Career Gems Archives

In Career Gems July 12, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Coronation Merchant Bank Appoints Chinwe Egwim As Chief Economist

Leading financial institution, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, has announced the appointment of Chinwe Egwim as the Chief Economist of the Bank as of June 28, 2021.

Prior to joining Coronation Merchant Bank, she had worked at FBNQuest Merchant Bank, FBN Capital, Fitch Ratings Milan and the Central Bank of Nigeria. She holds a Masters in Financial Economics from Kingston University London, a BA in Economics from Kwame Nkrumah University Kumasi Ghana and is an alumna of the European School of Economics.

With over 500 published economic notes under her belt, Chinwe has carved a niche as an outstanding economist renowned for consistently applying rigorous analysis in her work whilst ensuring Africa’s economic landscape is better understood. Her contributions have also supported high-level committees’ setup by development agencies like the World Bank. Furthermore, she has been included in IMF Article IV consultations and is also an active member of the Africa Development Bank Meetings. Presently, she sits as a member of the board committee on research at the Nigeria Economic Summit Group and has served as Resident Economist for the research-based initiative, AiR – Africa Investment Roundtable.

Commenting on her appointment, the Managing Director/CEO of Coronation Merchant Bank, Banjo Adegbohungbe said, “Chinwe brings in a wealth of experience in economic analysis and financial matters. Her broad experience and competence – within macroeconomics, research, as well as economic policy and reforms -positions her appropriately to provide strategic insights for our customers. We are certain she will be an excellent addition to the Coronation team and we trust she will enjoy working with us.”

In Career Gems July 5, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Mercy Eke Is Supporting Entrepreneurs, Widows & The Less Privileged With Her Newly Launched Foundation

2019 Big Brother Naija winner Mercy Eke is giving back to the community with her newly launched charity foundation to assist those who are struggling to satisfy their varied requirements.

According to her, Mercy Eke Foundation will help widows, struggling entrepreneurs, students who cannot pay their school fees and take needy children off the streets.

The reality star and entrepreneur stated in a video posted on her Instagram on Friday that her first initiative will provide N5 million grants to small business owners to help them grow. In the caption, she wrote:

The Mercy Eke Foundation is finally here💞🙏🏻

I have always wanted to give back, and I’m glad I can finally make this dream of mine a reality.

The Mercy Eke Foundation is a charity organization and we would be helping different group of people from time to time.

From struggling business owners, to sick people who can’t afford their bills, to single mothers, to widows, to students who are struggling with their fees in school, to kids on the streets, and more.

For our first project tagged #MEFWithBusinessOwners, we would be giving out N5million, to help a few business owners who are struggling or have brilliant business ideas but have no money to start up.

To be a benefactor, all you have to do is upload a creative 1 minute video on your Instagram, telling and showing us what you do or what you want to do. Post with the hashtag #MEFWithBusinessOwners and tag @mercyekefoundation

Our team will make a selection for the final pick.

I wish you all good luck…

In Career Gems June 25, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Funkola Odeleye Recognized In Leading Edge Initiative

The Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders launches today Leading Edge, an initiative to celebrate and amplify the work of women who are fostering economic growth and social change. Among the five featured women is Funkola Odeleye of Nigeria, the co-founder and CEO of DIYLaw Technologies, Ltd.

Passionate about developing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Nigeria, Odeleye’s company automated legal services for small and medium enterprises, including the process for business registrations. It has already contributed to the creation of 125,000 jobs by helping entrepreneurs scale their companies and become competitive.

Odeleye’s goal is to help reduce unemployment in Nigeria by 50 percent by 2030.

“There isn’t true leadership without rolling up your sleeves and getting dirty. Leadership is serving,” she says in her video.

With this approach to leadership and service, Odeleye wants to create a stronger economy in Nigeria and serve as an empowering role model for her young daughter.

“I have a 4-year-old daughter and I don’t just want to be a nurturer and a cater for her. I want to be one of the first inspirations that she has,” she added.

The Leading Edge initiative is one of the centerpieces of this year’s Reykjavík Global Forum – a globally renowned convening where hundreds of leaders from all sectors, including politics, business, civil society, academia, the arts, and media, “Power Together” every year in Reykjavík to build a more resilient and equal society.

The five global business leaders showcased as part of the launch exemplify the power and potential of female leadership in shaping economies across different sectors and regions of the world.

“These five impressive leaders have achieved tremendous success in their lives and careers. Their commitment to using their voices, platforms, and power to build successful businesses and contribute to the economy of their countries is outstanding,” said Silvana Koch-Mehrin, Founder & President of Women Political Leaders (WPL), co-host of the Reykjavík Global Forum – Women Leaders. “The Reykjavík Global Forum is an opportunity for leaders from all continents and all sectors to focus on solutions to advance society; and with creative, innovative women like these at the table, we can move forward faster towards more equitable workplaces, governments, economies, and communities.”

Videos highlighting the stories, setbacks, and successes of the Leading Edge ambassadors have been shared on social media, at WhatsYourEdge.org, and on the initiatives section of the Forum website, reykjavikforum.global/initiatives/, with a call to action for changemakers to amplify these messages and contribute their own stories.

“We all have a story to tell, and our hope is that this cohort of inspiring Leading Edge women will start a global conversation on what is possible when more women lead,” said Hanna Birna Kristjansdottir, Chair of the Board of the Reykjavík Global Forum. “The global GDP could increase by $28 trillion in 2025 if men and women participated in their economies equally. Particularly as we begin to envision our post-pandemic world and as we look to build forward equal, the full participation and leadership of women will be essential to a more sustainable recovery.”

Stories from the Leading Edge initiative will continue on social media during the Generation Equality Forum, a global gathering for gender equality convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France, in partnership with youth and civil society.

Women worldwide, and those participating in Generation Equality, are invited to share their stories of female leadership, mentorship, and power on social media using the hashtags, #WhatsYourEdge and #WomenLeading. Stories will be amplified throughout the summer, culminating in the Reykjavík Global Forum 2021 from November 8 to 10. This year’s event will be a combination of virtual conversations and in-person sessions in Reykjavík, Iceland, a global leader in gender equality.

Meet the Other Women at the Leading Edge

The five women business leaders featured by Leading Edge are having significant impacts on their countries’ economies, which have mixed records on gender equality, according to the Reykjavík Index for Leadership compiled by WPL and Kantar. The Index measures the perceptions of women’s suitability for leadership in government and business.

There was very little improvement in the latest research in the way societies in the G7 view men and women’s suitability to lead. An index score of 100 signals complete agreement that men and women are equally suited to leadership. In the 2020 report, Canada scored 81, United States 76, France 74, India 68, Kenya 53, and Nigeria 47.

To learn more about these women, watch their Leading Edge videos.

Aurélie Jean, Ph.D., U.S. and France

CEO and Founder, In Silico Veritas; CAIO and Co-Founder, DPEEX

Dr. Aurélie Jean is a research scientist and an entrepreneur in computational sciences. Her consulting company, In Silico Veritas, builds algorithms and data strategies for a broad range of clients. Her AI deep tech startup DPEEX on precision medicine helps increase the survival rate of women with breast cancer by detecting and localizing the tumor up to two years before being visible on a mammography.

In her words: “We all have cognitive biases…We tend to transfer those biases to the things that we produce. Eventually, those become algorithm biases and that could lead to what we call technology discrimination.”

Chebet Lesan, Kenya

Founder and CEO, BrightGreen Renewable Energy

An industrial designer, environment enthusiast, and advocate for technology that uplifts underserved communities, Chebet Lesan’s company, BrightGreen Energy manufactures economical fuel blocks that reduce deforestation and develop other women’s entrepreneurship.

In her words: “Use what you have to do what you can. Most times, whatever you need to achieve something, you already have it in you and around you. Start where you are.”

Nivruti Rai, India

Country Head of Intel India and VP of Intel Foundry Services

A self-proclaimed risk taker, Nivruti Rai is a champion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML). She strongly believes in its power to create value for humanity. She is using her position at one of the world’s leading technology companies to promote India’s digitalization with the focus on creating “population scale” solutions with technology.

In her words: “If you don’t fit into the frame—especially for women—that people have in their minds, then you have to come and break that framework.”

Eva Wong, Canada

Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Borrowell

Eva Wong wants to bust the myth that entrepreneurs are born. She co-founded the fintech firm Borrowell without technology or financial services experience and without having been part of a startup. In 2019, she and her co-founder, Andrew Graham, were EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year.

In her words: “Do something that scares you a little. Resilience and confidence are muscles that you can build over time.”

In Career Gems June 18, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Anto Lecky Launches “Edo Babes Are Fly” Initiative

To commemorate June 16th as International Day of the African Child, media personality and entrepreneur Munirat “Anto” Lecky has revealed plans to launch the Edo Babes Are Fly Initiative to promote girl child education, empowerment and skills acquisition, and reduce the rate of gender-based violence and sex trafficking in Edo State. Through her NGO, Anto Lecky alongside Musleehat Hamadu, plan to use the Edo Babes Are Fly Initiative to combat the many issues facing women from Edo State. Edo State is known as Nigeria’s capital for human trafficking, especially of young women and girls. According to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM), 94% of women trafficked to Europe from Nigeria are from Edo State.

To kick-off, the initiative is celebrating history made and history in the making by paying homage to great women who have shaped and are shaping Edo history and Nigeria at large with an educational tribute photoshoot featuring some favourites in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

These women include: Anto Lecky herself as Queen Idia, the Queen Mother and a cultural symbol of modern-day Nigeria; Jemima Osunde, Physiotherapist and Actress, as Princess Elizabeth Olowu, the first female bronze caster in Nigeria; Idia Aisien, Actor and TV Host, as Mabel Dorothy Segun, broadcaster, author, and first Nigerian woman to play table tennis; Arese Ugwu, Author and Executive Producer, as Osaretin Demuren, First Female Chairman of Guaranty Trust Bank; Vanessa “Vandora” Williams, TV Presenter and Influencer, as Prof. Lilian Salami, current and second female Chancellor of the University of Benin; Linda Osifo, Actress and Brand Ambassador, as Aisha Yesufu, socio-political activist and convener of Bring Back Our Girls Movement; Winfrey Dania Okolo, Media Personality and Lawyer, as Omosede Igbinedion, lawyer and youngest female member into the 8th Assembly of the House of Representatives (Nigeria).

Anto Lecky says her initiative will celebrate Edo women both home and abroad who contribute immensely to the betterment of society and also spur the younger generation to attain greater heights. She noted that the tribute photo shoot is a reminder of the giant strides that women of Edo extraction have made, and continue to make.

“I’m inspired by the stories of all of these women we are paying tribute to, and my colleagues who were so earnest to be the muses for the project. All of these women are role models for girls around the world. We decided to pay homage to these women, while encouraging other Edo women that they are “fly”, and can soar above any stereotype” She said

She also revealed that the Edo Babes Are Fly initiative is one of the many works the Live Wire Project will be championing. “We plan to host impactful events on key days, and offer educational & skills acquisition resources.” “We hope to share the stories of survivors of sexual violence and trafficking. We also hope to partner with international organizations and to amplify the efforts of domestic organizations that need celebrity backing.” She further added.

Anto Lecky is not new to celebrating Nigerian and African women. She hosts a talk show on Ogelle Africa titled “She’s A Boss” celebrating African women who strive and thrive; and has paid tribute to some of her favorite women in the Nigerian entertainment industry on International Women’s Day.

Co

connect with The Live Wire Project on Instagram @thelivewireproject or email livewireprojectng@gmail.com.

In Career Gems June 8, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Blessing Okagbare Sets New 100m Meet Record in Slovakia

Nigeria’s track queen Blessing Okagbare ran an impressive 10.98 seconds to win the 100m women’s event at the P-T-S Meeting in Samorin, the Slovak Republic. Blessing Okagbare’s winning time was a Meet Record.

Okagbare’s win was a historic feat as no woman has ever run under 11 seconds in the competition held in the Eastern European country. She was pleased after dipping within 11 seconds for the third time this season.

An excited Okagbare hinted that she was delighted to be the winner and also honoured to be the first woman ever to run under 11 seconds at the P-T-S Meeting.

The seven time Nigerian 100 metres champion ran 10.98 seconds to win in the race, smashing the 11.09 seconds meeting record set in June 1983 by Czech Republic icon, Jarmila Kratochvilova.

Blessing Okagbare Sets New 100m Meet Record in Slovakia

Okagbare broke the 11 seconds barrier for the first time in her career at the Crystal Palace Aviva London Grand Prix in London, on the 14th of July 2012; where she ran 10.99 seconds. In 2013, she broke 11 seconds thrice with two of them in a historic fashion. She started the season with a huge but wind-aided to 10.75 seconds in June at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, USA

Fast forward to 2015, Okagbare broke 11 seconds six times, her most in a single season and made it to the 100m final at the World Athletics Championship in Beijing, China.

She ran her first sub-11 seconds of the season at the USTAF invitational in Eugene, Oregon in April before scorching to a 10.90 seconds season’s best at the Wanda Diamond League meeting in Doha, Qatar last week.

This feat marks the 21st time Okagbare has run under 11 seconds in her career.

Congratulations are in order.

In Career Gems June 8, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Ekiti First Lady To Keep Young Girls In School With Pad Bank

With at least 13 million children out of school in Nigeria presently and rising, with 60 percent of this number being girls, even when they are able to receive an education, there is still a huge challenge keeping young girls in school due to some factors

These factors include poverty, sexual and gender based violence, kidnappings, teenage pregnancy, family responsibilities and forced marriages and so on, make it difficult for young girls to focus on their education. Harmful traditional practices such as early marriages, female genital mutilation, girls trafficking, farming out children to family members to foster and so on, all contribute to creating a toxic environment for girls to grow up and be educated in.

In light of all these, the first lady of Ekiti state, Erelu Bisi Fayemi is focused on addressing these issues with her Keep Girls In School Campaign. According to her, one of the factors that keep young girls away from school is ‘period poverty’ or lack of capacity for menstrual hygiene management.

Lack of appropriate facilities such as gender segregated toilet facilities, adequate safe water supply in schools for washing hands and maintaining good hygiene, absence of sanitary menstrual materials and so on can and does prevent girls from safe hygienic management of their periods.

These may result in absenteeism, reduced levels of concentration in class and low participation in school activities like sports and other extra-curricular activities. The campaign therefore launched a Pad Bank on Menstrual Hygiene Day to enable vulnerable girls in the state have access to reusable sanitary protection, a sustainable way of menstrual hygiene management.

According to the first lady, the bank’s objectives include having a steady supply of menstrual hygiene products, helping young girls who are unable to afford sanitary materials and ensure that young girls don’t stay away from school because of their monthly cycle.

Others include, promoting good menstrual hygiene amongst young girls, providing training in the use of menstrual hygiene products and providing opportunities for young local entrepreneurs to learn how to produce reusable and safe sanitary products.

She added that a box of six reusable pads that can last for a year costs N2, 500 and their target is 3000 girls yearly in the state. Calling for support to enable them reach and surpass this goal, she said donations in cash or kind would enable them keep a steady supply of these reusable pads for regular distribution to young girls that need them the most.

In Career Gems May 31, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Naomi Osaka Fined $15K For Skipping Press Conference For Mental Health Reasons

Naomi Osaka announced this week that she wouldn’t be doing post-match interviews during the French Open in an effort to preserve her mental health.

Naomi was issued her first fine for not participating in post-match Interviews during the French Open — as well as a grave warning about more serious consequences she may face if she continues to skip out on press conferences.

On Sunday, days after the 23-year-old tennis star announced she wouldn’t be doing press during the championship in an effort to preserve her mental health, Osaka picked up her first win and a $15,000 fine.

The board of Grand Slam tennis tournaments also released a statement on Sunday, warning that she could face possible expulsion in the future.

“Naomi Osaka announced last Wednesday on social media that she would not participate in the mandatory media interviews at Roland-Garros 2021,” read the joint statement from the French Open as well as the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and Australian Open.

“Following this announcement, the Roland-Garros teams asked her to reconsider her position and tried unsuccessfully to speak with her to check on her well-being, understand the specifics of her issue, and what might be done to address it on site,” the statement continued.”She was also reminded of her obligations, the consequences of not meeting them, and that rules should equally apply to all players.

Repeat violations could include “default from the tournament” as well as “more substantial fines and future Grand Slam suspensions.”

In the statement, the board of Grand Slam tennis tournaments also called speaking with the media a “core element of the Grand Slam regulations.”

“We want to underline that rules are in place to ensure all players are treated exactly the same, no matter their stature, beliefs, or achievement,” they wrote. “As a sport, there is nothing more important than ensuring no player has an unfair advantage over another, which unfortunately is the case in this situation if one player refuses to dedicate time to participate in media commitments while the others all honor their commitments.”

When Osaka announced her decision earlier this week, she wrote that she’s “often felt that people have no regard for athletes’ mental health, and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.”

“We’re often sat there and asked questions that we’ve been asked multiple times before or asked questions that bring doubt into our minds and I’m just not going to subject myself to people that doubt me,” she wrote, noting that the decision was “nothing personal” toward the tournament or any of the journalists.

“If the organizations think that they can just keep saying, ‘do press or you’re gonna be fined,’ and continue to ignore the mental health of the athletes that are the centerpiece of their cooperation then I just gotta laugh,” she concluded. “Anyways, I hope the considerable amount that I get fined for this will go towards a mental health charity.”

Alongside her statement, Osaka also shared a clip from an interview with a then-14-year-old Venus Williams filmed after a reporter questioned her confidence in saying “I know I can beat” an upcoming opponent.

Before Williams could defend herself in the clip, her father Richard Williams stepped in, telling the reporter, “You’re dealing with a little Black kid. Let her be a kid! She answered that with a lot of confidence, [so] leave that alone.”

In 2016, Venus Willaims was fined $5,000 by the Australian Open for failing to show up for press conferences after she lost in the first round. She and her sister Serena Williams were also each fined $4,000 in 2010 after skipping press at Wimbledon after a doubles match.

If you or someone you know need mental health help, kindly reach out to mentally aware Nigeria, She Writes Woman , or any mental health organization In your country.

In Career Gems May 25, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Meet Bathabile Mpofu, Awarding Winning South African Scientist and Innovator

Bathabile Mpofu is a South African born award winning – Scientist, Innovator and Social Entrepreneur.

She is the Founder and MD at Nkazimulo Applied Sciences, an innovative social enterprise that aims at helping young people become scientists, through their innovation “ChemStart” a portable science kit that makes science fun and come to life.

It provides hands on interaction with science concepts and their application in real life.

“At age 16, I realised how unprepared I was for university science education. I was capable but dis-empowered. High School didn’t prepare me for university education. I only got to do science experiments for the first time when I got to university, and because of that, I have made it my mission to empower and help young people become scientists,” said Mpofu.

“ChemStart makes quality science education accessible. Parents no longer need to take their children to private school in order for them to perform science experiments as part of their learning. Our product can be shipped anywhere in Africa as well, so you can be in the bush and still use the kit,” concluded Mpofu.

In Career Gems May 23, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Meet Soliyana Gizaw Hunde The 10-Year-Old Coder & Winner Of AfriCANCode Challenge

10-year-old coder, Soliyana Gizaw Hunde recently won the inaugural AfriCANCode Challenge, after she developed a fun and engaging educational game named ‘Mathstainment’, to practice math and raise awareness of COVID-19 related health protocols.

Mathstainment was inspired by Soliyana’s love of maths and science and her strong community spirit.

“Being part of the AfriCANCode Challenge has been fun, and winning the national and overall competition was very exciting,” says Soliyana, who lives with her parents in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. “It has motivated me to do more and dream big.”

The AfriCANcode Challenge was introduced after the 2020 SAP Africa Code Week programme shifted to an all-virtual format in the wake of the global pandemic. The competition challenged youth aged 8 to 16 to develop a game using the Scratch coding language to reimagine school and education, or answer the question “How will your tech change the future of education?”.

Participants from 22 countries made it to the final round of the competition, and the winner was announced in early 2021. All of the top three winners were girls, with Soliyana crowned overall winner at a virtual prize-giving ceremony in February.

Soliyana says she was inspired to learn coding after seeing the projects her cousin, a software engineering student at one of the local state universities, was doing. “When I was eight, my cousin helped me take a short coding training course at a local centre. Since then, I have watched instructional videos on YouTube, and I have been motivated to keep practising.”

After the pandemic forced the Ethiopian government to close schools, Soliyana decided to apply her coding skills in the service of her community by participating in the AfriCANCode Challenge.

“When we started staying at home due to the pandemic, I heard how it was affecting people in our community and what we could do to protect ourselves and our loved ones. I decided to develop my Mathstainment game to create awareness about COVID-19 and offer a simple and fun way to practice maths.”

Mathstainment was built using the Scratch programming language. It asks a series of maths questions that lead a character on the screen ever closer to personal protective equipment (PPE) for each correct answer. After a few incorrect answers, the player has to start over. Maths questions are posed at varying difficulty levels, ranging from ‘Easy’ to ‘Difficult’.

Asked what lies ahead for the young coding champion, Soliyana says: “I want to be an astronomer. I want to know how the universe works.”

Alexandra van der Ploeg, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at SAP, says:

The innovation and community-minded spirit displayed by this year’s participants point to a bright future for Africa’s citizens. It is also hugely encouraging to see the high ratio of female participants, whose ingenuity saw all three top place finishes claimed by girls.

SAP Africa Code Week and the AfriCANCode Challenge mobilises hundreds of partners in the public and private sector who rally around the urgent task of empowering Africa’s youth with essential digital skills. As we continue into an uncertain future, this investment into youth skills development will pay huge dividends over the coming years and decades.

In Career Gems May 16, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Elsie Godwin: How To Use Social Media To Combat Fake News

On the #GettalkingwithEsther tweet chat session on May 14th, Esther hosted versatile TV host and producer; Elsie Godwin, and they discussed “Using Social Media to combat fake news”.

The wonderful guest dropped alot nuggets during the popular tweet chat session, here are excerpt from their conversation, and how people reacted

At the end of the tweet chat , the host asked participants what they learnt from the session, and this is what they have to say;
You can see more of the conversation on @estherijewere’s timeline on twitter; https://twitter.com/estherijewere