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Esther Ijewere

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MEET THE WOMEN WHO ARE RALLYING TO LEGALLY BAN NATURAL HAIR DISCRIMINATION THROUGH THE CROWN ACT

Last week, California became the first state in the United States to ban employers and school officials from discriminating against a person based on their natural hairstyle. 

Democrat Sen. Holly Mitchell, who introduced the bill earlier this year known as the Creating a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, said that the new law is about “inclusion, pride and choice.”

“The law protects the right of Black Californians to choose to wear their hair in its natural form, without pressure to conform to Eurocentric norms,” CNN reports Mitchell saying in a statement. “I am so excited to see the culture change that will ensue from the law.”

Working alongside Mitchell to help push for this legislation were several other women including political strategist and racial equality advocate Adjoa B. Asamoah, Unilever’s Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Esi Eggleston Bracey, Emmy Award-winning creative visionary Kelli Richardson Lawson and Orlena Nwokah Blanchard amongst many others.

“Claiming success in California sets the stage for us to get legislation passed in other states,” Asamoah tells Blavity. “The prospects of this being a nationwide push look good.”

During Essence Fest weekend, Bracey hosted a “Crowns & Conversations” event to not only celebrate California’s new legislation, but to also create a call to action for other Black women to celebrate their beauty and to push for similar legislation across all 50 states. 

“We formed a Black beauty alliance to make sure you are clear on how we, together, can impact our community,” Essence reports Bracey saying. “It was mind boggling to us that in 2018, and still in 2019, when you Google search pretty women you see white women with blond hair and blue eyes.”

Bracey added that “the stories continued on issues with our hair and how our hair wasn’t acceptable or accepted. All of our glory and our hair is our crown.”

In research sponsored by Dove, it was discovered that 80% of Black women are more likely to change their natural hair in order to meet social standards at work. Additionally, Black women are 50% more likely to have reported being sent home because of their hair, and 82% of Black women said they have received grooming policies at work. 

That’s why, Dove co-founded the CROWN coalition in partnership with the National Urban League, Color of Change, and Western Center on Law and Poverty. On its website, Dove says their mission is to “advance efforts to end hair discrimination and to create a more equitable and inclusive beauty experience for Black women and girls.”

To find out how you can support the CROWN coalition and sign the petition to bring anti-discrimination hair laws to your state, visit https://campaigns.organizefor.org/petitions/help-make-hair-discrimination-illegal.

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SISTERS GIVE BIRTH ON THE SAME DAY IN THE SAME HOSPITAL, ON THEIR DAD’S 70TH BIRTHDAY

One day before the Fourth of July, a true Sister Act occurred for two sisters in New York. The pair gave birth in the same hospital and on the same day, which also happened to be their father’s birthday. Oh, their daughters were also delivered by the same doctor.

Shari and Simone Cumberbatch knew their girls would be close in age, but they never thought they’d be hours apart. 

Both were originally projected to give birth mid-July, however Simone and her doctor planned a C-section for July 3. She selected the date because it’s her father’s birthday. What the family didn’t plan was for her sister Shari to go into labor on the same day.

Shari’s unexpected labor actually delayed Simone’s scheduled C-section as the two shared the same doctor.

According to Good Morning America, Shari’s daughter, Hailey, was born at 12:57 p.m. and Simone’s daughter, Liberty, was born a few hours later at 5:30 p.m.

“They’re like twins… they’ll be close,” Shari said in an interview with CBS New York. 

The babies’ grandfather received two gifts to celebrate his 70th birthday.

“I always used to say ‘what if, what if it happened,’ not knowing it would actually happen,” the newborns’ granddad Elmo Cumberbatch told CBS New York.

It’s probably safe to assume all future birthday parties will be planned out well in advance and will be held on the same day.

Congratulations to the Cumberbatch family!

Photo credit: Fox5NY

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MONEY MATTERS WITH NIMI: DON’T GO BROKE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GO FOR SUMMER VACATION

If you are on a tight budget, avoiding weekend travel often results in huge savings. Mid-week travel is much cheaper than the weekend.

The holidays are almost upon us. Whether you are travelling abroad or staying closer to home, here are some travel money tips to help you save and manage your money during the summer vacation.

Make a travel budget
Have you planned for this holiday or are you just going to dip into your savings and head off no matter the cost? How much can you really afford to spend? Set an overall spending limit and then determine where it can take you. Try to stick to it. There is so much involved – accommodation, transportation, food, shopping, entertainment, gifts, telephone calls, excursions, and so on.

Book early
You really ought to have booked long before now to get the best deals. Fares can vary considerably, depending on the time, day or month of travel. The long school vacation attracts very steep fares, as families across the world embark on their summer holidays. If you are on a tight budget, avoiding weekend travel often results in huge savings. Mid-week travel is much cheaper than the weekend.

If you travel off-season, you are bound to get better deals than if you go at Christmas time or during school holidays. Not only will fares be much cheaper and air mile tickets readily available, but destinations will also be less crowded. Indeed, now is a good time to book your Christmas travel!

Must you fly direct?
It is so much more convenient to fly directly to your destination, but if you have time to spare, there are significant savings in considering a flight with a stop over or two. Some passengers have passed through Dubai from Nigeria, or through Ethiopia on excellent Ethiopian Airlines, to get to Europe and the Americas at very decent fares and with good service.

Inform your bank or credit card company of your travel plans
Don’t forget to inform your bank or credit card provider if you are travelling abroad. If they see unusual transactions from a foreign land, to secure your account from fraud, they may block your card. It is also best to take along more than one card, in case you experience some problems with one of them; sadly, this is still a common occurrence with some Nigerian debit and credit cards. Even though we like to be cashless, it always pays to have some cash on you, just in case the card is declined for whatever reason.

Always keep your bank’s international customer service number handy, as well as an individual name; you might need it. There is nothing worse than being stranded without money in a foreign land.

Separate your money
Don’t keep all of your cash and cards in the same place incase you are a victim of theft. You might have a card in your wallet, but have another card and cash in a separate bag, just in case.

Cash is king. If you lose your wallet, your cards are declined, or the ATM has run out of money, you will be so glad that you had some cash on you. But avoid having too much cash on you, as it may not be covered by your travel insurance if it’s lost or stolen.

Avoid borrowing to go on holiday
There is so much pressure to keep up appearances; children in school want to show their friends that they travelled “abroad,” and with “everyone else” travelling, you just cannot “afford” to stay at home. Some will even go as far as borrowing to finance an expensive holiday. Avoid this, unless there is the absolute certainty of an impending inflow of funds or a compelling reason to do so.

Remember that your focus should be on your goals and not on other people’s goals; we don’t really know “the Jones” story but they are usually broke and trying to keep up with you!

Buy travel insurance
A medical emergency can literally wipe out your savings. Always take out travel insurance. For a small premium, protect yourself and your family, should one of you fall ill or have an accident during your travels. This sounds obvious, but so many people just don’t bother to purchase travel insurance, and end up losing a lot of money when things go wrong; this could rage from cancelled flights, lost money, baggage or getting ill far from home.

Make transport arrangements
You are at your most vulnerable when you arrive at a new destination. That first airport taxi ride from the airport may be one of your most expensive, so plan ahead. Try to research the lower-cost alternatives including train, coach, etc. If you are staying in a fairly decent hotel, they will usually have a free shuttle service; remember to ask about this when you are making your booking. It makes you feel safe as well, particularly if you are travelling alone.

It’s best to figure all of this out before your trip; when you arrive tired and with tons of luggage, the last thing you need is to be ripped off by an unscrupulous driver, or enter an unauthorised vehicle and put yourself in an uncertain situation when you’re far from home.

Secure your valuables
Protect valuable documents. If you have ever lost your passport when you are travelling, you will know that it is a horrid experience. You can be completely stranded and insecure; identity is critical. Having most of your important documents and photos backed up is essential. Keep both digital and physical photocopies copies of your passport, visas, driver’s license, birth certificate, health insurance card, and important phone numbers on you, just in case.

Avoid carrying very expensive items including jewellery when you travel, particularly if you cannot afford to lose them either financially or emotionally. Make use of the hotel safe and put valuables away.

Cheaper accommodation
Over the last few years, there has been so much innovation in holiday rentals. Local residents can rent out their rooms, even entire apartments. AirBnB, for example, has transformed accommodation options. Many travelers actually find this experience more rewarding, as it is usually more spacious and cheaper than hotel accommodation.

Be conscious of the exchange rate
Doing a little research on the local exchange rate against your home currency can make a huge difference. Quickly do your mental arithmetic before you make a purchase; it helps you make more efficient purchase decisions.

Roaming can cost you
How much could a few texts, a few email checks, social media updates and downloads on the go possibly cost per day? A lot! Purchase an international roaming plan that will cover your travels, as roaming charges can result in a staggering telephone bill when you return home.

They are a source of huge expense when you travel, especially since you must check emails and download on the go. Don’t forget to keep data switched off until you need it. Be sure of what you will be paying, both for making and receiving calls. Pay your bills in advance so that you don’t get cut off whilst you are away.

Switching to a local sim card as soon as you arrive at your destination is a good idea; it is always cheaper to make local calls. Make sure that your loved ones, colleagues, and key contacts have the number so that you don’t miss important calls. Pay for a good internet package, unless you will be in a connected environment most of the time.

Secure your finances
Be careful when it comes to making online transfers or dealing with sensitive transactions in public places, as many hotspots are not at all secure. If you must use them in an airport in transit for example, be sure to log out completely to protect your self from identity fraud.

What is the essence of a vacation?
Remember the essence of a vacation. It is really about spending quality time with loved ones and having time to rest and rejuvenate. This may just be the time to simply stay at home, a time to revisit your passions, hobbies, pastimes, and sports.

A vacation need not be that expensive. Don’t attempt to pay for what you cannot afford. You do not have to travel abroad; rediscover your own environment by visiting places close to home with your children. Have you visited Idanre Hills in Ondo State, the Ogbunike Cave in Anambra State, Obudu Ranch Resort in Cross River State, Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State or Abraka Turf Club in Delta State? Let us get our children to know more about our beautiful country. If we don’t visit our heritage sites, we cannot expect foreigners and tourists to visit, spend valuable foreign exchange and create jobs.

With careful planning, you can find a balance between having an enjoyable vacation without breaking the bank.

Have a great holiday!

About Nimi

Nimi Akinkugbe has extensive experience in private wealth management. She seeks to empower people regarding their finances and offers frank, practical insights to create a greater awareness and understanding of personal finance. You can reach Nimi via the following: Email; info@moneymatterswithnimi | Website: www.moneymatterswithnimi.com | Twitter: @MMWITHNIMI | Instagram: @MMWITHNIMI | Facebook: MoneyMatterswithNimi

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LASHANA LYNCH WILL PLAY 007 IN NEW JAMES BOND MOVIE: REPORT

James Bond fans wanting 007 to be either black or female are in for a double treat — with the movie spy about to be played by a black woman, according to a report on Sunday.

British actress Lashana Lynch, 31, will be introduced as the new 007 in what is being described as a ‘popcorn-dropping moment’ in the franchise’s 25th movie that is currently being filmed, according to the Mail on Sunday.

But it is not a complete do-over — with her just taking James Bond’s secret agent number after he retires from MI6, the report states.

Bond himself will still be played by Daniel Craig — and will still adhere to his old-fashioned macho characteristics, an insider told the UK paper.

‘Bond, of course, is sexually attracted to the new female 007 and tries his usual seduction tricks, but is baffled when they don’t work on a brilliant, young black woman who basically rolls her eyes at him and has no interest in jumping into his bed,” a source told the Mail.

The insider called it a “pivotal scene” when Bond is called back from retirement and introduced to Lynch as the new 007.

“It’s a popcorn-dropping moment. Bond is still Bond but he’s been replaced as 007 by this stunning woman,” the source told the Mail.

Londoner Lynch, who played the fighter pilot Maria Rambeau in “Captain Marvel”, is hoped to modernize the franchise criticized by many as being too dated and sexist.

“This is a Bond for the modern era who will appeal to a younger generation while sticking true to what we all expect in a Bond film,” the source said.

“There are spectacular chase sequences and fights, and Bond is still Bond but he’s having to learn to deal with the world of #MeToo.”

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“YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A BILLIONAIRE TO MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT” – OLUWATOLA ASSAN

In 2006, Tola had  the privilege to travel to the United States to further her education, she graduated in 2010 and obtained a bachelor  of science in business administration from Middle Tennessee State University, In 2012 , she obtained a Master of Business Administration in general management and a a second Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management in 2013, both from same university. While attending college, she was inducted into academic honor societies such as Beta Gamma Sigma and Phi Kappa Phi due to excellent academic performance.

Today, she is  an entrepreneur and the Founder of Fortunate Hands foundation; A non-governmental organization with a vision to care and help improve the wellbeing of the less privileged children. Growing up, her mother not only ensured going to church was compulsory, but she also made her  apply what was preached in the church to her daily life, this informed her decision to give back and start an NGO In 2015;where she gives hope to kids in rural areas, enroll them in school and also give them scholarships.

Tola is running her organisation passionately and also combining her educational knowledge for positive results. The young humanitarian who works 9 to 5 alongside running an NGO, shares her aspirations with me in this inspiring interview.

Growing Up

 I was born in Lagos to the family of Stephen & Moji Assan. I am the 4th of 4 children so I grew up around siblings. Growing up, my parents didn’t have it all, but we were okay. I attended a boarding house in Epe called Lagos State Model College Igbonla; where I attained my high school degree. The boarding house experience wasn’t exactly pleasant but one common theme between staying in a boarding house and living at home during the holidays was church.

Church was a must while in school and my mum also made sure I went to church while I was home for the holidays. I remember one consistent topic even back then was giving and its benefits, that principle stuck with me and surely has some impact on what I do today.

Inspiration behind Fortunate hands

I always knew I wanted to help others but founding an NGO for that purpose was never in the plan.

I got the inspiration for fortunate hands from a couple of things of which spending time with God would have to come first. I started attending church at a very young age and giving is one of the principles that stuck with me, I can say for a fact that helping the needy comes with benefits.  One day I was spending time with God through his word and he directed me to the bible verse that says, “Carry each other’s burdens”. As soon as I read that, I got the vision for fortunate hands foundation; a vision to care and help improve the wellbeing of the less privileged children.

Prior to the NGO being formed, I would render a bit of help to others here and there, but it got to a point I realized I wanted to do more.  I know I am failing if I am able to count the number of lives I have touched.

 I have to admit I also got some of my inspiration from beggars on the streets, especially those with their children. Each time I walked or drove past them, I felt the urge to help them.

I also get continuous inspiration from the events we have in slum areas; the atmosphere is always the same. The kids always seem so content despite their living condition and I feel joy in my spirit just spending time in such areas and having fun with them.

Nigerian’s and  Philanthropy

Only a few Nigerians genuinely support the type of work and this is a good medium to create more awareness. For some reason, most people are unaware of the slum areas that exist, and Lagos alone has about 14 of such areas. According to trading economics, 50.2% of Nigeria’s population lived in slums and this number can only have increased due to a growing population. Other Nigerians who are aware of such areas have concluded that the improvement of the wellbeing of those who stay in such areas dwells with the government and do not see it as their responsibility. The truth is, one doesn’t need to have billions of Naira to leave an impact in such areas; a little goes a long way. Today the support is quite minimal, but I am sure we will get there as we continue to create awareness.

Balancing it all

 Balancing a 9-5 job, a business and a non-governmental organization keeps me very busy. I am not a perfectionist, but I like to be on top of things, I am cognizant of the fact that nobody can treat your business like you so I try to do as much as I can myself. When we have events for the foundation, I get help from the project coordinator and that goes a long way in keeping a balance. I also try to audit my time daily that way I know where I need to focus more time and what activities I need to cut out of my day to maximize my time. I make sure to have “me time” and take a break when I need to.

Challenges

Challenges from a nongovernmental organization standpoint are numerous. Getting people to buy into a vision they just don’t understand can be discouraging and that is why being passionate about what you do is pivotal to the longevity and impact of the organization. There are a lot of hurdles we have to cross to make a good impact which shouldn’t be so. The biggest challenge comes from the government, they make it difficult to do simple things like enroll kids in school because they require a few letters and approvals; In 2018, the organization was able to enroll a few kids to school in the Ajegunle community and while I thought we just had to select kids, take them to school and make a payment, that sure wasn’t the case.

 Another common challenge we face is with the community heads of these slum areas; most of them act as though they are doing you a favor by letting you visit their community.

On giving up

The thought of giving up is an inevitable temptation in life but Christianity has helped me to see it as a no option. Severally, I have thought about just saving up my money for other things that some of my mates own but then I am reminded that is not an option because helping the needy does come with benefits, though not immediate but eternal.

Sometimes I get burned out between running a business, doing a 9-5 and planning events for the organization but I am like I said, giving up is not an option.

In March 2018, I lost Tomi my 15-year-old niece after a brief illness and that was really a trying time because we were very close. Severally I went to church and would remember her during worship and just run out crying, I would go into the toilet at work and cry because I couldn’t focus. This incident did impact my following through on enrolling few kids in school, I wanted it to be for her.

Being a Woman of Rubies

When I hear the word Rubies, precious comes to mind and every precious thing takes time to be created.

That brings me to the bible verse that talks about been “Fearfully & wonderfully made”, which happens to be the theme of our next event in Makoko. I am a woman of rubies because I am fearfully & wonderfully made by God, I hope to be able to make every life touched feel the same way. 

Advice for women

Dear woman,

You can do anything as long as you are willing to put in the work and go through the hurdles

You can start that business today using funds from your paycheck

You can renew your mind by constantly reading books

Never assume the other person knows, verify by doing your own research

Never be afraid to ask questions from people doing well in that field you want to go into

Build your network and

Remember, you don’t have to be a billionaire to make a positive impact.

As long as you put in the work and never give up, you are unstoppable.

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HERE’S HOW TO REGISTER FOR W-TEC’S ‘SHE CREATES CAMP 2019’ INITIATIVE | JULY – SEPTEMBER

W.TEC is now accepting applications for 2019 She Creates Camp. The camp will hold in Lagos, Kwara and Anambra states from July – September 2019.

The She Creates Camp is a W.TEC initiative designed to help Nigerian secondary school girls (13 – 17 years) develop an early interest in computer science, information technology, and related careers.

The She Creates Camp holds both residential and non-residential camps across the nation with a mix of hands-on technology workshops, career talks excursions and leadership exercises, which endeavors to build strong, intelligent and focused young women, well-prepared for living and working in an increasingly technology-driven world.

At the camps, we aim to mold young girls’ psyche, give them a positive image of technology, related fields, and opportunities while bridging the knowledge and skill gap between boys and girls in their career paths.

Partners and supporters included are Google.org, Oracle, SAGE Foundation, MainOne, Swift Networks Ltd, Kenneth Dike Memorial eLibrary and Laureates College – Lagos.

Evaluations of previous camps show enhanced leadership skills, creativity, problem-solving and communication abilities in our alumnae as a result of attending the camp.

Register for your preferred camp:

SheCreates Lagos-Mainland    – Residential Camp (August 18 – 31)

SheCreates Lagos-Island          – Non-Residential Camp (July 29 – Aug 9)

SheCreates Awka-Anambra    – Non-Residential Camp (August 26 – Sept 6)

SheCreates Ilorin-Kwara         – Non-Residential Camp (August 26 – Sept 6)

The W.TEC – She Creates Camp is highly competitive and we would love that your girls participate, so kindly apply early.

For more information: See 2018 Camp Videos, 2017 Camp Videos,  2016 Camp Videos, 2017 Camp Photos

Email: camp@wtec.org.ng

Phone: +234 806 077 6145, +234 808 169 0699

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“​AS A WOMAN YOU​ HAVE TO BE DOGGED IF YOU WANT TO GO INTO ACTIVISM​​”​ – ​O​​NUGHA​ ​ROSEMARY​

Onugha Rosemary is a passionate educator and serial humanitarian, she alongside her wonderful team educate and support vulnerable children living in slums across Lagos.​ T​he graduate of Applied Microbiology from Ebonyi State University advocates for quality education, reduced poverty by education and empowerment of women in the society.

Rose who is also a food vendor, has been involved in teaching and raising role models as well as carrying out humanitarian activities with  marginalised children  by donating  school materials to aid easy learning as well as coaching them on the needs of education not withstanding their immediate communities.

In her words​:​ “I intend working with urban and rural slum kids by making sure that each one of them have the privileged of attending basic education and as well acquiring the needed skills to survive as an individual​”.​

The serial Humanitarian shares he inspiring story with me in this interview.

Growing up

My childhood and environment prepared me for what I’m doing now. Growing up in a community where we had hoodlums and sex workers as neighbours made we know who and what I don’t want to be like.

I had several occasions where I was sent out of school because of fee. These are few things children in slums and undocumented areas go through, when asked why you are at home, my parent could probably say I’m not feeling too good.

My environment made me very ambitious because I really wish I could change a lot of things, it made me who I am, it made me have a picture of who I want to be. It made me aspire for greatness.

It was quite unfortunate that I didn’t grow up having role models, I only grew up having people I didn’t want to be like and seeing situation I’d never want to be in.

My passion for the vulnerable and less privileged  in the society

I discovered that most times when interventions, outreaches, sensitizations, quizzes, debates are being carried out the children living in the slums are being exempted. They miss out on a lot of opportunities and empowerment programs because of their environment, as a matter of fact, people and even government hardly remember that they exist. I’m trying to be their voice, to give them hope and as well motivate them to be their best versions of themselves irrespective of their present environment.

Every child matter notwithstanding their environment and their background.

Working directly with slum kids

I believe all children should have an equal right and access to education.

During my research I discovered that about 40 to 50 percent of children living in slums do not have  basic education. And this can further be a disaster to the society in the future. I thought within myself how do I stop this trend and reduce the level of illiteracy in Nigeria? This also formed the basis of my outreach. As we know, education reduces poverty and it has been noted that the level of poverty in the slum is in high rate. To tackle poverty, disease, ill vices in the society and to create jobs and be employable, educating the slum kids is the best shot.

Reception

Most times I go to these communities, I’m been looked down on, like what has this small girl got to offer us. But at the end of the visits  both the children, school owners and their parents are always grateful and they have a different mind set of what education is about.

My Inspiration

Like I said earlier, my environment inspired me. My parents as well especially my late father. He was able to raise us in a godly manner with the help of my mother. Until this moment, I can’t explain how my parents did it that we never took after the environment or joined the bad gangs. Till this moment is bewildering. Honourable Buumba Malambo from Zambia also inspires me she built a home for vulnerable children, orphan in her community as well as educating them.

Also, the founder of La Roche Leadership foundation Mrs Osoba, she is a humanitarian with a golden heart, she is also a member of the Global Goodwill  Ambassador.  she has a library in her foundation that enables children to read to fun and examination. She also donates educational books to different government schools. She supports humanitarian workers to create more impact in the society.

Dr DiPillar Richard who is the founder of Global Goodwill Ambassadors worldwide, he unites humanitarian workers around the world with the goal of making our world a better place. We also have the opportunity to network with other humanitarian workers outside the country and as well learn from them to create a greater impact in the society.

Reward

The greatest reward is the reward of fulfilment. Been able to create an impact in the lives of these kids. Also, when I joined the Global Goodwill Ambassadors network worldwide. When I got featured in a newspaper as well. Those are the rewards for now.

Challenge

One of the challenge is getting funding for projects which is the most challenging. Another is my gender, people tend to think that as a woman you have less to offer, especially going to the slums where they believe that women are not supposed to be educated but they can either fish, farm or trade and also help out at home. It’s challenging having to change their mind set and showing them women role models in all fields. That’s why we need more women to engage in both science and politics, because the society has made them believe that some profession are meant for a particular gender. 

On giving up

Yes, sometimes when I have ideas written down and want to implement them but  not been able to because of some situations like funds. For instance, I visited a community in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State and discovered that there is no secondary school in Abaranje and Okerube communities. These two communities only has  primary education, we can imagine what happens to the children after the primary education. Most of them that their parents can’t afford a private school are either seen roaming about, hawking, some have even joined hoodlums and some others not too good gangs. 

As individual​s​ and government trying to reduce the crime rate, illiteracy and poverty in the society, education should be the number tool to help curb the menace. I have a temporal solution to educate children in that community pending when the state government will erect a proper school and classroom for the community.

Being a food vendor and serial Entrepreneur

My food vendor business is new and I’m still looking out for more clients, so combining it  with my humanitarian work is not really stressful. Because we do mostly in bowls, for meetings and office packs. I have people that can help out in both my humanitarian work and my food business, so I can take an order to deliver meals today and as well go for my outreach the same day. It’s just a matter of planning and having volunteers to assist.

Being a Woman of Rubies

Been able to impact lives, giving hope to children living in slums and undocumented areas and been able to empower women. A woman of rubies is a woman that is a role model in her society.

For women in the development sector

You have to be dogged if you want to go into activism as a woman, people will sometimes look down on you and make you feel you are making a mistake doing what you are doing. Sometimes you might even get a threat on your life, you will go to some places that you would be turned down but don’t give up because a lot of people are looking up to you and would also like to trade on the path. Giving up means you have succeeded in making people looking up to you to loss focus.

There’s always light at the end of the tunnel and you’d be surprised to know many lives you’ve been able to impact with your works.

Activist being appreciated

Activist are not appreciated enough, that’s why we need to create more awareness to show the impacts of our activism and how our activism has made changes in day to day life.

One thing I wish I could change in the education sector

I would like to change the conventional ways of teaching and as well change the mind set of our tutors. Some of our schools still teaches with the same methods our are parents were taught. Education has evolved from been a normal classroom teaching to incorporating our day to day activities into mathematics and all subjects.  Children should be able to mix fun with learning. Games, and life skills should be incorporated into teaching. If children are guided to express themselves and not been imposed, educational system would have a dynamic and drastic turnaround in Nigeria. Education should not only be maths and English, children should be given the space to be innovative and creative.

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OLACHI OLATUNDE: WHY SOME RULES ARE JUST BS!  

The first time I heard the term ‘bullshit rules’, I remember thinking to myself ‘wait, bullshit what?’ BULLSHIT-RULES. You know what they are? They are these set of unwritten rules that the world expects us to live by but when you really break them down, you find out that the rule is really just bullshit. So Vishen Lakhiani (Founder of MindValley) decided to term them Bullshir-Rules and I’m going to attempt to whole idea to you.

Man, by being is programmable and I’ll tell you what I mean in a sec. If you strip down the things you generally hold to be true, to be your beliefs – you will notice that most of the things you believe are not a result of your conscious or rational choosing. You have grown to believe many things through programming, imitation and indoctrination. You basically believe a lot of things because you were told at some point in your life that that’s just how life is.

This would have been alright if the beliefs passed on were consistently beneficial, but this is not always the case – matter of fact, it rarely is.

As infants we are born without beliefs, with no real concept of right or wrong, good or bad. Society tells us what is acceptable and what is not. Culture determines what length a boys’ hair should be, parents dictate who they expect us to be friends with, and what they think we should study. Religion is clear on who makes a satisfactory spouse and who does not.

If you really really think about it, we are largely a product of our programming, yes there are exceptions but by and large many of us are still living the lives that someone somewhere told us to live.

“We have taken our definitions of what is acceptable and what is not from people other than ourselves imagining that they know more about our lives than we”.

Now I understand the place of parents, teachers and others in authority over us and they are very much needed but we must not be oblivious of the fact that it is very easy for them to pass on their beliefs to us; whether these beliefs are necessary for our growth or not. To be really honest, a lot of their beliefs are bullshit and you really need to chuck them, hold on to what serves you only.

The thing with beliefs is that they are fact. Whatever you believe becomes ‘fact’ for you so it is possible that you can live your whole life living someone else’s beliefs and experiencing the life that goes with it. How uncool.

If your beliefs aren’t even yours, then are you yourself at all? Makes you wonder why there’s so many people running around with no sense of identity, no knowledge of who they are. They have relied on others to decide who they are and therefore who they can become – it is a tragedy really.

But NOT today!!!

Today we are crushing all bullshit rules and making up new rules to replace them. I do apologize for all the swear words in this post if it hurts your senses, there are just a few more to come and we’ll be done – I promise.

To attempt a definition – a bullshit rule is a belief about yourself or life that you have always believed to be true even if it isn’t necessarily. It’s mostly negative and a result of unintentional or intentional indoctrination. Here are a few bullshit rules we need to get rid of today.

Bull-Shit rule 1

To make money, you have to work really really really hard. Hard work is important but don’t get stuck thinking that unless you sweat and toil, you cannot have the success or the money you want. Just look around you, too many examples to be a fluke.

Bull-Shit rule 2

To be a happy and successful woman, you need a man – Nobody should ever NEED anyone other than themselves to make them happy. You don’t NEED anyone, you might want ‘em because really what would life be without men…heheehe..

Bull-Shit rule 3

I need to go to school to make any money – Education is important, but you do not always need the four walls of a room to learn. You 100% percent need education but it does not have to come in the form of a college degree. Your knowledge is not less valuable just because it didn’t come with a certificate. You feel me?

Bull-Shit rule 4

She is less of a woman because she did not physically birth a child – This is bullshit and that’s all I’m saying about that.

I know how sensitive this is and I say it with utmost consideration for all concerned but it’s just not true and it’s painful to see people feel less than themselves for something they have no control over. This one pains me on a personal level. Chuck this BS rule quickly.

Bull-Shit rule 5

Money is the root of evil – if you believe this then you will stay far away from money. How do you think something is evil and keep trying to get it? It’s counter-intuitive. Money is great, its what you do with it that makes it either evil or good.

Bull-Shit rule 6

I can’t make money from doing what I really love – oohhh, watch me and you can too. Might take a little time and cost a lot but it is possible. There are too many life examples for it not to be possible.

I can go on but where’s the fun in that? Get in on the gist and let us know what bull shit rules you will be chucking today. Remember if it doesn’t serve you, chuck it. *singing* …bad energy stay far away…

About Olachi Olatunji

Hey, my name is Olachi and I like to refer to myself as a ‘thinking enthusiast.’

I love a few things, number one of them being learning and number two would be spreading.

I believe in the power of right thinking to transform lives and as a result; I enjoy spreading knowledge, inspiring thinking and encouraging movement.

I however am not a very serious person so please don’t expect to find me in a suit… In a crowd with beating music though, find me somewhere in the middle – moving to the beat and filling my soul with joy.

Olachi Olatunji

Chief Curator,

#TKOH

http://www.theknowledgeofhow.com/

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“THERE ARE MANY TIMES I FELT LIKE THROWING IN THE TOWEL AND PICKING UP A PAID JOB” – OLAMIDE AYENI-BABAJIDE

One of the biggest environmental challenge in the world is waste management. Often times as humans we only focus on the consumption of the products without thinking of the diverse effect of releasing the waste to the environment. So many people have been trying to change the narrative and sensitize the society on the the need to manage our waste products  the same way we screen what we consume.

While effective disposal is one of the major mechanisms to waste management, recycling and remodelling the waste is a better way to preserve it for re-usage. Olamide Ayeni-Babajide has taken this up through her Pearl recycling initiative. In 2016, she started a social enterprise that remodels solid waste into sustainable, eco-friendly products for the last-mile citizens. Her organization trains women and unemployed youths on waste to furniture vocational skills. She also solves the problem of inadequate chairs in public schools by producing ergonomic classrooms chairs from waste for the pupils, a project sponsored by the US Embassy Abuja.

In 2017, she was selected as one of the Tech women Emerging Leader by the United States Department of States which makes her interned with In 2018, she was named as an Obama African Leader for her impact work and also named as the most outstanding social innovator by LEAP AFRICA.

Olamide who holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Engineering and several certifications from CISCO and ISACA and With more than eight  years’ experience as a Network Infrastructure . She shares her inspiring story with me in this educative interview.

In her words : “ The environment is not enabling for most start-up founders due to rigid government policies stifling life’s out of young start-ups.   ”

Childhood Preparation

 I grew up in the rural part of south-western Nigeria. I was taught early that when things are broken, they are fixed and not thrown away. I think the learning came from the fact that we didn’t live a life of luxury neither did we live in penury but the little we had, we were  taught to use it well. Also, coming from paternal generation of wood carvers was also part of what contributed largely to my creative nature. At an early age, I started repairing my spoilt shoes and slippers myself, I had all the shoe repairer tools, I could weave and sew, and I had my hands on practically every skills.

Inspiration behind Pearl Recycling

Pearl Recycling started on the flight back to Nigeria from UAE in 2012.  I had gone for a conference on Infrastructure engineering and bought few home decorative products. I checked one of them and realized it was made from waste corn-husk. You can imagine my anger and unbelief when I made this discovery. First, I had issues with customs bringing those decorative products into the country and coupled with the fact that they  were expensive. As days goes by, my anger turned to curiosity. I told myself we have corns in Nigeria, but we are throwing the husk away. Why can’t I start collecting the corn husk from the roadside corn sellers and start turning them into beautiful work of arts? That was how Pearl recycling started. We progressed from corn husks to plastic, wine corks and tyres. We currently work with all form of solid waste, turning them into artistic pieces either as furniture or décor.

Pearl Recycling, was selected by World Youth Forum as one of the 100 initiatives from Africa and she was selected to represent Nigeria at World Entrepreneurship Investment Forum in 2017 due to the impact that Pearl Recycling is making locally. We have also been featured on several international and local media including, Reuters, Washington Post, and Aljazeera

Impact of being an  Obama African leader and Leap Africa’s  outstanding social innovator

In 2018, Obama Foundation made a call for outstanding leaders in Africa who are changing narratives in their field. We know we are constantly breaking the glass-ceiling with the waste remodeling niche we are  building so I applied. I was selected as one of the 200 Obama African Leaders.  This gave me the opportunity to meet with other change-makers in the continent, connect with investors and create a ripple effect of change. One of the highlight was pitching the waste to tiles project as an alternative to bad roads in Africa rural locations. The project was selected and scaled to top four out of seventy other projects and we  pitched it at the pitching event. A fellow leader from Angola took the idea back to his country and started working on the project.

LEAP Africa SIP is a progamme for social innovators in Nigeria where selected social entrepreneurs are trained on important subjects like  structuring social enterprises and building a sustainable social enterprise. I was selected in 2017 and after the one year programme,  three outstanding social innovators are selected and awarded grants of 1  million Naira each to scale up their impacts through the support of  Union Bank. I was selected and the grant has helped us to scale up our  distribution outlets and acquire more tools.

Reception

When we started officially in 2016, there were a lot of cultural  inhibitions, negative stereotypes and complete rejection of the idea.  The first hurdle we had to break was the age-long belief that “waste is  dirty and meant for landfills”. We came up with a strategy to make waste  enticing to feel and touch and that was how we were able to break the  negative stereotypes. In 2016, we could go a whole week at the office without anyone calling to ask about what we do. However, there has been significant change in perception and acceptance. We get up to six calls weekly from individuals and organizations asking about what we do and the service we render.

From computer engineer to eco-friendly products and waste

After the curiosity of my UAE trip, I started working with solid waste products on weekends. I was in an 8-5 job and the only time I had left to work on my passion was weekends. I started showing colleagues what I made from waste and they were interested and willing to buy. That was how I started making wall decors and art pieces from waste for colleagues and friends. In 2015, I applied for Tony Elumelu foundation grant with the idea. It wasn’t a registered business. It was just an idea and it was selected. That selection birthed Pearl Recycling. It was  a defining factor for me, knowing that an organization like TEF founds  such a niche worthy propelled me to make it a full time job.

Challenges

The most significant challenge of all is the perception of people to waste. This time around, not from a place of negative assumption, but  from a place of complete ignorance. People aren’t aware of the treasure in waste and they end up throwing them away. The second issue is government intervention for emerging businesses like ours. The environment is not enabling for most start-up founders due to rigid government policies stifling life’s out of young start-ups.

Also, we lack proper funding institutes or organizations locally that  can fund social innovations. Most funding organizations are international and this has impeded the growth of local social  enterprise.

On giving up

There are many times I felt like throwing in the towel and  picking up a paid job. Most especially, when I am fully aware of my  skill and worth in the labour market. However, tenacity of purpose and understanding my Why has been the reason why I can stay and fight to see  my vision become a reality. In an environment like ours, everything is  working to choke your vision and you must be ready to fight to survive.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I became aware of my worth at the young age of ten and the inherent power I have as a women to create positive impact around me. I am a  woman of rubies because I create the change I want to see without waiting for anyone to do it for me and by so doing, I am also helping  other women to see and acknowledge the inherent power in them

Advice for those who want to go into my line of business

You must be sure of your WHY. You passion must be able to sustain you  when every other thing fails. You must listen and open your mind to learn. You need to build bridges and know that collaboration is the new  competition. However, you must be smart in all your dealings.

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EDEN PEACE: WHEN SHE SAYS “NO” SHE MEANS “NO”!

For you, your argument might be that the lady is giving you confusing signals, and I agree that some women do that. But even then, no woman ever wants her freewill to be overridden. You have an obligation to respect that.

At different times in the last month alone, I have spoken with men who, during the conversation, have said, “When a woman says no, she means yes.”

You have heard that statement, no doubt. In fact, you are possibly one of the millions who believe it because, after all, women don’t know what they want. When men and women were created, why did it take so long for a woman to come on the scene, if not that they weren’t originally intended? What that means, of course, is that women don’t have as much anything as men, including freewill.

Ordinarily I wouldn’t be so bothered about statements like this, except that more than a few men have repeated the sentiment around me, which is really bothersome. That and the sad news about rape I’ve been hearing lately.

Women are raped and nobody enforces the law to protect them. But we force them to live with the consequences long after the incident. Do we really think that little of women?

When anyone – male or female – makes a statement like “When a woman says no, she means yes,” that person is propagating rape. See, people would have you believe that this statement applies only to instances where the man has a disagreement with the woman. They will say that when a woman says she wants to be left alone, what she is saying is the man shouldn’t go anywhere, that he needs to intensify his apologies. That is a big problem, however, and as well-meaning as it sounds, it is flawed. Highly so.

If you have been in enough disagreements, you can tell that staying, when someone has told you expressly not to be there, is fodder for aggression. What often happens is instead of abating the tension, the offender’s presence incites more anger. Why incite someone to aggression when you could easily walk out and talk about it at a more appropriate time? And let us not pretend that this is different, because it is not.

Unfortunately, religious leaders preach messages like this, too, which poses problems, because beyond petty disagreements between couples, they blur the lines and start to take statements like that to mean women are not intellectually sound enough to decide for themselves.

Can you see the problem here? Taking a word with a very direct meaning to mean something else, which is very consistent with how rapists think. Look at the recent abhorrence that happened in Abuja with policemen raping women. What if those women were prostitutes? Is that to say that a woman who chooses to earn her living sleeping with men is okay to be raped?

Well then, we might as well pass it into law that raping prostitutes is legal since we’re being all morally smug.

Freewill is the key here, and with it comes choice, as such no is a word that must never be negotiated.

Every time I think about the privilege of my humanity, one of the things I’m most thankful for is my ability to choose. But the world operates with such tyranny that one wonders if the infinite intelligence that put the power of choice in every human being didn’t know what it was doing when it did that. We have a world full of the effort to control people: sexual trafficking, domestic labor, war and all that sort. But the mandate was for everyone to dominate, not even over each other but over the earth.

When you say that a woman doesn’t really mean it when she says no, you take her for a fool. You take away the power of her freewill and give other people the permission to do the same. When you conveniently misinterpret her, you send her an unconscious message that her assertion carries no weight. Sadly, you then resort to blaming her when someone with as skewed a perspective as yours takes advantage of her. You didn’t invent the English vocabulary, so why give the words another meaning than originally intended?

For you, your argument might be that the lady is giving you confusing signals, and I agree that some women do that. But even then, no woman ever wants her freewill to be overridden. You have an obligation to respect that.

Irrespective of what a woman’s body language says, no means no. You must show a regard for her when you hear what she is saying, and respond.

Source: Bellanaija

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