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In self development March 20, 2019 By Women of Rubies

GHANIAN SCIENTIST DR PRISCILLA MANTE RECEIVES L’OREAL-UNESCO WOMEN IN SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR RESEARCH

These exceptional women were recognised for the excellence of their research in the fields of material science, mathematics and computer science and they will each receive €100,000.

Their achievements were celebrated alongside “15 International Rising Talents” who are promising young women scientists from across the world at an awards ceremony on 14^th March 2019 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris.

Dr Priscilla Kolibea Mante from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana was one of 15 International Rising Talents and the only African award recipient. She is also the first recipient of the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Rising Talent Award from her institution.

Specialising in neuropharmacology and neuroscience, Dr. Priscilla Kolibea Mante is researching alternative, plant-based therapeutic options to manage drug-resistant epilepsy and the neglected tropical disease, neurocysticercosis.

She is currently exploring the anticonvulsant activity of the plant alkaloid cryptolepine and its solid-lipid nanoparticles in the management of neurocysticercosis-induced epilepsy. By identifying a way to help cryptolepine permeate more efficiently into the central nervous system, the risk of convulsion should be reduced, helping the patient to manage their condition as effectively as possible. “It’s very rewarding to know that my research could significantly alter complicated structures like the brain and positively affect people’s lives,” she says.

Dr. Mante believes the biggest challenge for women in science is managing negative perceptions of ambition in women and overcoming gender stereotypes. Having faith in the future, she is convinced that her generation has been fortunate to receive strong support, and believe women can tap into that and spearhead their careers to higher levels.

“The world will make room for us”, she says. “The more women push for senior roles, the harder it will be to ignore them.” The expert guidance of both men and women throughout her career has been so important that Dr. Priscilla Kolibea Mante now considers herself a “champion” of mentorship, regularly supporting younger scientists in pursuing their dreams. She concludes: “Sometimes it’s important to hold your mentee’s hand and guide them towards opportunities they never knew existed.”

In 2018, Dr Mante received one of two L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa post-doctoral fellowships. The programme recognised 14 fellows – 12 doctoral and 2 post-doctoral – from five countries in sub-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Mauritius, Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria). They were selected for the scientific excellence of their work from more than 480 applicants, by a jury of independent experts.

Credit: Bella Naija

In self development March 20, 2019 By Women of Rubies

FIVE NIGERIAN WOMEN MAKES LIST OF FORBES AFRICA ‘NEW WEALTH CREATORS’

Five Nigerian women have been recognized by FORBES WOMAN AFRICA for the significant work they are doing in their industry through their own organizations.

FORBES WOMAN AFRICA launched a new initiative, The New Wealth Creators list, where female entrepreneurs on the African continent running businesses and social enterprises that are new, offbeat and radical are highlighted for their work.

This list, which is titled, “Businesses Of The Future: 20 New Wealth Creators On The African Continent” is the first edition by FORBES WOMAN AFRICA and it recognizes five Nigerian women out of the 20 listed.

These women come from across the continent, from the villages and the suburbs, and are in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. They have all adopted sustainable development initiatives in one way or another to help solve Africa’s problems.

They may be wealth creators but their businesses, ironically, did not stem from a need to make money, but rather from the need to solve Africa’s persisting socio-economic challenges.

Know more about the listed Nigerian women here:

1. Jessica Anuna, 27 -Founder and CEO, Klasha

Sector: E-commerce

At the age of 23, Anuna, who grew up in London, decided to live in China to learn how the Chinese did business. Meanwhile, she had gained an understanding of the world of e-commerce from working for organizations like NET-A-PORTER, Amazon and Shopify Plus in London.

So, she started with a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods export company specialising in textiles. She would also source fashion and beauty products from factories in the Guangdong province in China and then ship them to clients in the UK and US.

When she returned to Nigeria in 2016 to expand her business, she found out that it was difficult for young people had to travel all the way to the UK or the US to shop fashion goods. So, she founded Klasha in 2017 as a platform for fast fashion retailers serving millennials in Africa.

With branches in Dubai and Lagos, and employees of six women, Anuna plans to make Africa one of the global players in the fast fashion industry.

2. Ngozi Adebiyi, 44 – Founder, CEO and Lead Consultant, OutsideIn HR

Sector: HR Innovations

Surprised by the lack of innovative processes within the HR sector, Ngozi took it upon herself to provide an innovative service to companies through gaming and business simulations.

She became an ‘accidental entrepreneur’ after working in the human resource (HR) sector for over 13 years.

“People that I had worked with starting asking me, ‘oh, come and help us with this, come and help us with that’, so I usually say that I became an accidental entrepreneur,” she explains.

Soon, she started her own company and offered talent management services, consulting and coaching and training services to clients.

But she found out that participants were not getting enough from the lectures as they were often distracted. So, she found innovative ways to deal with the problem and now, she offers HR and business simulation programs catered to each client. Her goal is to revolutionize HR in Nigeria by providing innovative services.

3.Vivian Nwakah, 36 – Founder and CEO, Medsaf

Sector: Digital Pharmacies

Born and raised in Chicago, Vivian started her company when she lost a friend who died as a result of taking fake medication as well as a lack of adequate healthcare services.

During her studies at the Georgia State University – J. Mack Robinson College of Business to pursue an MBA in International Business, she travelled to Nigeria for the first time in her life, to fulfil her internship requirements for three months, learning about the healthcare systems in the country.

But her experiences with the Nigerian medical system made her stay back so as to be a part of its solution. After three years of research and planning, in 2017, she founded Medsaf-a digital medication supply chain management solution, linking hospitals and medication manufacturers from all over the world through a “pay as you go” system.

Through the platform, she created a transparent, affordable and safe manufacturing method to get direct medication to hospitals and pharmacies across Nigeria. Medsaf also gives hospitals and pharmacies a ‘credit score’ based on indicators such as repayment history, insurance data and patient feedback.

According to Nwakah, more than 400 hospitals and pharmacies signed up to use the platform and app when they launched, allowing stakeholders to see drug information, tracking and tracing details on a smartphone.

They make profit from medication sold through the platforms as well as through inventory management and data subscription services.

Having raised $1.4 million, Medsaf is looking to expand to other countries.

4. Odunayo Eweniyi, 26 – Co-founder and COO, Piggybank.ng

Sector: Fintech

A first class graduate of computer engineering at Covenant University in Nigeria, Odunayo left her parents’ home to live with her aunt and begin with the process of finding a job.While job hunting, she met two former university mates, who asked her to join them on working on two projects but the projects failed.

In December 2015, they founded Piggybank.ng- a very secure online savings platform that makes saving possible by combining discipline plus flexibility to make you grow your savings. The company shut down two times because they had to put some vital things like regulatory rules, micro finance and security software on the platform.

By 2017, they re-launched and partnered with United Bank for Africa as a micro finance partner and launched a SafeLock feature which allows users to put aside an amount of money for a fixed period without having any access to it until that time is up. Users are also able to earn interest upfront.

By the end of the year, they managed to save N683 million ($1.8 million) and in March 2018, they raised an additional $1 million.With that money, they were able to purchase their own micro finance license and it was uphill from there.

The app has over 180,000 current users and has won several awards including Future Awards Africa Prize in Technology 2018, Business Day Top 100 SMEs, and the 2017 Village Capital Fintech.

She tells Forbes, “A new wealth creator is finding newer, more creative and easier ways to help people create wealth.”

5. Nneka Mobisson -Co-founder and CEO, mDoc

Sector: Digital Health

In 2010, Dr Nneka Mobisson’s father died from a stroke. This was due to the fact that there were no doctors to help control his hypertension. Six years later, she left her job as an Executive Doctor for Africa at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement to make life better for people living with chronic health care needs.

Her goal was to optimize the care experience of people living with chronic healthcare needs such as diabetes, respiratory system disease, HIV, asthma and cancer.

Through the mDoc platform, the people are led to a virtual care team consisting of coaches and nurses in real time. They assess patients, discuss their health goals and advise them on medical care actions. They also provide digital navigation, trackers and digital support groups for the patients.

mDoc has experts from South Africa, Zambia, Rwanda, Kenya, US, UK and Nigeria, operating on the service. On International Women’s Day, Nneka launched a micro-financing company for women to save for their health and have access to credit for economic empowerment.

Credit: fabwoman.ng

In Interviews&profile March 19, 2019 By Women of Rubies

PROFILE| MEET AFUA OSEI, THE CO-FOUNDER OF SHE LEADS AFRICA

Afua Osei is an entrepreneur, investor, and a Public Speaker. She is also the Co-founder of She Leads Africa, a media company for millennial African women.

Afua Osei was born in Washington DC. She spent her formative years in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Osei graduated cum laude from Allegheny College with degrees in Political Science and was the first student to design their own major in Black Studies. She received the Faculty Prize for the Best Interdisciplinary Senior Thesis and the Ray Smock Political Science Prize for promise in local and state politics

In 2013, she graduated from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and Harris School of Public Policy Studies with a Master of Business Administration and Master of Public Policy.

After graduating from college, Osei participated in the Campaign Corps Fellowship, a comprehensive Democratic campaign training program, covering all aspects of running a successful political campaign sponsored by EMILY’s List. She was a Fulbright Scholar in Malaysia and also served in the Office of First Lady Michelle Obama. After business school, Osei moved to Lagos, Nigeria to serve as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company ^[8] providing strategy and operations expertise to clients in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and the United States.

In 2014, Osei co-founded She Leads Africa, a “community for smart ambitious young African women,” with Yasmin Belo-Osagie.

She Leads Africa provides women across more than 35 countries with business and career advice and has been featured in several international publications including The Financial Times,^[11]CNN,^[12] CNBC Africa,^[13] Huffington Post,^[14] and Black Enterprise.

On December 9, 2016, She Leads Africa rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

Osei has been recognized by Forbes Africa as one of the Youngest Power Women in Africa (2014), named by Ventures Africa as one of the top 25 African innovators to watch in 2016 and one of the 30 Quartz Africa innovators in 2017. She was selected as a judge for the Chivas Venture competition, “a global search to find and empower the next generation of young entrepreneurs determined to succeed while changing the world for the better.”

She has been a featured speaker at TEDxEuston in London, G20 Africa Partnership Conference in Germany, Essence Festival Durban in South Africa, and Thomson Reuters Foundation Trust Conference in the UK.

Credit: Wikipedia

In Career Gems March 19, 2019 By Women of Rubies

NIGERIAN STUDENT BREAKS RECORD BY WINNING HISTORIC 20 GOLD MEDALS FROM INDIAN UNIVERSITY

Nigerian Student Emelife Chinelo Stella,has broken a record after winning a historic 20 Gold medals in Masters in Chemistry at the University Of Mysore in India.

Stella was the Best Graduating Student for a Msc from the University of Mysore, India, she was being celebrated and received outstanding honours for her impressive grades and achievements during her program.

According to reports, she graduated with a final grade point (FGP) of 9.263%, Stella received the maximum gold medals from the University, a total of 20 gold medals and five cash prizes at the 99th annual convocation of the university on Sunday.

According to the University of Mysore, this is perhaps the first time in recent years that a foreign student has bagged so many gold medals.

Stella, during her first degree, also graduated the overall best student of Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria, in the 2012/13 set with 4.86 CGPA. “I want to say that I’m stunned, but everyone who grew up in Sokoto has heard of the Emelife excellency and of its torchbearer, Emelife Stella Chinelo, who has, since her primary school, remained top of her class. What we didn’t know, however, is that after receiving an Indian government scholarship to study in its country, she’d go on to top all of its citizens,” said Stellar’s sister Jennifer Emelife, on Facebook.

Credit: LIB

In Career Gems March 19, 2019 By Women of Rubies

EKITI STATE GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT PSYCHIATRIC TEST, PUBLISH NAMES AND PICTURES OF RAPISTS

Ekiti State Government on Monday expressed determination to conduct psychiatric test on rapists; as well as publish their names and photographs on the Ministry of Justice’s website.

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi

The state Commissioner for Justice, Mr Wale Fapounda, who disclosed this at a news conference in Ado Ekiti, said the government was out to curb rape and sexual offences in the state.

“As part of the efforts to tackle rapists and child abusers in Ekiti State, the government will henceforth conduct compulsory psychiatric test and publish the names and photographs of offenders on the website of the Ministry of Justice.

“The names of such offenders will also be announced on the state owned radio and television, while the monarch of the town the offender hails from will be alerted and their details obtained,’’he said.

Fapohunda expressed worry that cases of rape had been on the increase in spite of the large number of convictions in the state.

He said Gov. Kayode Fayemi, was miffed by the increasing cases of sexual violence and that there was need for proactive action to address the situation.

The commissioner said the new measures put in place would support the aggressive prosecution and exclusion of offenders from governor’s prerogative of mercy that had already been adopted and put into operation.

“The additional measures put in place include pasting the photographs of convicted offenders in prominent public spaces in their communities and their local government headquarters.

“Government will also be issuing an advisory to the traditional rulers of the offenders’ communities on the status of the offender.

“We will upload the sex offenders’ photographs on the website of the Ministry of Justice

“We will also start showing photographs of sex offenders on television stations; as well as announce their names repeatedly on the state radio.’’

He also said any offender that the Director of Public Prosecution had issued a case to answer for the offence of child defilement would undergo a compulsory psychiatric test.

“This also includes persons already standing trial,’’ he said.

The commissioner stressed that the government would take necessary stringent actions that would deprive offenders of their rights to dignity.

Fapohunda said that the government had realised that conviction alone were not solving the problem and so had to take these measures.

He said public education and awareness would be stepped up to sensitise the people on the new measures.

Credit: pulse.ng

In self development March 19, 2019 By Women of Rubies

MEET BOLA OGUN, THE NIGERIAN DIRECTOR WORKING ON THE SET OF TV SHOW ‘QUEEN SUGAR’

Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning director, Ava DuVernay (Selma), has proven herself to be a true filmmaking force in Hollywood, and she’s been paying it forward by hiring women, especially black women, on her projects.

Her TV show, Queen Sugar has featured women in the director’s chair for every single season, and the fourth season will be no different. The directorial lineup will include Cheryl Dunye, Carmen Marrón, Numa Perrier, Heidi Saman, Tchaiko Omawale and Nigerian-American filmmaker, Bola Ogun.

.@ava DuVernay’s @QueenSugarOWNSeason 4 To Premiere June 12 with @cdunye @onebolafun @tchaikoOmawale, Carmen Marrón, @Heidi_Saman & @missnuma among the directing team – https://t.co/w3qFOuZeMG pic.twitter.com/De17LnEemj

— Wilson Morales (@blackfilm) March 14, 2019

Created by Duvernay and executive produced by Oprah Winfrey, Queen Sugar follows the life of three siblings, who move to Louisiana to claim an inheritance from their recently departed father — an 800-acre sugarcane farm.

While still up-and-coming, Ogun already has an impressive resumé. She created an award-winning short film, Are We Good Parents?, which premiered at SXSW, and she has worked in the production department of notable projects like The Dark Knight Rises and True Detective.

Bola Ogun has been using her lens to influence those who don’t often have a voice and collaborate with other creative minds to amplify fresh storytelling perspectives, and we are definitely going to be on the lookout for her episode(s) on Queen Sugar.

The fourth season of Queen Sugar will premiere on June 12, 2019.

(Photo: OWN/Queen Sugar)

Credit: konbini.com

In self development March 19, 2019 By Women of Rubies

BBC NEWS AFRICA’S DOCUMENTARY ABOUT A VILLAGE WHERE CHILDBIRTH IS BANNED

Yes, women are not allowed to give birth in the village.

What happens is that when a pregnant woman is in labor, she’s taken out of the village and allowed to return only after the child is born.

A pregnant woman spoke to the BBC, asking that the practice be abolished.

Watch the documentary below:

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems March 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

NIGERIAN-AMERICAN STYLIST, ADE SAMUEL NAMED AS ONE OF THE 25 MOST POWERFUL STYLISTS IN HOLLYWOOD 2019

Nigerian-American stylist, Ade Samuel has been rapidly rising through the ranks in the fashion industry, growing from her days as an intern at Teen Vogue to styling superstars like Kelly Rowland, Usher, Yara Shahidi and Cynthia Erivo.

American digital and print magazine, The Hollywood Reporter recently named her one of the 25 most powerful stylists in Hollywood 2019.

To compile the list, The Hollywood Reporter studied the red carpet show-stoppers spotted over the last year, from award ceremonies to movie premieres, analysing which stylists delivered looks that contributed to and impacted contemporary fashion debate.

Ade Samuel, who styled Black Panther stars, Letitia Wright and Michael B. Jordan last year, as well as Justine Skye, Usher, Kofi Siriboe and more, made her debut on this list, ranking a commendable 20 out of the 25.

Lady Gaga’s stylists, Tom Eerebout and Sandra Amador, were among other newcomers, joining old hands like Karla Welch, who styles Tracee Ellis Ross, Sarah Paulson and Justin Briber; and Wayman Bennerman and Micah McDonald, who styled Regina King this year.

Unsurprisingly, as the star’s go-to stylist, it was Michael B. Jordan’s velvet Tom Ford tux that was highlighted as Ade Samuel’s ‘Top Look’. Jordan wore the ensemble to the Oscars last month, accessorised with Piaget white diamond lapel pins to “jazz it up”, she told The Hollywood Reporter.

In self development March 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

BISOLA AIYEOLA, OTHERS, DONATE ITEMS TO VICTIMS OF ITAFAJI BUILDING COLLAPSE

Actress, Bisola Aiyeola was part of a charitable group from The Temple Company, who visited a health center to donate relief materials to the victims of the Ita-Faji three-storey building collapse that happened on Wednesday, March 13, 2019.

She was joined alongside a singer Jeff Akoh and a comedian who is known as Mama Tobi, on a visit to a hospital where those who were affected were receiving treatment.

It was a sad day on Wednesday, when pupils attending the Ohen Nursery and Primary School, were covered in the debris of the building collapse.

In response on her Instagram, Aiyeola captured a mood of appreciation while mourning over the deaths that were recorded after the building collapsed.

“That we wake up and go about our daily activities is a special gift/grace that we must not take advantage of. What I saw today almost broke me till I realized that it was meant to strengthen me and remind me of how lucky/blessed I am.

“If you are reading this from the comfort of your home, office, school, club or on your way to or from one of them, you should be thankful too. May the ill and wounded be healed and the departed Rest In Peace.

“May God also console the bereaved,”she concludes in her Instastory.

On Instagram, Bisola Aiyeola is not taking for granted the opportunity to freely go about her business without the tragedy that befell victims of the Lagos Island building collapse.

In a report by Punch News on the day of the accident confirms a comment from a member of the family that own the building that collapsed confirming that the structure had given signs of an imminent disaster.

The comment was made by Erinoluwa Akinmoladun, the family member who shared that the house had close to 110 primary school pupils attending the learning center located on the top floor of the affected building.

Credit: pulse.ng

In Interviews&profile March 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

MEET 26-YEAR-OLD WENDY OKOLO, THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO BAG A DOCTORATE DEGREE IN AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Nigeria’s Wendy Okolo is the first black woman to bag a doctorate — not honorary — degree in aerospace engineering, anywhere on the planet.

Born to a family of six in southeastern Nigeria, Okolo says her number one heroes are her sisters — Jennifer and Phyllis — who taught her biology, and other sciences with their day-to-day realities.

Okolo received her B.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2010 and 2015 respectively.

During her undergraduate years, she was in the African Student Society at the University of Texas at Arlington. She was also the president of the society of women engineers in the university.

Okolo’s career has taken flight at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the U.S. agency responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research.

She was only 26 years old when she became the first black woman to obtain a PhD in aerospace engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington.

INTERNSHIP AT NASA — AND HER IMPOSTOR’S SYNDROME

During her undergraduate studies, she interned for two summers with Lockheed Martin working on NASA’s Orion spacecraft, first in the requirements management office in systems engineering and then with the Hatch Mechanisms team in mechanical engineering.

As a graduate student, she worked as a summer researcher from 2010 to 2012 in the Control Design & Analysis Branch at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

She worked with the team that flew the world fastest manned aircraft, which flew from coast to coast in 67 minutes — this normally takes over five hours for some of the fastest jets around.

Okolo said she had to battle impostor’s syndrome when she found out she would be working with such a great team.

“I was like I am sure these guys are so smart, what am I going to bring in,” she said. She went on an error in the code in the systems and she fixed that and “that fixed the impostor syndrome for a while”.

Now, Okolo is an aerospace research engineer at the Ames Research Center, a major NASA research centre in California’s Silicon Valley.

NAMED THE MOST PROMISING ENGR. IN THE US GOVT

In 2019, she won the BEYA Global Competitiveness Conference award for the most promising engineer in the United States government.

Credit: Nairaland

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