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In Interviews&profile February 10, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Maggie Aderin-Pocock Is The Nigerian-British Scientist Who Builds Instruments That Go Into Space

Maggie Aderin-Pocock, is the Nigerian-British Space scientist, space instrument designer and educator raising awareness about climate change and encouraging children especially girls to build interests in STEM subjects including Space Science. Through her company, she has been visiting schools – to give children a tour of the universe.

“I have been trying to get out there and show people, show black kids, that to be a scientist isn’t an odd thing. Again it is these stereotypes – many kids will see black sports people, black singers, but they won’t see a black scientist and so they eliminate that from their hit list of things to do.”

Aderin-Pocock who was awarded an MBE in 2009 New Year’s Honours list for services to science education worked as a scientist on aircraft missile warning systems for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, UK Ministry of Defence. She has gone on to hang outside of aeroplanes taking images of missiles going underneath her while working on space satellites designed to collect data for climate research.

“I suffer from dyslexia and was generally thought to be pretty dumb when I started school, so I was put in the remedial class,” she tells The Guardian. “I don’t think we’ll say climate change isn’t happening. But we might see it from a different perspective, perhaps a more human perspective, and therefore present the data in a different way or something.”

With a degree in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, she’s worked on the 8m Gemini telescope in Chile, and the James Webb Space Telescope and has worked on instruments for the Aeolus satellite, which measure wind speeds to help the investigation of climate change.

Aderin-Pocock whose middle name is Ebunoluwa has been on TV after joining the team of the long-running BBC astronomy show Sky at Night in 2013. In 2013, Maggie Aderin-Pocock was honoured on the UK Power List as one of the UK top 10 most influential black people and in 2008 she received the Arthur C Clark Outreach Award for Promotion of Space (just to name a few).

“I was brought up in the late 1960s – born 1968 – and [in] 1969 people landed on the moon. I was born in that bubble of excitement, of people going out there and I always thought: when am I going out?”

“I still want to go. It’s my dream.”

Source : WomenAfrica

In Inspiration February 10, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Dami Ashaolu – “Four Career Books That Helped Me In My Professional Journey”

One of my favourite references as far as reading lists go is Bill Gates. I mean, you can’t attain that level of success without doing something right and I think being an intentional reader is one of the reasons why Mr Gates is so successful. Mr Gates usually has 5-10 books on his annual reading list, and while I think this is worthy of emulation, I also want to set actionable goals. I have a 9-5 job and other deliverables that might not let me read 10 books a year. You might be like me and need a smaller list of recommendations. If so, here are 4 books I recommend for professionals looking for reading suggestions to build their careers.

Enjoy

Expect to Win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace by Carla Harris:

This book reads like fiction which is the best kind of book. Carla uses her own experience climbing up the career ladder at Morgan Stanley to share some tried and true tips on how to build your career. For a black woman living in the US like me, this book has been a referral of sorts. I have come back to it quite a number of times to know what to do. It is also very relatable across countries and industries so highly recommended.

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins:

This book is inspiring and then some. There is a reason why it has been on so many bestseller lists. It gives you an insight into how some of the greatest companies got where they were and how others lost their greatness. It is a great read and has sequels that are also worth the time. I highly recommend this for leaders and upcoming leaders; we can all learn a lot from the successes and failures of those that have gone before us.

Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink

This one is a winner with any audience. Talk to most readers in the corporate sector and they have read ‘Drive’. It is a book that explores the things that motivate people to do their best work. Reading it can help you identify what ‘drives’ you, AKA your passion. Once you know this, everything will change; the way you work, the way you play and even the way you love…So yes, make this the year you read this one.

Mistakes I Made at Work: 25 Influential Women Reflect on What They Got Out of Getting It Wrong by Jessica Bacal

Ladies, get in here! Similar to the first book on this list, this is another easy read. I especially like this because it tells you WHAT NOT TO DO. Experience is not always the best teacher and advice from this book can save you some Panadol money. Take advantage and learn from the experiences of those that have gone before. It is a major staple in my library and one book I enjoy giving to my girlfriends in the corporate world.

Written by Damilola Ashaolu

In self development February 10, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

9 THINGS EVERY MAN LOVES TO HEAR

“Do you know saying the right things to your man could make him love you more”

“Do you know a man respects you more when you say the things he loves to hear”

A Selfless partner should know how to comfort their men with subtle, kind, positive and inspiring words.

If you want to learn how to speak to your partners, then this piece is for you.

Here are 9 things every man loves to hear;

1. “I LOVE YOU!”

Even the toughest man will melt a bit when his partner professes their love for him. They love hearing we love them. Also, they like hugs, kisses and cuddling too. Even a nicely-worded email or text message will work.

2. “YOU’RE THE BEST (DAD/HUSBAND/BOYFRIEND/ETC.)!”

It’s less of an ego-boost as it is a verbalization of respect. It’s a testament to both our efforts and our priorities – which are the woman and her well-being.

3. “I APPRECIATE YOU AS A MAN!”

As stated, men need to feel like men.. It has everything to do with knowing that their partner appreciates something about their character (honesty, integrity, selflessness, etc.) or something else.

4. “I RESPECT YOU!”

As men age, They have less of a need to be recognized for selfish reasons . This feeling is replaced by the need to feel respected out of love. They love feeling admired and respected from the people who love and care about them!

5. “I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO.”

Men need to feel like they are good providers for the people they love. If they believe anything less, they don’t perceive themselves as the man they should be. As such, when they are told that you’re thankful for their hard work, effort, and for providing, it means a tremendous deal to them.

6. “YOU LOOK GREAT!”

This one’s a no-brainer, right? After spending a significant amount in a relationship, they still love hearing that our partner finds them attractive. This is particularly the case if they’ve been putting in some time at the gym. Your compliments serve as a reward for their hard work and as motivation to keep them going.

7. “I TRUST YOU.”

There are fewer things more sacred than trusting someone with your life. When you’re in a relationship, this is an essential truth. Here’s a bit of advice from Georgianna Donadio, Ph.D., “The best time to share your feelings (is) just before or during close intimacy. At that time, levels of oxytocin, a hormone that enhances feelings of trust, love and intimacy, are elevated, making it the best moment to love talk with your partner.”

8. “I’M LISTENING.”

Men and women communicate very differently. For example, in an argument, a woman is usually more willing to sit down and have a dialogue. The man often feels an inclination to seek solitude to think things over or distract himself. They do love hearing “I’m listening” or “I’m ready to listen when you’re ready to talk” in any case.

9. “THANK YOU.”

Similar to women, men appreciate recognition for efforts small and little. “Thank you” is a straightforward yet powerful phrase that shows them your appreciation for what they do. (Here’s a tip, ladies: if you say “Thank you” on a regular basis for something they do, they are much more likely to do it again.) …Take this from a “Lovina” *winks*

– Esther Ijewere™

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In Career Gems February 8, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Genevieve Nnaji Graced The Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards

For the thirteenth year, ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood shined a light on Black women in cinema and television. Genevieve Nnaji was in attendance fitted in a simple gown at the red carpet.

The Essence Black Women in Hollywood had the best of black Hollywood celebs with all our faves, from Yvonne Orji to Billy Potter and Kerry Washington and ‘Clemency’ star Alfre Woodard attending.

The luncheon held on Thursday,February 6,2020 in Beverly Hills.

Check out photos of her from the event:

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 06: Genevieve Nnaji attends the 13th Annual Essence Black Women In Hollywood Awards Luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on February 06, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 06: Genevieve Nnaji attends the 2020 13th Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel on February 06, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

In Inspiration February 8, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Read Dr Roberta Hoskie’s Story – ‘Nothing Is Impossible’

That is what Dr. Roberta Hoskie wants everyone to understand “Nothing is Impossible.” With her book, Poverty Curse Broken: The Roberta Hoskie Story, it is what she wants her readers to know, and apply in their life.

“If my story can help inspire and have someone believe IT is possible, whatever IT is, then, to me, that’s fulfilling,”

The first publication seeks to show readers how anyone can rise above circumstances to achieve greatness.

Known worldwide as Ms. Millionaire Mind$et, Roberta is a real estate investor, inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, and community activist. Her many accolades and accomplishments include numerous awards from hometown organizations such as New Haven, Connecticut’s Chamber of Commerce, African American Affairs Commission, the New Haven Register person of the year and many others. She has recently been awarded the key to the city of her hometown, New Haven, CT! Roberta has also spoken at the prestigious Yale University as well as been the subject of numerous news segments both locally, nationally, and even internationally. She has also hosted radio programs to teach others how to break what she’s dubbed the “Poverty Curse” and the mindset that holds too many from reaching their full potential. Fighting poverty isn‘t a struggle she studied in Sociology 101, but lived through like millions of others.

She remembers standing in church, holding her son in the prayer line when her mother encouraged her to jump in, and recalled the pastor pointing to her young son saying: “Look at your son. His life is directly linked to yours…directly linked to what you do.” He laid hands on her and she passed out. That was one of several turning points in her life she discussed in the deeply personal memoir.

It was enough to make this single mother on welfare, who dropped out of high school ask: ‘What is MY life?’” She looked at her condition and recognized she was surrounded by generational poverty and questioned what her son’s future would be. She thought about the statistics surrounding black men, her son’s father’s drug dealing, being a high school dropout, and having 22 family members in the same housing projects. ”What do I have to offer this kid?” Hoskie asked herself.

She changed her mindset to think about what future she wanted for her son & family. “It’s a matter of believing that it’s possible. The minute you believe it’s possible and don’t give yourself a Plan B, then only A can happen. My plan A was that my son will not have generational poverty, be a drug dealer, or be lost to these streets,” she explained. Hoskie focused her energies and worked hard to break the curse of poverty and the mindset that normalized it. The road ahead was not going to be easy; but for Hoskie, the road behind lead nowhere. Poverty Curse Broken details Dr. Hoskie’s journey from bullets whizzing through her project window while her son slept, to working up to a 6-figure salary, on to becoming independently wealthy through real estate investment.

Exposing her traumas and her impoverished beginnings was as deeply personal as it gets. Talking about being abused, being poor, uneducated, a teen mother, and dropout wasn’t easy. Her tears stained the pages of her notes recalling the many struggles she had experienced in her young life. But while she was the subject of numerous stories in print, television, radio, and podcasts, she felt HER story had yet to really be told. So five years ago, she began writing companion journal entries to accompany her 21-day Mindset cards. Initially avoiding the prospect of sharing the deeply personal pain of her experiences, she found she couldn’t help but interject her own life experiences

At times, the writing process stagnated – even for a woman who teaches others that procrastination is the enemy of progress. “I was beating myself up for procrastinating,” she recalled, “My youngest son Oliver said: ‘Mom, maybe the part that you need in the book hasn’t happened, yet…” Shortly after, a Facebook Live video Hoskie posted showing an interaction with a homeless man she posted, went viral. Initially, Hoskie’s Facebook Live post meant to show that there are good, honest people. She’d lost a $10,000 check getting out of her car. A man named Elmer Alvarez found the check and called her office to return it. What Hoskie didn’t know at the time, was that Alvarez was homeless. Posting the meeting on Facebook took a local story international and changed both of their lives. And despite this chance happening, Roberta does not actually believe in chance or coincidence in favor of divine intervention – that things happen when they happen for a reason. Submitting to a higher power and putting oneself in position for those blessings is key.

Helping the homeless good Samaritan, Alvarez was relatively easy for Roberta. Elmer Alvarez now has a home, car, attends church regularly, and is on a path to what he dreams of, becoming a pastor. However, it showed Roberta the potential to change someone else’s life in a really substantial way. And with that, became the thing that her book needed. She went back through her emotional journey of dredging up the past, as painful as it was, Hoskie knew it would help someone.

Newly inspired, she returned to writing – sometimes typing on tear-stained keys. But her desire to share her story took over despite the pain of digging up the past, and potentially angering family members. “I can’t be selfish…That’s why I was very transparent. There are plenty of people that have been in abusive situations, and couldn’t come out, or let the past haunt them…The things I put out there are the things your people tells you never to discuss in public,” Hoskie explained, referring to a chapter in the book called Shush, Don’t Tell Nobody.

And while some may look at this book as the culmination of the journey, Hoskie sees much more down the road and a part of a larger process to help people become the best versions of themselves – finding their own personal success and freedom from the curse gripping millions around the country and the world. She continues to expand her Millionaire Mindset Sisterhood Program with chapters in Connecticut, New Jersey, Georgia, New York, Tennessee, Los Angeles and even the Dominican Republic. Touted as the rise of a 21st century sisterhood, this faith-based sisterhood is devoted to breaking the poverty curse by promoting real estate investment, group economics, profit-sharing, and property acquisition amongst its members. So while the future looks bright for Dr. Hoskie, she wants the future to be just as bright for others and that success is what one defines for themselves.

Roberta recalled crying in her car on her way to her 6-figure job, asking God for forgiveness because she had come so far and achieved so much, yet remained unsatisfied. She felt she was being unappreciative – even greedy. And then she heard God speak: “God told me: ‘That is the way I designed you because I have work for you to do. And what I have for you to do, you cannot be satisfied.”

Credit: Blacknews

In Interviews&profile February 8, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Stacy Francis – Every Woman Should Be Her Own Financial Officer

By Stacy Francis
@FRANCISFSFINANCE

President And CEO Of Francis Financial

Over the past two decades, I have specialized in advising women in moments of transition. This has given me the unique opportunity to observe women’s financial practices and attitudes during the window in which they are most open and most vulnerable.

Oftentimes, this change happens as a result of divorce; however, women also face transitions in times of marriage, starting a new job, motherhood, widowhood, etc.

These are the top five financial pitfalls I have observed holding women back from a secure financial future:

1. Not using a budget: While creating and maintaining a budget is a commonly dreaded affair, the benefits of keeping track of your monthly expenses far outweigh the disadvantages.

Such benefits can entail saving for retirement, buying property, or having a college fund for your children. On the other hand, not using a budget can lead to overspending and credit card debt.

Uncontrolled debt not only batters your finances but may also generate enough stress to threaten your health. Health.com writes that debt can lead to problems such as high blood pressure, which can result in heart disease or stroke; an increase in anxiety; and depression.

2. Not having an emergency fund: According to a study by BMO Harris, among people with rainy day funds, men have saved nearly twice as much as women.

How can you leave an awful job, an abusive marriage — any sort of bad situation — if you don’t have money?

Save for an emergency cash cushion and aim to have at least three to six months of living expenses in the bank.

3. A man is not a financial plan: Every woman should be her own chief financial officer instead of waiting for her knight in shining armor.

Don’t wait for Prince Charming to carry you over the threshold. Be the one paying the bills and keeping track of your assets and what you owe.

Women are increasingly earning more and, according to New York Life Investments, $14 trillion worth of personal wealth is controlled by women, which is only to increase in the years to come.

That means that, not only do women have the financial means to support themselves, but now is also the time for women to take control of their finances.

Even if you are married, don’t hand over all control of the money to your husband “because it’s a guy thing.” That robs you of your power and financial security. You, too, can be the “money person” or ask to hold monthly discussions to look at the family finances. Schedule a “financial date night,” and make it fun.

4. The need to know all the right answers and doing nothing: In many situations, I try to have all the right answers before I proceed. It turns out that many other women do the same.

But waiting to have all the answers can derail us from reaching our financial goals. For example, some people do nothing by sitting on the investing sidelines or investing too conservatively.

TheSimpleDollar.com, a free online resource, explains that women often wait to invest, or don’t invest at all, thinking that they need to know more to make any investment. However, you don’t need to be an expert, and can always ask for help.

If you really want to be wealthy, put your money to work with a nice mix of stocks and bonds. Have your money work as hard as you do — that’s what investing is all about.

5. Saving too little: Numerous studies show that, on average, women have lower savings rates than men, putting themselves at risk of outliving their money. Although women are increasingly earning more, such statistics could be credited to ongoing gender wage gaps and women leaving their jobs to become stay-at-home mothers.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Saving for your future should be just as much of a priority as paying off debt. Women can’t afford to only think short-term.

Stay consistent with a 10% yearly savings rate, which should include your individual retirement account and/or 401(k) plan contributions. Keep the money in an account you don’t have easy access to, so you can’t transfer it and it is constantly growing for your future.

Missing out on these opportunities from an early age only means you’re going to have to work longer or save more as you get older.

A helpful trick to easy saving is to set up automatic contributions to your retirement plan at work. You can also add the auto-escalation feature, which will allow your contribution to automatically increase 1% to 2% annually.

Empower yourself and take control of your finances. It’s never too early or too late to start.

Also, using different banks for your checking and savings account can help diminish impulsive spending. It can take almost three business days to transfer money to your checking account from a separate bank, which gives you time to reconsider what you’re using your savings for.

In this way, you’re able to keep track of the money you have in your emergency fund, your vacation savings, your wedding savings and any other savings goal you want to establish.

While many women may be guilty of making these money mistakes, it’s good to know you can bounce back and turn those bad habits around at any time.

Empower yourself and take control of your finances. It’s never too early or too late to start.

Ultimately, my money rule is simple: Spend less than you earn. Never give yourself an increase in standard of living — instead, increase your savings.

You’ll see the benefits pay off for your future and for your loved ones.

Click here to read more

In Inspiration February 8, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Meet Josephine Uba, a Nigerian Marketing Influencer Impacting Growth for Businesses

Ebere Josephine Uba is a native of Ozubulu Anambra State but based in Lagos State, Nigeria. She is the current Nigeria marketing head at IIHT Technologies, an global known ICT training and education solution provider.

She leads the digital marketing experts at Kleensa Promotion, a marketing and branding company in Nigeria. In addition, she runs her dedicated marketing blog basically on digital Marketing, creative designing and branding to sustain both startup and individuals’ brand.

She’s a certified digital marketing expert with indept experience and knowledge of marketing and branding, who has spoken at events like Sales Pro Conference 2019, WordPress Wordcamp 2019 etc.

Figure: Portrait of Ebere Josephine Uba

Josephine Uba is a creative entrepreneur, corporate host, professional keynote speaker, tradeshow and spokesperson presenter. She has deep experiences across variety of digital marketing forms acquired by working with top businesses as well as startups. She has created integrated, direct, digital and social media marketing programs across diverse product categories encompassing soft goods, media, entertainment-related products, and craft-oriented offerings. She simplifies the complex concepts behind today’s evolving marketing challenges. Her Tagline is “SHE MEANS BUSINESS”.

Then (2016–2018) at Epoxy Oilserv, she was employed to lead a team of digital marketing professionals to establish their Epochem new brand together with its products in the industrial & institutional cleaning & maintenance Nigeria markets. Within 2 years, they successfully grew revenue with the products which they developed and fortunately, the equity of Epochem brand increased to the extent that their targets easily acquired their products more than some of their local based competitors.

Via Kleensa Promotion and blog posts, She has helped over 50 new start-ups grow via her posts & invaluable advisory services coupled with their marketing solutions. She create designs, graphics, websites, animations, digital assets & other marketing materials for Individuals & Businesses.

Merely 3 months after Josephine Uba got engaged to work for IIHT Technologies Nigeria as their marketing head and digital marketing professional trainer, there became evidences of substantial growth with respect to successes in walk-ins, enrollments, business-development, brand reputation/equity and overall revenue of the training company.

She stated that the successes they’ve acquired so far boosted her aspiration of becoming not just a marketing leader but a growth hacker who would empower business profitability.

A Clip Shot of Josephine When She was Talking about Constructive Website Design!

Josephine is great at researching and innovating strategies to attract customers and eventually solve problems for them. Ofcourse she has helped over 50 new start- ups grow via her posts & invaluable advisory services coupled with their marketing solutions.

Josephine at Kleensa Promotion, oriented “CONSTRUCTIVE WEBSITE DESIGN” an action oriented form of a UX website design targeted to fasten a web visitor’s decision to take relevant action, that even the laziest web visitors who hate to read contents can easily be converted via constructive website design.

Towards her journey of becoming a “Marketing Influencer”, she launched & proceeded with her digital marketing blog titled her name “Josephine Uba” where she continously offers insights to help businesses and individuals build/promote their brands.

The blog as a marketing blog is categorised into marketing, branding and creative designing treating up to 1200 topics & will eventually cover all topics with respect to digital marketing. See blog: www.josephineuba.com.

Truly, Josephine sees herself to be a “Marketing Model” as she hosts and speaks at various marketing events, product shows and activation, also organizes and works with a team of comedians, dancers and marketers to host market activations for businesses. In addition, she speaks publicly on topics relating to Business Marketing, Branding, Creative Designing, Personal Branding, Digital Marketing, Women Empowerment, Personal Developments and Motivations.

One simple fact about Josephine is she believes that no matter what, “SHE MEANS BUSINESS” and if you want to get something out of life, “MEAN BUSINESS”.

Source: WomenAfrica

In Editor's Choice February 8, 2020 By Esther Ijewere

“THE RECEPTION TOWARDS PEOPLE LIVING WITH SICKLE CELL IN THE SOCIETY IS LOW”- OLUWAKEMI OGUNTIMEHIN

At age 18 Oluwakemi Oguntimehin was depressed and got tired of the stigma she faced due to her sickle cell disorder.

She thought she wouldn’t’ live more than 20 years and saw no reason to wait till then, Kemi attempted suicide twice, got saved and realized she was Indeed created for a purpose. In her pursuit of purpose and passion to help other sickle cell warriors she founded Ignite Sickle Cell Initiative.

Oluwakemi Oguntimehin is a sickle cell warrior, a sickle cell advocate, an entrepreneur and change agent. She is giving hope in a not so hopeful society and lending her voice to the voiceless. Kemi shares her very touching and inspiring story with me in this interview.

In her words “Never allow the stigma and discrimination you face to affect your mental health. Accept yourself for who you are, focus on yourself, invest in your personal development ,self care, health , dream and vision”.

Childhood

Growing with sickle cell is not fun, I was always restricted for fear of being sick, despite that I was mostly sick. Not knowing what is wrong with me, with hospital turning to my second home, having to take blood transfusion every now and then. While thinking about all these , trying to know what is wrong with my body, since I don’t know about sickle cell, nobody told me anything not even the Doctor, until I heard my teachers and classmates called me sicklier and treated me differently. On the other side are Pastors who will always come to pray for me in the hospital with revelations that I was a witch, some of this pastor said , I belong to a strong marine spirit group ,other labeled me as Agbana(money sucker) basically saying that I was sent to waste my fathers money on purpose and would only die after I have succeeded in turning him to a poor man.

The stigma and discrimination were every where from teachers to classmates, to nurses, to doctors who told my parent to forget me and focus on the other children because I might not live past 18 or 20 years at maximum.

As a young child who just want to be normal, not restricted, not always using drugs, yet constantly tongue lash by people to others calling me witch, who see me as the cause of my problem is something that was beyond me. Thinking about it now, if only the right information was out there, I think my growing up would have be more easier. To help children living with sickle cell have an easier childhood is the reason I decided to break the silence on sickle cell through the right information. I believe without a rough childhood I might not be passionate about sickle cell awareness. So my growing prepares me for what I do now.

Inspiration behind Ignite Sickle Cell Initiative

The ignorance surrounding sickle cell disorder even among some medical personnel is heart breaking.

Not to talk about the stigma and discrimination people living with sickle cell faced in the society. I see it as people living with sickle cell are the one who received the blame , the torture of our parents mistake. Despite the pain and what we passed through, the society still blamed us , some children has been abandoned, some parents refuse to send their children to school because of false beliefs.

I believe people love to learn from other people experience. Using my life and experience to teach people belief on sickle cell will go a long way . No child deserve to be treated badly just because she/he has a genetic disorder. All these inspire me to start Ignite Sickle cell Initiative.

Overcoming Depression

I have been showing symptoms of depression but people don’t care about mental health here. But at age 18, I was greatly depressed.

I was exposed to bullying, stigmatization and discrimination from child hood friends through my adolescent age. At a point in time, I don’t bother about it again, but getting to university, the bully and discrimination got worse. People were mean to me on purpose, I was treated like I was not human. Imagine you are feeling alone even in the midst of thousand students. From class to hostel. Everyday, I heard people saying it to my face that they pity my parents who just wanted to waste their money according to their belief, I would be dead before graduation. Hearing that every day from different people add salt to the injury . People seeing me like I was not human, not talking to me, believing I’m less than someone they can talk to or some said my appearance disgust them. I lost all hope and was determined to end my life. I had two failed suicide attempt and thinking about it now. I’m grateful it failed then. There is more to life beyond the stigma.

Reception since I started my Organization

The reception has been great now, it has improved greatly. Though there is still so much to do but people are learning everyday and the more aware they are, the more the reception they give. We still have a long way to go but It can only get better.

Challenges people living with sickle cell face

The challenges people living with sickle includes, frequent painful crisis that can happen anytime,

Complications from anaemia, to Avascular necrosis that can make some people to be on wheel chair or bedridden, stroke, organs damage and so many more. Apart from the health challenges, there is also stigma and discrimination, where many are denied job opportunity just because they live with sickle cell. Some are even fired because they are often sick.

Also due to the nature of the disorder, a lot of money are require for sickle cell management with a lot of people not working and even those who work has to spend majority of their money on drugs and hospital bill. With the current situation of our economy and health, where we have to pay for everything and every services, a lot of parents can’t afford the management, some are in debt, while some parents neglected some children believing it is better they die.

Other Projects

Other projects includes organizing rural community outreach to educate the communities dwellers and also conduct free genotype test for children ( 0 to 10 years ). One thing is early intervention in sickle cell is needed to reduce high mortality in children living with sickle cell through our Be-Aware campaign.

We also have project X- Campaign where we create awareness in school both secondary schools and higher institution.

We also give out free routine drugs to people living with sickle cell in monthly basis which we call our “Wellness Clinic”

Apart from Ignite Sickle cell , other project is to help people to be confidence in who they are, using their story to change narrative. When we are constantly bullied, it affects our self esteem As someone who has battled low self esteem. I know the importance of having a great self esteem. Though a lot of people living with sickle cell battles with low self- esteem though this problem is not peculiar to only people living with sickle cell. It affect majority of woman and men too. To help others who has low self esteem, I have written a book , is will be available in eBook as from next month which means distant is never a barrier to get as long as you are on the internet. The book is to help a lot of people build their self esteem and Become Unstoppable in achieving their goals and vision.

The role the society Play

The reception towards people living with sickle cell in the society is low, unacceptance in terms of marriage, some parents will never allow their son to marry someone living with sickle cell. Some men think they are doing you a favor by dating you and use that as means to abuse.

People still believe women living with sickle cell can’t give birth and some believe living with sickle cell makes you a lesser woman thus making some women living with sickle cell to hide their truth. They will rather do what they can’t do just to hide the fact that they live with sickle cell.

I think things are getting better though and will always get better.

Challenges of being a Social Entrepreneur

The major challenge is funding. Getting funding from individual and corporate sponsors is not very easy.

In Nigeria , so many people believe you must be rich to be a social entrepreneur and with this mentality, people want you to pay high prices for some things, some even believe the government or some big politicians are the one funding you. Volunteering is just becoming a thing now and many people want to be paid for volunteering their time because to them you are rich and wealthy.

As a social entrepreneur, I often encounter people who belief sickle cell is not an issue and advise me to change my course to HIV or something else. Some people also think I’m too small to start a social enterprise.

Impact of my work

Average of 100 children has being receiving free routine drugs every month, Our community medical outreaches has reach 6 rural communities which has impacted over 6,000 individuals directly, Awareness in secondary and higher institutions reaching over 2000 people, 20 people hospital bills has been paid and Online awareness reaching thousands of people

Being a Woman of Rubies

My impact to change the norms around sickle cell also helping people to be confident in who they are using their story to impact lives makes me a woman of rubies.

To my Parents and those who stood by me through thick and thin

I want to use this medium to appreciate my parents, who never abandon me and believe in me despite everything people said to them. I remembered people told my dad that he shouldn’t bother sending me to University, but they believe I’m a gift to them.

Also I will like to appreciate Chief Bisi Ogunjobi for his unending support. I remember when we needed a place for our monthly clinic, not only did he give us a building but also furnished it. Thank you for supporting all our outreaches and our monthly clinic every time.

To women living with sickle cell

To women living with sickle cell, Never allow the stigma and discrimination you face to affect your mental health. Accept yourself for who you are, focus on yourself, invest in your personal development ,self care, health , dream and vision. Enjoy life. Your pain and scars are the evidence that you are a survivor and a warrior. Believe in yourself that you can achieve anything despite the pain because I believe in you. If I can do it, then you can do it.

In Interviews&profile February 7, 2020 By Women of Rubies

Ruby Girls| Ayodele Oluwatobi – “My biggest fear is to live without making an impact.”

Ayodele Oluwatobi is a 400 level student of Caleb University studying Business Administration. She is currently the Programs Officer for Vision Spring Initiative, a non-governmental organisation that advocates for gender equality and women empowerment. She is passionate about ending violence against women and girls in Nigeria and during her holidays and even in school she volunteers her time and skills to ensure the goals of the initiative is being met.

Oluwatobiloba is an editor for Men Who Inspire, an online platform that celebrates men around the world.

*1. Let’s meet you. Who is Ayodele?*

My name is Ayodele Oluwatobi and I’m a 400 level student of Caleb University studying Business Administration.

*2. What are your hobbies?*

I like writing, watching football and communicating.

*3. Who and what inspires you?*

I’m inspired by my gender. To be a woman who constantly makes a path for other young women and girls to follow.

*4. What is your biggest fear?*

My biggest fear is to live without making an impact.

*5. You are the Programs Officer for Vision Spring Initiative, an NGO for gender equality and women empowerment in Nigeria. To what extent do you think gender equality is being practised in Nigeria? Do you consider yourself a feminist and what prompted your advocacy for gender equality?*

We are far from reaching our goal of gender equality in Nigeria majorly because of laws and policies that have handicapped the freedom of choice for women. I consider myself a feminist after I’ve watched how women are being treated in my environment, felt and experienced the treatment myself, I’ve resolved to work to achieve the objectives of feminism which is equal treatment and opportunities for both genders.

*6. Your best quote?*

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.- Martin L. King.

*7. You are an editor for Men Who Inspire (MWI) which was convened by a female, Esther Ijewere. Can you briefly tell us about MWI and also how it intends to change the narrative about males in the African society?*

MenwhoInspire is an online platform that celebrates men all over the world. I joined MWI from inception 2018 and it’s been an exciting journey. We have since 2018, celebrated men of different races and color. In Africa, there are so many misconceptions about men and we have used and still using our platform to change that.

*8. What keeps you up at night?*

My phone and of course a good book.

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

For a day, I’ll sign all pending Bills related to the advancement of women and girls.

*10. You’re passionate about ending violence against girls and women in Nigeria. What does this mean to you? And how do you intend to achieve this?*

It means everything to me to live in a society free of violence where women and girls are not blamed for being raped or abused. To achieve this, I’ll as I’ve been doing intensify on my advocacy, writing and every other channels I can use in ending violence against women and girls.

*11. How are you able to manage your time with your studies and other activities you’re involved with?*

The most important thing is to be accountable and focused. When it is school time, I try as much as possible to be less involved in other activities and when I’m on holidays I focus on what I’m passionate about.

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

I see myself in the next five years living in a society where women and girls can be whoever they want to be without being judged and abused and I’ll be happy knowing I contributed and still contributing to that achievement.

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

My advice will be not to be scared to live. You are the most beautiful and the best version of yourself. Believe in your dreams and watch yourself move mountains!

In Interviews&profile February 7, 2020 By Women of Rubies

This Woman Traveled To Every Country On Earth. How She Did It – You Can Too

Melissa Roy is on the list of women making history by visiting every country in the world. On December 27, 2019, the 34-year-old visited Bangladesh—the birthplace of her late father and grandparents—and became the first woman of South Asian origin to travel to every country in the world. Though she doesn’t plan to apply for a Guinness World Record (“I’m doing this for myself,” she says).

Roy’s accomplishment is an unlikely one, considering that she rarely traveled as a child. She was born in the small Midwestern town of Monroe, Michigan, and grew up in Greenwood, Indiana. . “I never had a chance to travel growing up because, quite frankly, we didn’t have the money to do so.”

Despite the circumstances, Roy had a deep curiosity about the world beyond her small town. “I never understood how some people want to sit in their one little corner of the globe and not want to see something bigger than them,” she says. “I have an insatiable curiosity for the unknown.”

Here’s the story of how she did it.

What Inspired her:

Having visited 66 countries by age 29, I decided to challenge myself and set a goal of visiting 100 countries and all seven continents before my 30th birthday. I ended up celebrating the big 3-0 in Antarctica with one of my favorite animals, the gentoo penguins. It was also my seventh continent. After that, I decided to keep going, with the goal of visiting all the sovereign UN countries

How She Paid For It:

I am unusual in that I have no sponsorships or endorsements—I pay for all my travels out of my pocket. For the first decade or so, I would return to my home base in Hollywood, do various TV commercials, music videos, even background work, anything that would give me the flexibility to decide my own schedule. Meanwhile, I’d be planning my next trip on a shoestring budget. I was lucky to be in Hollywood at a time where I was able to make decent wages and even luckier that I made some wise investment decisions in the stock/bond market, allowing me to use my returns to fund my travels.

On Country Counting:

I became the first woman of South Asian origin to travel to every sovereign nation in the world when I visited my 193rd country, Bangladesh. As for the number of countries there are in the world, this is a big point of contention among travelers. I wanted to keep things as uncomplicated as possible and go with the list of actual UN members, of which there are 193.

On Why She in not Going for the Guinness World Record: I’m not going for a Guinness World Record because no record really corresponds to what I did—I wasn’t trying to be the fastest and I can’t be the youngest because that record is currently held by my friend Lexie Alford, who’s only 21 years old. I’m doing this for myself—and okay, maybe for bragging rights for my future grandchildren who can tell their friends how crazy their granny was!

Why Bangladesh: I chose Bangladesh as my final country to honor the birthplace of my late father, Subhash Chandra Roy (whom I’d seen for the last time on my sixth birthday) as well as all four of my grandparents. I wanted to try to find the village where my father was born but I thought it would be a shot in the dark because I didn’t know a single person in Bangladesh. Most of my family had moved to India after my father moved to the US, so I didn’t have any connections left in Bangladesh. Once we made contact, we went straight to the small village of Netrakona, and it was truly an emotional experience. Seeing the exact house where my father grew up was nothing short of powerful and moved me to tears. I had the privilege of staying with and meeting several of his childhood friends who were kind enough to share old photos and memories of him. I know he would have been proud of me.

Bangladesh first south asian woman every country

Mixed Emotions: When I arrived in my final country, I experienced a combination of feelings: the euphoria that accompanies the accomplishment of a lifelong goal; the sense of relief that all the hard parts (ie. the bureaucracy and all the necessary sacrifices) were finally over; and the bittersweet feeling that I would no longer be able to have that adrenaline rush of landing in a new country.

Best Experience: One of the highlights, of course, was reaching my final country with my mother by my side, whom I flew out to join me. Neither one of us had been to Bangladesh before, and both of our fathers were born there. This was also the first foreign country we had explored together as a mother-daughter duo. Seeing it as a symbolic homecoming to my roots and origins, I wanted to come full circle and end my journey where my family started—my ancestral homeland.

Funafuti, Tuvalu with first south asian woman to visit every country

Her Advice for Other Women Who Want to Do This: My advice for women who want to do this is the same advice that I would have for anyone wanting to do this. It is possible—so get the word “can’t” and all the self doubts out of your mind and vocabulary. Honestly, though: If I can do it, I feel that anyone can. If cost is a hindrance, it is shocking how much you can save each month by cutting out things you don’t need (daily Starbucks, monthly manicures, personal trainers). I’ve often laughed at how much I save by traveling. Per month, it costs me more to live in one place in the States than it does to travel in most parts of the world.

Giza, Egypt with first south asian woman to travel to every country

On What’s Next for her:

I’m still not 100% sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I have been considering working with some NGOs with missions close to my heart and eventually starting my own. I am very passionate about women’s rights and empowerment of those that are vulnerable, which, let’s face it, are women, in most of the world.

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