Career Gems Archives

In Career Gems February 21, 2019 By Women of Rubies

#AREWAMETOO ACTIVIST, MARYAM AWAISU REGAINED FREEDOM AFTER BEING ARRESTED BY SARS

Author Maryam Awaisu, one of the activists leading the #ArewaMeToo movement has regained freedom.

People from the Northern part of Nigeria have taken to Twitter in the last few days to share sad stories of abuse from close friends, partners and relatives.

Awaisu, according to Amnesty International, was arrested in her office on Tuesday by SARS officers.

She has finally regained freedom, according to Amnesty International, as well as some social media users who were at the station with her.

In Career Gems February 21, 2019 By Women of Rubies

NIGERIA’S ELIZABETH KPERRUN, 4 OTHERS WIN JOHNSON & JOHNSON INNOVATION’S INAUGURAL CHAMPIONS OF SCIENCE

Johnson & Johnson Innovation has announced five winners of the first Champions of Science – Africa Storytelling Challenge. The Challenge aimed to highlight the journeys of scientists and innovators working in Africa, and celebrate the impact of their work on families, communities and the world.

The Challenge received more than 100 entries from scientists and innovators in 22 African nations, including South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda, among others.

An independent committee of scientists, science journalists and policymakers selected the winners, who will receive a $5,000 cash prize, publication of their stories, and international publicity.

The Africa Storytelling Challenge is part of Johnson & Johnson’s ongoing commitment to convene and catalyze champions of science and to engage people of all generations and backgrounds to see the unlimited opportunities that science brings.

Champions of Science – Africa Storytelling Challenge Winners

Askwar Hilonga, Ph.D., Tanzania, whose story profiles his invention of a low-cost water filter to clean contaminated water in rural areas
Elizabeth Kperrun, Nigeria, whose story describes her work to develop award-winning language learning tools for children.
Philippa Ngaju Makobore, Uganda, who described how she and a team of engineers prototyped an automated non-invasive infusion controller to safely and accurately regulate life-saving intravenous fluids and drugs in resource-constrained settings including hospitals and treatment spaces with unreliable power supply.
Maame Ekua Manful, Ghana, who described her journey to form a start-up to create fortified foods to address the issue of vitamin A deficiency syndrome prevalent in developing countries.
Levit Nudi, Kenya, whose story profiles his development of an innovative mobile app to prevent use of counterfeit or substandard medicines.

Credit: Bella Naija

In Career Gems February 21, 2019 By Women of Rubies

POP STAR, ARIANA GRANDE MAKES BILLBOARD CHART HISTORY WITH HER NEW ALBUM

American pop star, Ariana Grande has officially matched a chart record that was previously achieved by The Beatles thanks to her new album, Thank U,Next.

After numbers came in for her album, which went No. 1, Grande made history by occupying the top-three spots on the Hot 100 chart with her latest singles: “7 Rings,” “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored,” and “Thank U, Next” (in that exact order).

The Beatles were the last musicians to achieve this back in 1964, when they ruled the charts with “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Twist and Shout,” and “Do You Want to Know a Secret.” It’s worth noting that Grande is the first solo artist to set this record, too.

“Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” was only just released on Feb. 7, but it’s already climbing the chart in a way that suggests it’ll reach No. 1 status soon. Meanwhile, “Thank U, Next” was No. 1 for seven weeks, and “7 Rings” has held the No. 1 spot for the last four weeks. Naturally, the popularity of her music has crowned Thank U, Next as the most-streamed pop album ever, and Grande as pop music’s indisputable queen.

Credit: fabwoman.ng

In Career Gems April 3, 2021 By Women of Rubies

Adeola Olubamiji, Toyo Ajibolade Named Among L’oreal Paris Women Of Worth Honorees

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.

In Career Gems February 19, 2019 By Women of Rubies

TIWA SAVAGE BAGS NEW ENDORSEMENT DEAL

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.

In Career Gems March 10, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Meet Samke Mhlongo, South Africa’s Most-Sought-After Financial Coach

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’.

In Career Gems February 18, 2019 By Women of Rubies

CONSTELLATION GROUP’S LEAD COACH, JOKE COKER ADMITTED INTO THE FORBES COACHES COUNCIL

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

In Career Gems February 15, 2019 By Women of Rubies

JAPANESE WOMEN REBEL AGAINST OLD VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION THAT MANDATES THEM TO GIVE CHOCOLATES TO MEN

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

In Career Gems February 14, 2019 By Women of Rubies

RARE LEOPARD – ‘BLACK PANTHER’ – SPOTTED IN AFRICA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS

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

In Career Gems February 13, 2019 By Women of Rubies

VETERAN NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS, JOKE SILVA TO ATTEND THE 2019 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL TO DISCUSS WOMEN IN FILM

Veteran Nollywood actress, Joke Silva will be joining a long list of Nollywood practitioners at the Cannes International film festival 2019.

The veteran actress will be attending the film festival as a Nigerian ambassador and panellist. She made the announcement via her Instagram page.

57-year-old Silva will be joining panellists at the film festival for two sessions to discuss women in the business of film and introduce herself to the world as one of the legends from the African cinema.

The veteran actress will be attending the festival in association with Pavillon Afriques, a business platform dedicated to Pan-African film industry professionals & financiers@ Marché du Film at the Cannes International Film Festival 2019.

Credit: fabwoman.ng

Career Gems

#AREWAMETOO ACTIVIST, MARYAM AWAISU REGAINED FREEDOM AFTER BEING ARRESTED BY SARS

NIGERIA’S ELIZABETH KPERRUN, 4 OTHERS WIN JOHNSON & JOHNSON INNOVATION’S INAUGURAL CHAMPIONS OF SCIENCE

POP STAR, ARIANA GRANDE MAKES BILLBOARD CHART HISTORY WITH HER NEW ALBUM

Adeola Olubamiji, Toyo Ajibolade Named Among L’oreal Paris Women Of Worth Honorees

TIWA SAVAGE BAGS NEW ENDORSEMENT DEAL

Meet Samke Mhlongo, South Africa’s Most-Sought-After Financial Coach

CONSTELLATION GROUP’S LEAD COACH, JOKE COKER ADMITTED INTO THE FORBES COACHES COUNCIL

JAPANESE WOMEN REBEL AGAINST OLD VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION THAT MANDATES THEM TO GIVE CHOCOLATES TO MEN

RARE LEOPARD – ‘BLACK PANTHER’ – SPOTTED IN AFRICA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 100 YEARS

VETERAN NOLLYWOOD ACTRESS, JOKE SILVA TO ATTEND THE 2019 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL TO DISCUSS WOMEN IN FILM

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