to own a company of my own. The saying that our environment influences our thoughts is so true. I saw how a company is being managed , how jobs are being created, and how money is being made. As an 18 year old Igbo girl, It affected my thought pattern.

Inspiration behind your Black hair community initiative and my  book Healthy hair secrets

When i was in JSS 2, I wrote one funny novel in form of a drama. I will say reading lots of books in primary school inspired the writing of the novel then. And, I have always wanted to be an author but don’t really know what to write on. I grew up knowing that the novel I wrote then was a trash compared to the books I see people publish. So, I had to let that aspiration of being an author die. Fast forward to 2017, I met a phenomenal lady by name Edirin Edewor on Facebook who advertised a free webinar to teach young people how to write a book with ease and publish it on Amazon. I had to grab the opportunity immediately. At the end of the power packed webinar, I learnt all that I need to actually become an author and I bought her book ” A-Z of E-book Publishing “. Having created a niche for myself in the Beauty Industry already, I decided to write a book that will give answers to numerous questions asked by various women concerning natural hair growth. Healthy Hair Secrets which is a hair care checklist, is a book I’m still proud I wrote. All thanks to Edirin Edewor

Reception

My journey into the Natural Hair Care Industry since 2016 to this point has been a roller coaster. Sometimes, I feel so bad and frustrated because of what I encounter daily on this journey. When i was starting, I reached out to some women who are already in the Natural Hair Care Industry to learn one thing or the other from them as a newbie. I got turned down and ignored by most of these women that I had to push myself harder learning most of the things I know today on my own. It was frustrating. It affected my self-esteem and confidence. I felt I wasn’t enough. The mental note this experience created on my mind is still fresh that I hardly go to women to seek for help or advice today. The experience made me determined and I am happy with the great reception I get daily from my customers, clients and prospective ones, I believe that the world is actually my stage. I’m just scratching the surface now. More grounds to conquer.

My Inspiration

The hunger to solve the Natural Hair problems faced by African women, and the successful stories of African business women all over the world inspire me to never back out of this journey but stay put in working hard and smart.

Greatest reward

Apart from being awarded the 2017 Start-up of the Year by Vision Alive Foundation after I launched my cosmetics brand- Favent Beauty Cosmetics, my greatest reward for what I do has been the recommendations and referrals I get daily from my customers and clients. They keep telling everyone about me. They keep announcing me to the world. They keep recommending me whenever someone laments about her natural hair. To many, these things may not be rewards. But to me, the recommendations and referrals are my greatest rewards for what I do.

Challenges as a Natural hair advocate

Not having a physical school here in Nigeria that offers Trichology ( the study of human scalp). Though there are online schools that offer this course, having a Nigerian physical school that teaches this will make a lot of sense. It is the foundation of every hair care business and should be offered in Nigerian schools just like every other courses. The absence of this is really affecting the natural hair care practice in Nigeria. Also, not being able to solve the problem of a client after trying out possible solutions is really challenging though I refer them to certified Trichologists. Getting natural hair women that are open to collaboration and partnership is tough. Really tough. But we will keep digging.

Media should do more

The media platforms and social media influencers in Africa are not helping in projecting the advocacy for natural hair. They will charge you to feature your works on their platforms. When you write to them to invite you to a radio show for you to educate the African women on the dangers of using unsafe hair care products like relaxers and permanent dyes or how to take care of their hair, they will ask you to pay them. When you can’t pay them, you won’t be featured and  a lot souls keep living in ignorance.

My Natural hair documentary project in line with the UN SDG

I got the inspiration for this project after coming across and witnessing first hand a lot of abuses faced by myself and other African women just because of our God given natural hair. When I returned natural, I was bullied by my coursemates in school but I was able to pull through. That wasn’t the case of my younger sister who is also a victim of  hair discrimination, verbal abuse and bully .The Natural Hair Documentary will  tell the story of Afro hair as an African identity, the dread hair discrimination against African women and their children, the emotional, physical and verbal abuse faced by African women and their children just because of their Afro hair, the inequality eating deep into our society just because of Afro hair, and the way forward. In line with the United Nation’s SDGs (10 target 3), my team and I are working to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard through this documentary project.

Being a Woman of Rubies 

My story! Yes, my unique story is and will remain an inspiration to so many women out there. My goal is to use every possible medium or platform to solve the natural hair challenges  faced by African women being my greatest weapon, and my inspiration to be a natural hair care giver and problem solver. All these attributes make me a Woman of Rubies.

Appreciation of black women “Naturalista”

We are not well appreciated at all! The verbal abuse, bullies, hair discrimination, mockery, assault, etc, it’s so alarming. Who did we offend? Why the hate? Why can’t we enjoy growing our God given natural hair ?

Advice for women who are having trouble with their r natural hair way and basic natural hair tips for beginners

Moisture is the Key! And to keep your hair moisturised, it is imperative to know the porosity level of your hair. Hair Porosity which simply means the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture, is what actually determines the products your hair needs and what your hair care regimen should be. Growing a healthy natural hair will become easy for you when you learn to treat your hair rightly. Stop using hair products because every other person is using it. Find out what actually works or can work for you. First step is carrying out a porosity test on your natural hair.

HOW TO TEST YOUR HAIR POROSITY LEVEL:

* Wash your hair thoroughly to get rid of any product buildups and air dry.

* Cut out a strand of your clean hair.

* Drop the hair strand in a glass of water.

* Pay attention to see if it sinks or floats.

* If it floats, it is low porosity hair.

* If it sinks, it is high porosity hair.

* And if stays at the middle of the water, it is normal or medium porosity hair.

Congratulations, now you know the porosity level of your hair.

This will help you know the products and hair care regimen your hair needs.

Advice for young women who want to go into my line of work

Hey Queens! My advice for you is a simple one. Do not stop learning. Be knowledgeable. Be your greatest cheerleader. Equip your brain. Remain focused. Volunteer and intern when you see an opportunity to do that. Attend events and network with like minds. Read books. Finally, invest in your personal development in any way that you can because  personal brand sells faster. The world is your stage. See you at the top.

You can join my Facebook group (BLACK HAIR COMMUNITY) or follow my personal blog instagram page (@naturalhairadvocate) and my business page (@faventbeautyorganics) to learn natural hair tips that are result oriented and works.

Growing your natural hair can be very easy when done the right way.

by
Keep Reading
In Editor's Choice By

“I AM COMMITTED TO ENDING ALL FORMS OF NATURAL HAIR DISCRIMINATION IN AFRICA” – CHIOMA JOY EZECHUKWU-ALAEBO

Natural hair advocate; Chioma is a 26 year old young entrepreneurand final year student of Abia State Polytechnic, studying Public Administration.

Her unfortunate experience with hair relaxers and dyes launched her into advocacy. Chioma, who had spent the last three years of her life growing a healthy natural hair, is a social innovator who creates awareness on natural hair advocacy. She founded Black Hair Community and other online platforms where she has trained more than 1000 women across Africa how to grow healthy natural hair with ease. She also launched her cosmetics brand; Favent Beauty Cosmetics 2017, Because of her passion for Natural Hair Care Education, and published her first book “Healthy Hair Secrets” same year. A book that explains what every woman’s healthy hair checklist should be.

Chioma is committed to ending all forms of Natural Hair Discrimination in Africa and encouraging African women to embrace their natural hair. She is currently working on a Natural Hair Documentary in line with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (10) that will expose the hair discrimination against African women and their children.

On the 25th of May, 2019, she hosted the first ever Natural Hair Growth Hangout in Aba, Abia State, where she had guest speakers and lots of natural hair lovers in attendance, the event went viral on Facebook and opened her up to more opportunities globally.

In her words: “Our hair is more than just hair. It is our identity”.

The beautiful “Naturalista” who is also happily married to her supportive husband shares her story with me in this interview.

Childhood Influence

My childhood really prepared me for what I do today. I was born into a family where mum was a petty trader and dad , a carpenter; I was faced with visiting the markets after school. Though, I had always wanted to be a lawyer, my childhood and environment rather prepared me for business and entrepreneurship. After secondary school, I couldn’t further my education immediately because of lack of funds. I was left with getting a job at Tonimas Nigeria Limited Aba to work as a factory worker. My experience in that company left a vacuum in my life that being just an employee will never fill. My stay there was one of the things that inspired me to be a business owner. Not just a business owner like a mere trader. But, to become a company owner. I stopped aspiring to be a lawyer immediately. And started dreaming to own a company of my own. The saying that our environment influences our thoughts is so true. I saw how a company is being managed , how jobs are being created, and how money is being made. As an 18 year old Igbo girl, It affected my thought pattern.

Inspiration behind your Black hair community initiative and my  book Healthy hair secrets

When i was in JSS 2, I wrote one funny novel in form of a drama. I will say reading lots of books in primary school inspired the writing of the novel then. And, I have always wanted to be an author but don’t really know what to write on. I grew up knowing that the novel I wrote then was a trash compared to the books I see people publish. So, I had to let that aspiration of being an author die. Fast forward to 2017, I met a phenomenal lady by name Edirin Edewor on Facebook who advertised a free webinar to teach young people how to write a book with ease and publish it on Amazon. I had to grab the opportunity immediately. At the end of the power packed webinar, I learnt all that I need to actually become an author and I bought her book ” A-Z of E-book Publishing “. Having created a niche for myself in the Beauty Industry already, I decided to write a book that will give answers to numerous questions asked by various women concerning natural hair growth. Healthy Hair Secrets which is a hair care checklist, is a book I’m still proud I wrote. All thanks to Edirin Edewor

Reception

My journey into the Natural Hair Care Industry since 2016 to this point has been a roller coaster. Sometimes, I feel so bad and frustrated because of what I encounter daily on this journey. When i was starting, I reached out to some women who are already in the Natural Hair Care Industry to learn one thing or the other from them as a newbie. I got turned down and ignored by most of these women that I had to push myself harder learning most of the things I know today on my own. It was frustrating. It affected my self-esteem and confidence. I felt I wasn’t enough. The mental note this experience created on my mind is still fresh that I hardly go to women to seek for help or advice today. The experience made me determined and I am happy with the great reception I get daily from my customers, clients and prospective ones, I believe that the world is actually my stage. I’m just scratching the surface now. More grounds to conquer.

My Inspiration

The hunger to solve the Natural Hair problems faced by African women, and the successful stories of African business women all over the world inspire me to never back out of this journey but stay put in working hard and smart.

Greatest reward

Apart from being awarded the 2017 Start-up of the Year by Vision Alive Foundation after I launched my cosmetics brand- Favent Beauty Cosmetics, my greatest reward for what I do has been the recommendations and referrals I get daily from my customers and clients. They keep telling everyone about me. They keep announcing me to the world. They keep recommending me whenever someone laments about her natural hair. To many, these things may not be rewards. But to me, the recommendations and referrals are my greatest rewards for what I do.

Challenges as a Natural hair advocate

Not having a physical school here in Nigeria that offers Trichology ( the study of human scalp). Though there are online schools that offer this course, having a Nigerian physical school that teaches this will make a lot of sense. It is the foundation of every hair care business and should be offered in Nigerian schools just like every other courses. The absence of this is really affecting the natural hair care practice in Nigeria. Also, not being able to solve the problem of a client after trying out possible solutions is really challenging though I refer them to certified Trichologists. Getting natural hair women that are open to collaboration and partnership is tough. Really tough. But we will keep digging.

Media should do more

The media platforms and social media influencers in Africa are not helping in projecting the advocacy for natural hair. They will charge you to feature your works on their platforms. When you write to them to invite you to a radio show for you to educate the African women on the dangers of using unsafe hair care products like relaxers and permanent dyes or how to take care of their hair, they will ask you to pay them. When you can’t pay them, you won’t be featured and  a lot souls keep living in ignorance.

My Natural hair documentary project in line with the UN SDG

 I got the inspiration for this project after coming across and witnessing first hand a lot of abuses faced by myself and other African women just because of our God given natural hair. When I returned natural, I was bullied by my coursemates in school but I was able to pull through. That wasn’t the case of my younger sister who is also a victim of  hair discrimination, verbal abuse and bully .The Natural Hair Documentary will  tell the story of Afro hair as an African identity, the dread hair discrimination against African women and their children, the emotional, physical and verbal abuse faced by African women and their children just because of their Afro hair, the inequality eating deep into our society just because of Afro hair, and the way forward. In line with the United Nation’s SDGs (10 target 3), my team and I are working to ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard through this documentary project.

Being a Woman of Rubies 

My story! Yes, my unique story is and will remain an inspiration to so many women out there. My goal is to use every possible medium or platform to solve the natural hair challenges  faced by African women being my greatest weapon, and my inspiration to be a natural hair care giver and problem solver. All these attributes make me a Woman of Rubies.

Appreciation of black women “Naturalista”

We are not well appreciated at all! The verbal abuse, bullies, hair discrimination, mockery, assault, etc, it’s so alarming. Who did we offend? Why the hate? Why can’t we enjoy growing our God given natural hair ?

Advice for women who are having trouble with their r natural hair way and basic natural hair tips for beginners

Moisture is the Key! And to keep your hair moisturised, it is imperative to know the porosity level of your hair. Hair Porosity which simply means the hair’s ability to absorb and retain moisture, is what actually determines the products your hair needs and what your hair care regimen should be. Growing a healthy natural hair will become easy for you when you learn to treat your hair rightly. Stop using hair products because every other person is using it. Find out what actually works or can work for you. First step is carrying out a porosity test on your natural hair.

HOW TO TEST YOUR HAIR POROSITY LEVEL:

* Wash your hair thoroughly to get rid of any product buildups and air dry.

* Cut out a strand of your clean hair.

* Drop the hair strand in a glass of water.

* Pay attention to see if it sinks or floats.

* If it floats, it is low porosity hair.

* If it sinks, it is high porosity hair.

* And if stays at the middle of the water, it is normal or medium porosity hair.

Congratulations, now you know the porosity level of your hair.

This will help you know the products and hair care regimen your hair needs.

Advice for young women who want to go into my line of work

Hey Queens! My advice for you is a simple one. Do not stop learning. Be knowledgeable. Be your greatest cheerleader. Equip your brain. Remain focused. Volunteer and intern when you see an opportunity to do that. Attend events and network with like minds. Read books. Finally, invest in your personal development in any way that you can because  personal brand sells faster. The world is your stage. See you at the top.

You can join my Facebook group (BLACK HAIR COMMUNITY) or follow my personal blog instagram page (@naturalhairadvocate) and my business page (@faventbeautyorganics) to learn natural hair tips that are result oriented and works.

Growing your natural hair can be very easy when done the right way.

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HOW ABIMBOLA OGUNMEKA IS FIGHTING SICKE CELL THROUGH WARRIORSTORY INITIATIVE

The best way to deal with challenges is to not just keep fighting until you win, but also to help others who may be going through something similar win.

Abimbola is a sickle cell warrior who’s helping other warriors fight and win.

She’s the founder and coordinator of WarriorStory Initiative, a non profit community of people living with sickle cell diseases.

The platform provides education, counselling and advocacy for sickle cell health. The community shares stories of warriors with the aim of inspiring others.

It’s also begun a monthly sickle cell clinic where it brings together varying consultants who have specialties in caring for SCD patients.

The aim of this initiative is for sickle cell patients to have access to affordable, fast and reliable monthly check ups and first aid care.

It’s providing the service for free for the first three months, after which patients can attend by paying a token as monthly subscription to access care.

Worried about the shortcomings in Nigeria’s healthcare system, Abimbola, who holds a post graduate diploma in Biomedical Engineering, decided to fix a part of it.

Nigeria needs to do a lot technology-wise to be able to care for patients, and Abimbola is helping to achieve this. She founded Toyo Meditechs.

Toyo Meditechs provides sales, installation, maintenance, repairs, and training in the use of medical devices and equipment.

We celebrate Abimbola for devoting her life to solving problems and helping warriors win. We’re rooting for her!

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MEET FUNKOLA ODELEYE , THE WOMAN PROVIDING TRANSPARENT, SIMPLE & AFFORDABLE LEGAL SERVICES FOR ENTREPRENEURS

Entrepreneurship anywhere is tough, and arguably tougher in a country like Nigeria. There’s the issue of funding, that of trust, and the challenge of surpassing “roadblocks” like power supply, fast internet connection, and access to affordable advisory services, especially for young entrepreneurs.

Nigeria is slowly getting there, and Funke has taken it upon herself to help young entrepreneurs scale the hurdle of legal advisory services and not breaking the bank.

Funkola Odeleye is the co-founder and Director of DIYlaw, a legal technology company which creates access to legal services and information.

Funkola and her friends Bola Olonisakin and Odunoluwa Longe founded the company in 2015 with the aim to make “legal transparent, simple, and affordable”.

DIYlaw helps entrepreneurs and individuals generate legal documents (some of them at no cost), get access to a pool of lawyers across several fields, register their businesses, as well as get access to other resources in a simple way.

Funkola is also the co-founder & Corporate/Commercial Lead at The Longe Practice LP, a startup focused boutique law firm that provides cost-effective services to new businesses.

In 2015, DIYlaw won Hague Institute for the Internalisation of Law (HiiL), SME Empowerment Innovating Justice Challenge, East & West Africa.

Funkola holds a masters degree in Finance and Financial Law from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London.

She’s also one of the 200 emerging leaders from across Africa selected for the 2019 Obama Foundation Leaders: Africa programme.

We celebrate Funkola for contributing her knowledge to the development of entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

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HOW A MOTHER TAUGHT HER DAUGHTER A LIFE LESSON WITH TOOTHPASTE

Facebook user Amy Beth Gardner,  shared the inspiring story of  how she used a toothpaste to teach her daughter a life lesson she won’t forget in a hurry.

See her post below’

My daughter starts middle school tomorrow. We’ve decorated her locker, bought new uniforms, even surprised her with a new backpack. But tonight just before bed, we did another pre-middle school task that is far more important than the others. I gave her a tube of toothpaste and asked her to squirt it out onto a plate. When she finished, I calmly asked her to put all the toothpaste back in the tube. She began exclaiming things like “But I can’t!” and “It won’t be like it was before!” I quietly waited for her to finish and then said the following:

“You will remember this plate of toothpaste for the rest of your life. Your words have the power of life or death. As you go into middle school, you are about to see just how much weight your words carry. You are going to have the opportunity to use your words to hurt, demean, slander and wound others. You are also going to have the opportunity to use your words to heal, encourage, inspire and love others. You will occasionally make the wrong choice; I can think of three times this week I have used my own words carelessly and caused harm. Just like this toothpaste, once the words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back. Use your words carefully, Breonna. When others are misusing their words, guard your words. Make the choice every morning that life-giving words will come out of your mouth. Decide tonight that you are going to be a life-giver in middle school. Be known for your gentleness and compassion. Use your life to give life to a world that so desperately needs it. You will never, ever regret choosing kindness.”

Source: Any’s Facebook page

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EVA BOZIMO: DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM FULFILLING YOUR DESTINY

Fear is something a lot of us struggle with. Some more than others, true, and it gets the best of us; but, fear is an illusion. It’s an emotion like any other, like love, compassion, etc. We just give it more power.

Fear is something we’ve created in our minds, and it’s not real. It’s a restriction of the mind. Fear is one the reasons most people don’t tap into their true potential. The fear of the unknown, judgement, the perception of others, criticism and leaving your comfort zone, but nothing great ever happens there, ever.

Fear can be used as a fuel; it should keep you up at night studying, should have you rehearsing your lines before speaking publicly, should make you research about a company before going for an interview. It is not your enemy, it’s your friend. What have you allowed fear to do in your life?

A lot of people stand on the edge of their greatness due to fear. “I have to wait till the right time.” “I have to lose this weight first.” “I have to get enough money first.” We feel we have forever, but in reality, all we really have is now.

No matter how little support or resources you have, you can always start with it to pursue your God given passion. Once you’re in alignment with God’s plan, you’ll be shocked at the people who will drift toward you. These people are called destiny helpers.

Fear will have you rock back and forth in your head just so you don’t leap. Yes, you might fail; but,what if you soar? What if all you need is to take that first step and let the universe play its part. Optimists are five times more likely to fail and ten times more likely to succeed than pessimists and realists because, guess what, they aren’t scared of taking risks. The most successful people in the world today lose more money than the average earner, while the average earner might not lose but remains stagnant.

So whatever it is you feel you want to achieve, despite it seeming unattainable at the moment, you must first silence your mind. Make daily attempts toward it, then go conquer. A lot of times we are given a vision, but we procrastinate and stall because of the chattering in our mind that says we’re not ready or good enough, while our intuition and gut feeling requires us to act now.

Your brain is designed to keep you safe, to keep you complacent and comfortable, while your soul and intuition wants you to soar. Don’t dim your light because you’re scared. Instead, shine to the maximum, and if for any brief moment your light gets to someone in the midst of the darkness and they get to see themselves even for just a second, then you’ve achieved a lot.

When you realise that your vision has less to do with you and more to do with everyone that’s blessed to cross your path, you’ll take action right this minute. You are the author of your life; the pen is right in your hands. Why not make it a memorable one? Who sold us this dream that we have to be comfortable all the time? I don’t know about you, but I’d rather inconvenience myself so I can make my mark in this world and secure a great future for myself than be ordinary, because, guess what, darling, extra ordinary is where it’s at, and the bottom is way too crowded.

Source: Bellanaija

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TONI TONES’ BIRTHDAY MESSAGE TO HERSELF IS ALL ABOUT POSITIVITY AND GOOD VIBES💛

Few days ago Nollywood actress Toni Tones‘ celebrated her  birthday with a sweet birthday message to herself in the form of a letter. The letter echoed how proud she is of herself for her growth.

Happy birthday to me!!! 🎊🎉💫🥰
…. My dear Toni,
I should tell you this more,
I’m so proud of you babygirl,
proud of how far you’ve come and who you’ve become, both inside and out.❤️ Thank you God for everything and know you’re just getting started 🙏 .

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