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Two Nigerians have made the L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth (Canadian Edition) final list, released this month.

Toyo Ajibolade of Lady Ballers Camp, and Adeola Olubamiji of STEMHub Foundation are the women on the list which “honours extraordinary women making a beautiful difference in their communities.”

Each of the 10 women will receive a $10,000 grant for her non-profit organization. Voting has commenced (till March 4th) for one of the women to be selected as the National Honouree and receive an additional $10,000 grant to further support her charitable work. See how to vote HERE.

About Toyo’s Lady Ballers Camp:

Lady Ballers Camp is a non-profit organization that develops girl-centered programs which encourage non-competitive physical, emotional, and educational development. Lady Ballers Camp operates within an anti-oppressive framework and is committed to social change. Through the organization, young women are encouraged to advocate for themselves and their communities. Since its inception, over 600 girls have participated in the camp and last year 90% of the campers attended free of charge. Lady Ballers Camp champions an unyielding belief that through teamwork, resilience, and opportunity, young women will have the courage to reach for and achieve their goals.

About Adeola’s STEMHub Foundation:

STEMHub’s innovative educational programs are creative, interactive, and provided at no financial cost to participants. The Foundation focuses on providing skill development services to females, visible minorities and underserved youth in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). It also facilitates mentorship opportunities for university students and early career professionals to fuel ambitions and inspire excellence through career guidance and further development of a specialized skillset. In the past year, STEMhub has aided 1,000 youths in Canada and over 2,000 youth living in Africa, to secure admission and scholarship opportunities for graduate and undergraduate degrees. In partnership with the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment, Frontlines Toronto, Restoration House Hamilton and many other organizations, STEMHub Foundation is providing girls and minority youths with STEM role models who offer STEM workshops as volunteers. One of the strategic partnerships with the Toronto Police Service enables StemHub Foundation to help with bridging the gap between the police and young minorities (especially black youths). Through Adeola’s leadership, the composition for STEMHub’s board of directors amplifies the foundations vision that all people should have the opportunity to pursue STEM careers and leadership roles, no matter where they get their start in life.

Singer and Fashion Designer, Mocheddah once revealed that she battled with clinical depression. She has now launched her very own mental health platform called “Just be Brave NG”.

She says:

My name is @mocheddah
I was diagnosed with clinical depression over 7 years ago .
I have come a long way with the help of my faith , therapy and medication.
I have developed a deep passion for spreading awareness on all things mental health …
This is a fun , open , no secret page , no judgements platform.
we also have in house therapists that can help answer questions.
we are a group of BRAVE magical individuals.
Welcome to “Just Be Brave NG”

According to Mo’Cheddah:

@justbebraveng is my new baby .
It’s my mental health freedom page .
I found so much freedom when I came clean about my clinical depression,
I want so many other people to feel that freedom as well.. To live without fear.
To own our wounds
To forgive ourselves.
Am I scared ? A little
Am I nervous ? yes
Am I excited? Absofreakinlutely

Find out more about the platform here.

 

Credit: Bella Naija

Tiwa Savage who hasn’t been active on social media since her last post in December 2018, has sent out a number of tweets explaining her need for a break and also subtly announcing her exciting new endorsement deal with Star Radler.

She reposted a number of tweets about the endorsement.

Tiwa Savage’s endorsement comes just a few weeks after Burna Boy was also announced as Star Lager beer’s brand ambassador.

The Upcoming Artist Guide@Thejollofdiary

In other news, Tiwa Savage is the latest addition to Star Nigeria for Star Radler, following Burna Boy’s signing as Star Lager Beer ambassador.

This makes Tiwa & Burna Boy first ever ambassadors of the Star Brand. 💰

73 people are talking about this

Tiwa Savage

@TiwaSavage

Miss you guys, sorry I needed a lil break. Got some great news to share soon … 2019 just about to start for me 🙏🏼🔥🔥🔥

3,190 people are talking about this

Tiwa Savage

@TiwaSavage

I will sooner than you expect, just needed a Lil break to spend time with my family and my son … work is about to start 💪🏽

Duvwi@duvwiamamichae1
Replying to @TiwaSavage

Tiwa please come back to instagram. I miss you 😘

85 people are talking about this

32-year old private banker turned wealth coach Samke Mhlongo is best described as a leading South African Wealth Coach, and founder of The Next Chapter (“TNC”) Wealth Partners.

TNC is a wealth coaching and financial wellness training consultancy whose strategic intent is to usher in the next chapter in the African wealth narrative by providing services that foster wealth creation in professionals, entrepreneurs and influencers that are income-rich but asset-poor.

Samke is also a corporate speaker, MC and panel moderator whose standing clients include Anglo American and Standard Bank; regular media commentator on eNews Channel Africa, Talk Radio 702and Metro FM; resident financial columnist for BONA magazine; financial inclusion champion of the Graca Machel Trust; and author of a children’s entrepreneurship book titled Zuki & Friends, commissioned for the Blue Ribbon Mmmm Yum Kidz Tuckshop program.

Samke holds an Accounting degree from the University of Cape Town, Postgraduate Diploma in Management from the Wits Business School, and an MBA from the same college completed with a dissertation titled Factors contributing to over-indebtedness of black South African females.

Samke who currently serves as the youngest board member of state-owned mineral research technology agency MINTEK, and sits on its Audit & Risk Committee, has been described by  CNBC Africa described Samke as a ‘personal finance goddess’.

Joke Coker (JC) was on January 11th 2019 listed as an official member of Forbes Coaches Council, which is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches.

Mrs Coker was vetted and selected by a review committee based on the depth and diversity of her experience. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honours.

“We are honoured to welcome Joké Coker(JC) into the community,” said Scott Gerber, founder of Forbes Councils, the collective that includes Forbes Coaches Council.

“Our mission with Forbes Councils is to bring together proven leaders from every industry, creating a curated, social capital-driven network that helps every member grow professionally and make an even greater impact on the business world.”

As an accepted member of the Council, Joké has access to a variety of exclusive opportunities designed to help her and her organization maintain peak professional influence.

She will connect and collaborate with other respected local leaders in a private forum. Joké will also be invited to work with a professional editorial team to share her expert insights in original business articles on Forbes.com, and to contribute to published Q&A panels alongside other experts.

Additionally, Mrs Coker will benefit from exclusive access to vetted business service partners, membership ranked marketing collateral, and the high touch support of the Forbes Councils member concierge team.

In response, Joke Coker said “I am grateful to have been invited to such an exclusive group of global leaders in the coaching community.

In representing my organization Constellation Coaching Group LLC and indeed the crop of excellent Coaches in West Africa and around the world, my aim is to propel continued growth in the impact and appreciation of the life-changing work being done by the coaching community in general and further cement Constellation Coaching Group’s Leadership position in propelling people and organizations to being their very best – through Executive Coaching, Team Coaching and Coach Training.

At Constellation, we truly believe in the human propensity for excellence – that there is brilliance in everyone and it is our privilege to work (both in the USA and Africa) with our clients to help them excel sustainably.”

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that help them thrive.

 

Credit: Guardian Woman

Buzzfeed Books‘ founding editor, Isaac Fitzgerald has recommended Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s book, Americanah as one of “the best love stories in literature”.

Fitzgerald, who appeared recently on Today Show alongside author Jasmine Guillory, nominated Adichie’s work while selecting his four picks.

Each of the show’s attendees selected four books apiece, while presenter Savannah Guthrie added extra three picks.

Adichie’s work was recommended alongside Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Remains of the DayJane Austen’Pride and PrejudiceJane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte amongst others.

 

Credit: Bella Naija

Japanese women are rebelling against a decades-old Valentine’s Day tradition that mandates them to give chocolates to men.

According to the tradition, on February 14, the nation’s female workers are expected to give “giri choco,” or obligation chocolates, to their male colleagues. Women are also expected to buy heartfelt chocolates, “honmei choco,” for their crushes or loved one.

“Valentine’s Day (in Japan) got turned upside down to become a symbol of the Japanese patriarchy,” said Jeff Kingston, a Japan expert at Temple University in Tokyo. But this year, women are calling time on the financially draining practice.

A recent survey by a Tokyo department store found about 60 per cent of women will instead buy chocolates for themselves on Valentine’s Day. Only 35 per cent planned to offer chocolates to their male colleagues.

Japan began celebrating Valentine’s Day in 1958, after Japanese confectionery firm Mary Chocolate ran a campaign suggesting that women give men chocolates. In the 1980s, chocolate companies attempted to redress the chocolate buying balance.

 

Women in Japan are rebelling against a decades-old Valentine

 

White Day was introduced on March 14 as a date for men to return the favor although Kingston says that women often ended up gifting more chocolates than they received. Both dates turned out to be a boon for the chocolate industry. Valentine’s Day now accounts for a quarter of Japan’s yearly chocolate sales, according to the Nagoya International Center.

Last Saturday, the Revolutionary Alliance of Unpopular People (RAUP) staged its 12th annual protest against “romantic capitalism” in Tokyo.

“We’re against companies exploiting events like Valentine’s Day to push excessive consumer culture and guilt-trip people who aren’t in relationships,” said Takeshi Akimoto, a member of the tiny fringe group, comprised of nine students and workers. One of the group’s complaints is that Valentine’s Day chocolates in the workplace can make some employees feel that their value is determined by how much confectionery they receive.

Credit: LIB

Beauty entrepreneur, Dabota Lawson in a post shared on her Instagram page, advised people with broken relationships not force it because of the pressures which Valentine’s day brings.

She wrote;

You will not heal by going back to what broke you . Don’t send that text and don’t make that call ,Love yourself and Ignore the pressure of today. Happy Valentine’s day

See more photos below.

 

 

 

Credit: LIB
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From being a fan at the stands, to having a seat at the table 21-year-old two-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter,  Nija Charles inspires.

The 2015 Union Township High School graduate wrote the hooks for several Cardi B hits, including“Ring” with Kehlani, and equally wrote two songs for Jay Z and Beyonce’s Grammy-winning album“Everything Is Love”

Nija Charles, was born on October 20, 1997. She began her professional music career in 2017 writing songs for Beyonce and Jay-Z, Cardi B and Kehlani, Jason Derulo and Chris Brown.

She is signed to Universal Music Publishing Group of Music at NYU, producers were sending her music to write to.

Nija started out making beats from her dorm room and has written for Beyoncé and Cardi B and works with some of the top producers in the game.

Watch her share her story below:

Credit: fabwoman.ng

A team of biologists have released photos of a rare melanistic leopard, also called the Black Panther, which was shot in the  bushlands of Loisaba Conservancy in Laikipia County in Kenya.

Nick Pilfold and his team, after hearing that there’s a black wildcat lurking in the are, deployed remote cameras to capture the big cat.

According to National Geographic, the juvenile female was spotted traveling with a larger, normally coloured leopard, presumed to be her mother.

There is a mild controversy as to whether it’s the first time the cat is being seen since a 1909 photograph taken in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper said a similar photograph was taken in 2013 byPhoebe Okall, but Pilfold and his team say otherwise.

These new photos were captured by wildlife photographer Will Burrard Lucas.

Pilford told CNN that he’s “aware of a few different photos taken over the years, but most of them are taken from a distance and could not be used as confirmatory evidence.”

According to Pilford, Okall’s photo “is a captive black leopard that was brought from America as a kitten to Kenya, not wild.”

The photos were published in January in the African Journal of Ecology.

Speaking on why the leopard is black, Lucas told BBC:

The term that makes them black is called melanism and it’s the same thing that makes a house cat black, or any other cat species.

It’s kind of like albino but the other way.

A black panther is basically a melanistic big cat. Typically in Africa and Asia that would mean a melanistic leopard – a black leopard.

In South America it would be a melanistic jaguar – a black jaguar.

Black panther is a looser term.

See more photos below:

Photo Credit: San Diego Zoo

 

Credit: Bella Naija