Interviews&profile Archives

In Interviews&profile April 19, 2018 By Women of Rubies

MEET AISHA GOMBI, The FORMER ANIMAL HUNTER WHO NOW WORKS WITH THE MILITARY TO FIGHT BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY

Aisha Bakari Gombi, one of the few women who volunteered to fight the terrorist group, is 38 and six feet tall. She was born and raised near the Sambisa forest, the headquarters of Boko Haram.

Formerly an antelope hunter, her experience and knowledge of the forest have made her the leader of a team of 15-20 male volunteers despite her limited training in military operations. Everyday, with her shotgun slung over her shoulder, she ventures into the scrubs of Borno, the northeastern province of Nigeria long plagued by Boko Haram attacks, hunting down their fighters.

She has been instrumental in the rescue of a high number of Boko Haram captives and she is front and centre in the efforts to neutralise the terrorist group.

(Photo: Rosie Collyer/Aljazeera)

Her bravery and keen hunting abilities have earned her the title of ‘Queen Hunter’. Government troops are quick to call on Aisha for her skills but slow to reward her efforts financially. Ms. Gombi is one of the recruits who helped the Nigerian Army defeat Boko Haram and chase the terrorist group away from the forest.

Watch the short film (by Rosie Collyer) about the legend that is Aisha Gombi below:

In Interviews&profile April 18, 2018 By Women of Rubies

FACTS ABOUT BARBARA BUSH WHO WAS WIFE AND MOTHER TO PAST US PRESIDENTS

Here are a few things to know about her:

Early Life

Barbara Bush was born Barbara Pierce on June 8, 1925, in New York City. Her mother, Pauline Pierce, was the daughter of an Ohio Supreme Court justice and dedicated to conservation efforts as a chairwoman of the Garden Club of America.

Education

Barbara attended Rye Country Day School from 1931 to 1937 and later the boarding school Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, from 1940 to 1943. As a youth, she was athletic and enjoyed swimming, tennis, and bike riding. Her interest in reading began early in life; she recalled gathering and reading with her family during the evenings.

Marriage

When Pierce was 16 and on Christmas vacation, she met George Bush at a dance; he was a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. After 18 months, the two became engaged to be married, just before he went off to World War II as a Navy torpedo bomber pilot.

He named three of his planes after her: Barbara, Barbara II, and Barbara III. When he returned on leave, she had dropped out of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts; two weeks later, on January 6, 1945, they were married at the First Presbyterian Church in Rye, New York, with the reception being held at The Apawamis Club.

Life As the first lady

Family literacy was Barbara Bush’s cause as First Lady, and she called it “the most important issue we have”. She became involved with many literacy organizations, served on literacy committees and chaired many reading organizations.

Eventually, she helped develop the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. She continued to be dedicated to eliminating the generational cycle of illiteracy in America by supporting programs where parents and their young children are able to learn together.

During the early 1980s, after statistics had shown that foreign-born immigrants from Latin America had nearly quintupled just since 1960, statistics showed that 35 million adults could not read above the eighth-grade level and that 23 million were not able to read beyond a fourth-grade level.

She was active in the White House Historical Association and worked to revitalize the White House Preservation Fund, which she renamed the White House Endowment Trust.

The trust raises funds for the ongoing refurbishment and restoration of the White House. She met her goal of raising $25 million towards the endowment. The White House residence staff generally found Barbara Bush to be the friendliest and most easygoing of the First Ladies with whom they dealt.

Life as the second lady

Barbara Bush’s eight years as Second Lady allowed her to become a common household name. After her son Neil was diagnosed with dyslexia, she took an interest in literacy issues and began working with several different literacy organizations.

She spent much time researching and learning about the factors that contributed to illiteracy – she believed homelessness was also connected to illiteracy – and the efforts underway to combat both.

She travelled around the country and the world, either with the vice president on official trips or by herself. In 1984, she wrote a children’s book, C. Fred’s Story, which dealt with her family as told from the point of view of her dog, C. Fred.

She donated all proceeds from the book to literacy charities. By then comfortable speaking in front of groups, she routinely spoke to promote issues that she believed in, and she became famous for expressing a sense of humour and self-deprecating wit.

In 1988, Vice President Bush announced his candidacy for President to succeed Reagan. By this time Barbara had experienced two presidential campaigns but broke new ground by becoming the second candidate’s spouse to speak at the national party convention that nominated her husband (after Eleanor Roosevelt in 1940).

She promised voters that she would be a traditional first lady and campaigned actively for her husband. The campaign at times focused on the large Bush family, and contrasted her with the First Lady, Nancy Reagan, by highlighting her interest in domestic staples such as church, gardening, and time spent with family while placing less emphasis on style sense and fashion; she drew attention to both her famous white hair and disinterest in wearing designer clothes.

Campaigning for her son to be president

Bush campaigned for her son, George W. Bush, after he announced his presidential campaign in June 1999. Throughout the country, she met with women in support of his campaign but remained doubtful of his chances of winning.

The resentment toward the campaign continued with her rejecting any criticism of her son said in her presence and refused to watch any debates, a contrast to her husband’s willingness to listen and his watching of every debate, creating friction between the couple.

Several schools have been named for her: three primary schools and two middle schools in Texas and an elementary school in Mesa, Arizona. Also named for her is the Barbara Bush Library in Harris County, Texas, and the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. She served on the Boards of AmeriCares and the Mayo Clinic and headed the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

On March 18, 2003 — two days before the beginning of the 2003 invasion of Iraq — her son George W. Bush was President.

Awards and legacy

In 1995, Bush received the Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged, an award is given out annually by Jefferson Awards. In 1997, she was the recipient of The Miss America Woman of Achievement Award for her work with literacy programs.

In 2016, she received honorary membership in Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Houston chapter.

Barbara Bush Elementary School in the Parkway Villages neighbourhood in Houston, operated by the Houston Independent School District, is named after her.

Illness and death

Bush suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), congestive heart failure, and Graves’ disease. In April 2018, the Bush family released a statement regarding Bush’s “failing health” and how she had chosen to be at home with family rather than seek further treatment. According to family spokesman Jim McGrath, Bush’s decision came as a result of “a series of recent hospitalizations”.

It was announced on April 15, 2018, that Bush would no longer seek medical treatment and had instead chosen the option of “comfort care”. Bush died in her Houston home of complications from COPD at the age of 92 on April 17, 2018.

Source: fabwoman.ng

In Interviews&profile April 14, 2018 By Women of Rubies

#INTERVIEW: “I HAVE GONE THROUGH FIRE AND CONQUERED” – LAYO EMMANUEL, BESTSELLING AUTHOR & COACH

Layo Emmanuel is a Medical Doctor, Transformational Speaker, coach and a Bestselling author, For more than 6 years, she walked through life not knowing who she was or where she was headed. Her self esteem and confidence plummeted. Her studies were jeopardized and her marriage tethered on the brink of divorce. Layo got indebted due to a fraudulent business partner and became the joke of the town in far away Ukraine where she lives with her Pastor husband

Layo almost lost it but decided to take her fate into her hands and took the long lonely road of finding herself and God given purpose in life. She wrote a book that became an overnight Number Bestseller and got featured by some of the most coveted media houses in the world – FOX news, ABC news, NBC, NewYork Chronicles and some others. In her words “I re-wrote my life story and turned my pain into passion . Here is my inspiring interview with her

Childhood Preparation

I grew up with a mum who was a banker and a dad who worked as an Engineer. I and my siblings grew up sheltered. Oh! My mum is the strictest of “Yoruba mothers.”

She wouldn’t even allow usrelate to the house helps we had living in the house with us. Neither will she let us speak with other neighbors in the compound.

So, I found myself growing up in the company of all manner of books alone. I mean educational books, magazines, novels etc. Those were the only things permitted in the house.

Meet Me

I am a #1 Bestselling Author and an international speaker. I trained as a Medical Doctor from a University in Europe. I’m also an ordained Pastor, a Pastors’ wives coach as well as a certified beauty coach.

But in reality …

I am simply a young woman who is determined to enjoy the best of three worlds and passionate to see that other women enjoy the same as well.

By the best of three worlds, I mean, I’m looking at women who are sound in their faith/spirituality. But then, they are disrupting the financial playground because they are loaded.

At the same time, they are living for and fulfilling a definite life assignment. Their home front is thriving. They are emotionally balanced and yes, they are stunners, in the sense of drop dead gorgeous.

All these for me sums up, enjoying the best of three worlds – Spirit, Soul, andBody.

My Best Selling book ‘The Survivor’

“The Survivor” details my journey on how I found my way out of the dark pit that life threw me into.

The goal is for anyone facing giant oppositions to get a hold of that book, apply the insights shared to their lives and come out winning.

Even, if a man has been condemned to spend his life in the worst Syrian prison, if he gets a hold of that book, he will be able to find his way out with the insights I share in it.

And believe me, Esther, the responses from people all over the world makes me believe that the book is achieving its aim.

In there, I detailed all the helpful secrets, truths, principles and tools that I stumbled upon in my lowest moments in life that helped me to “reinvent myself and transform my life.”

Serving pastors’ wives by helping them to find their place in the Ministry and shine in all their authenticity’

I do that through my mentorship program for young pastor’s wives where I get one-on-one with the woman in question. With a series of tools and exercises, we come up with what her unique assignment ought to be in ministry and in life generally.

I also have a Young Pastor Wives Academy” which is an on-going membership community where I basically hold the pastor’s wives hands along their journey in ministry.

There, I aim to shed light on the peculiar challenges most Pastor’s wives experience at one time or the other. And I also proffer God approved solutions to the particular challenges and struggles members of the academy are experiencing.

Being a happy and fulfilled pastor’s wife is one of the hardest things to be in life. Truly, uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.

Other activities

I hold training and Masterclasses around programs whose aim is to enable women to thrive in their spirituality, finances as well as their physical wellness.

To this end, I created my flagship program

“Reinvent Yourself In 90 Days Like A Boss(90 Days To Your Best Version Yet)” as well as “Turn Your Story To A Source Of Income In 30 Days.”

With this, I teach women how to leverage their stories as their greatest platforms in life. Both to impact others as well as turning their stories into a financially rewarding venture.

Greatest reward

I have been invited to the Ukrainian Parliament to speak on National Transformation. I havebeen featured in world-class media, Huffington Post, FOX News, ABC News, New York Chronicles and several others. I have shared stages with Media Influencers, Diplomats, Entertainment Stars, widely respected Pastors and all.

However, the greatest reward I have gotten is the gift of being free to be me.

I mean , there was a time in my life where I never thought I could amount to anybody outside my husband. There was a time, I didn’t think I could do anything by myself without the involvement of other people and it would succeed or thrive.

I would never have thought I could speak and people would listen simply because they believe I was dishing out something of value to them.

So, just being able to display my authentic self and gifts imperfectly to the world like I sometimes do is the greatest gift.

Managing It all

There is no “one size fits it all” answer to this question. There’s no perfect answer. But what I know is that I have a supportive husband, a supportive team and an understanding child.

They all make it seemeasier. Though, there are days I feel like I am drowning and there are days I feel like a boss, on top of it all.

I simply put one foot in front of the other per day and try to take each day as they come. Although, it helps that I’m a workaholic. I keep on working most times until I am stopped by my husband or one of my team members.

Giving up

I feel like giving up every now and then. Life just has a way of throwing darts at you especially when you are gunning to live a life of purpose.

So yes, every now and then, I feel like throwing in the towel but then I have trained myself not to enjoy such luxuries. At such times, I only resort to affirmations and confessions. Or I just put on an upbeat music and start dancing like a crazy woman.

Dancing like that has been proven to help release the happiness hormone in the body called serotonin. It most times combats cortisol which is the stress hormone.

Who and What inspires me to be better

It’s a nexus of things that inspired me. Firstly the intense dissatisfaction I felt in my soul for living an empty life.

Secondly Ted McGrath (one of my coaches who is also one of the highest paid transformational speakers in the world)

Lastly, funny enough, a Yoruba movie I watched a couple of years back also informed my desire to be better. The star actor in the film was “a down and out guy” who turned his experience in that movie into a book.

The book became an overnight hit – a bestseller.

As I watched, I thought to myself “girl, you can do this” that is, turn my life’s story into a Bestselling book. And it happened.

I am a Woman of Rubies

I have gone through fire. I have conquered. And every day, I keep defeating life’s demons that show up at my doorsteps in the name of challenges.

I also keep seeking to improve myself daily, to get better.

Also, like Dr. Myles Munroe said, I am pushing to see that I die empty haven blessed humanity with all that God has given unto me.

Besides this, I am living a life of freedom, one that is authentically me. I play as I want, laugh as I want and do the things I want to do no longer bothered about “societal acceptable standards.”

Now, I get on the pulpit in my ripped jeans and use words like “yeah” or “def” when I am preaching and God is still present strong in the meeting.

And I, on the other hand,feel super comfortable, no longer feeling inferior that I don’t talk or look like the picture-perfect pastor’s wife.

Final word for women all over the world

To young women, the world over, know that no one makes the rules by which you must live in this life. You make the rules by yourself with the sum total of information you expose yourself to and the purpose you were given to live out.

I recommend first, the Bible to you as your primary navigation system in life. Then, every other book. Please, don’t forget financial education in all ramifications.

And if you don’t read any other fiction in your life, do read – Master Of The Game by Sidney Sheldon.

While at it, plan never to be defined as Mrs. Somebody. Rather, ruthlessly invest in yourself and be all that God will have you be on earth.

Then carry a value that not even the richest oil reserves in the United Arab Emirates can pay for enough in terms of bride price.

Even as a woman, the world is a magical garden but you will have to create your own magic with your own hands. A good place to begin from is the thoughts of your heart and the utterances of your mouth.

If I can go from losing myself in my marriage, losing over a hundred thousand dollars in debt, and becoming pregnant right at the verge of a divorce to finding myself where I am today, then anyone can do the same too.

You too can do the same.

In Interviews&profile April 7, 2018 By Women of Rubies

#INTERVIEW: THE GREATEST REWARD I RECEIVE FOR WHAT I DO IS WHEN CHILDREN APPROACH ME AND TELL ME THAT I MADE STEM FUN FOR THEM – ADETOLA SALAU

Adetola Salau is a global educator, Engineer and the author of more than eight books, one of which has been critically acclaimed as a roadmap for transforming our educational system; “Re-engineering minds for innovation”
She is the Founder and Director of Carisma4U Educational Foundation, a social innovation enterprise that focuses on the transformation of the educational system especially STEM education in Nigeria and Africa as a whole. She has a B. Sc in Chemistry from Fordham University, New York, with a medal as the best student in Chemistry. She later went on to get a M.Sc in Chemical Engineering and another in Engineering Management from Syracuse University in New York. She is currently working on a PhD in Chemical Engineering with a specialty in Environmental Engineering.
Adetola worked for the City of New York Board of Education as well as taught in California, South Carolina and North Carolina respectively. She has taught a variety of students from pupils in the 6th grades to teaching at Fordham University as an Adjunct Lecturer. She is passionate about education (STEM education especially) and is an advocate for education reform globally most especially in Africa.
She is driven by the desire to help students in Africa become future ready and innovate for their own economic prosperity (using STEM Education-STEM stands for Science Technology Engineering Mathematics.) Tola shares her story in this motivating interview

Being aware of environmental issues from childhood
I was raised by academic parents- Professors who were dedicated to giving back to the community and held education in high esteem. They believed that service was what each human owed other humans. I joined Red Cross as a pre-teen because I wanted to ease the suffering of others and when I was in college, I continued to volunteer to shelters and work as a mentor to young children. I learned that it was better to focus upon serving others than dwell upon my own life’s issues.
As a teenager, I was aware of environmental issues impacting the planet because my parents were environmentalists and also when I stared at the blackish water of Bonny as a teen. I was angry and sad at the same time at the pervasive pollution that was been inflicted upon our environment. I took it hard because I loved the land of Bonny, her people are my people (on my grandmother’s side) and from my parents dedication to environmental causes and gleaning from the materials strewn about our home, I knew that the damage was extensive.
I realized that if something wasn’t done about cleaning up the soil and rivers, cleaning up the oil spills being my motivation for desiring to study Chemical engineering.
I began to think like an advocate from an early age looking back, I have always been drawn to helping the underdog or rooting for them in stories that I read.

Meet Me
I am a Global Educator, a Speaker, Author, Social Entrepreneur, Innovator, and an Advocate of STEM Education. I am driven to push the revamping of our learning sector because of the horrible experiences I had in the STEM subjects when I was a young child in Nigeria and the opposite experience I had when my family and I relocated to America. I had a severe fear of math in my teenage years due to the horrible conditions I was taught in and how STEM subjects were made boring. Passionate educators made the difference for me which I wrote about in my book, “Re-engineering minds for innovation.” A huge part of my dedication in remaining a STEM student was due to the support of my enlightened parents; both Intellectuals- world renowned academicians of high repute who taught me to strive for excellence. My mother, Dr (Mrs) O.A. Salau is a climatologist and environmentalist who taught me to love STEM subjects fervently through application and my father, Prof A.T. Salau was an environmentalist with the United Nations, New York. He was the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port-Harcourt.
I studied at Fordham University, New York, where I obtained a B.Sc in Chemistry with a medal as the best student in Chemistry. I went on to get a M.Sc in Chemical Engineering and another in Engineering Management from Syracuse University in New York. I am currently working on a PhD in Chemical Engineering.

Inspiration behind Carisma4U Educational Foundation
Carisma4U Educational Foundation is a social innovation enterprise that focuses on the transformation of the educational sector especially STEM education in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.
I founded Carisma4U educational foundation in 2015 to address this situation because I believe starting early in the educational system to create a lifelong love of STEM learning that will improve the probability that students will not become STEM adverse at the later stages of their tertiary education.
I am working on creating a new paradigm for the way we approach STEM education with a greater emphasis placed on practical real life application that will bridge the gap between theory and practical, so we can engage our youths in developing solutions to issues that plague us.
I am driven by the desire to help students in Africa become future ready and innovate for their own economic prosperity using STEM and I works towards the emergence of a strong vibrant Africa through the effective utilization of education.
We need to call for the promotion of STEM education in schools.

Challenges
The challenges are enormous! Raising money for our advocacy efforts can be daunting but we press on because we know how critical the work we are rooting for is essential to the economic development of Africa, especially for the future of our children. Obstacles by people in the status quo who like how things are and don’t want them to change. The biggest challenge is the reformatting the mindsets of our students, their parents and teachers from mediocrity to desiring excellence. Excellence is one of my core values because I have seen the difference it made to my life as an educator, scientist and engineer. I have seen excellence transform the destiny of nations from places that people looked down upon to being highly respected. I have written over ten books to aid in spreading the STEM revolution I desire for Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Passion for STEM
STEM is an acronym that stands for Science Technology Engineering and Math.
Activities that are STEM-based integrate these four areas of learning. STEM is vital to our future—the future of our country, the future of our region and the future of our children. Besides, STEM is everywhere ; it shapes our everyday experiences.
Science is our natural world— sun, moon and stars…lands and oceans…weather, natural disasters, the diversity of nature, animals (large, small, microbial plants and food…the fuel that heats our homes and powers transportation…
Technology means computers and smartphones, but it goes back to television, radio, microscopes, telegraph, telescopes, the compass, and even the first wheel.
Engineering encompasses designing buildings, roads, and bridges, and tackling today’s challenges of transportation, global warming and environment friendly machines, appliances and systems.
Mathematics is everywhere at the retail store, the bank, on tax forms, in dealing with investments and the family budget. Math is the mother of all the other STEM subjects because they depend on it. STEM is critical because it permeates all aspects of our lives.
Now how does STEM affect our children; their future readiness? STEM is their future—the technological era in which they live, their best career options lie around it. STEM Education encourages and bolsters future readiness. Students learn to problem solve as they research and follow processes for investigations. Whether it’s the Engineering Design Process, the Design-Thinking Process, or the Scientific Method, our students learn to collaborate with others; asking pertinent questions; assume leadership roles periodically; and try out lots of ideas to reach a solution.

Benefit of STEM to Nigerian students
STEM Education is of vital to our Nigerian students because;
There’s a shortage of STEM Job Professionals for a Rapidly increasing STEM Job Market. There is huge gap between jobs that are in high demand and the skills required to fill them – and the gap is only going to get worse grow if we keep doing nothing to stem it (excuse the pun.)
Also, Innovation will revitalize our economy. We all see the technological boom happening around us and it’s sweeping all of us in it’s wave. There are constantly new gadgets being designed every minute it seems and it’s hard to keep up with the latest trends. Yet, these trends are essential for the economy; jobs are created and money flows in circulation
STEM careers are truly “helping” professions that build communities and transform nations.

Other project and activities
We had STEM Day awareness outreaches last year and ran a STEM Bootcamp in August 2017. We are running the STEM Bootcamp again on the mainland of Lagos. We will be having a larger program in August 2018 for 100 children and it will integrate a lot of amazing, fun activities for our children in Lagos. On April 21st 2018, we will be having our first Annual conference- STEM Power where our ultimate goal is to enhance teachers’ interest and performance in teaching STEM courses while fostering STEM skills for their students that are important prerequisites for engineering, medical, science and computer science careers. The main activities of our social enterprise is i) Advocacy on STEM education ii) Training of Teachers iii) Development of STEM learning iv)STEM Kits procurement v)STEM Curriculum development vi) Educational Technology programs vii)STEM Bootcamps viii) STEM workshops/conferences ix) Carisma4U STEM Innovators Club and x) Mentoring of students

Reward
The greatest reward I receive for what I do is when children approach me and tell me that I made STEM fun for them after their teacher made it loathsome to them.
Carisma4u in five years
Carisma4U will be positioned as innovative and reliable educational resource born out of dedicated and diligent approach for shaping the future intellectual human capital; aligning to emerging global trends and aspirations.
We are working in phases; first phase will influence the system by activism and awareness for priming it to create a favorable disposition for the adoption of the concept. In the second phase the much needed support and resources for the concept is to be accumulated for the implementation of the concept. In the third phase the actors to the concept will be influenced for the adoption of the concept.

Giving up
My tag line or personal motto is “Nuquam Cede” it means Never give up in Latin. Giving up isn’t an option that I give myself. I might need a break or encouragement in whatever form that it appears, but I don’t allow myself to think of resignation.

I add value, I am a Woman of Rubies
A woman of rubies is a woman who adds value to her family, her community and nation at large. She is concerned about the wellbeing of others and works tirelessly to contribute her quota to making the world a better place. I am tenacious about this being a driving tenet in my life; to make a difference with the gifts that I have been bestowed with. To help our children have a better world than the one that we currently inhabit.

In Interviews&profile April 5, 2018 By Women of Rubies

MEET THE SOUTH AFRICAN LADY CREATING AWARENESS FOR MENTAL ILLNESS THROUGH RUNNING

South African, Zanele Hlatshwayo is creating awareness for mental health through running

After losing her father to suicide, Hlatshwayo cried a lot. The mourning process got so close to affecting her mental health that she started looking for ways to deal with her emotions. Eventually, running turned out to be her coping mechanism.

Speaking with IOL, she said:

“When I started, I was running away from the situation. I didn’t want to deal with it anymore but the more I ran, the more I realized it is helping me deal with it.”

It’s been more than 10 years since she started road running and she’s still going strong. Now she’s taking it up a notch by running 18 races around South Africa in just seven months!

(Photo: Wits Business School via Twitter)

To show she means business, Hlatshwayo has already completed seven races since January. With 11 to go, she has partnered with the crowd-funding platform, BackaBuddy to raise R180,000 (more than N5 million) for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).

Explaining how running relates to mental health, she said:

“Running also signifies pain that people who are depressed go through because in many instances, when you run…there’s a lot that you go through, physically and emotionally. It’s a similar process for those who suffer from depression.”

Hlatshwayo will cap off this feat with a 180km race in the Eastern Cape by the end of July.

Source: konbini.com

In Interviews&profile April 5, 2018 By Women of Rubies

THE AMAZING STORY OF ALHAJA ASIATA ONIKOYI WHO HAS LIVED WITH SICKLE CELL ANEMIA FOR 93 YEARS

Alhaja Ashiata Abike Onikoyi-Laguda will be 94 years old October 2018 and she still lives a robust life though she has the highly feared SS genotype.

Alhaja Laguda, as she is popularly called, said during an interview with The Nation, that she stopped having Sickle Cell attacks since she turned 40, though her genotype is still the same.

Here are a few things she said:

On being sickly

“Doctors see me and wonder what a miracle I am.

She recalled that being sickly was tougher at the time she was growing up because nobody knew about sickle cell anemia. She was always sick to the point that in a whole year, she may attend school only about three months of the entire annual school calendar while she spent the other months sick and at home. She was given all sorts of concoctions to cure her illness due to the ignorance surrounding the ailment.

“I was taken to the hospital; then they still brought all sorts of concoction from the Igbo tribe, from Yoruba people and from Hausa part of the country, because it was a very serious sickness. I just took everything that they gave me. They would cut me on every part of my body but I gave myself to them because I wanted to live.”

When the illness attacked her hands, she recalled that she would not be able to use them for anything – not even to eat. When it attacked her legs, she would not be able to walk, and whenever she was at home, she must be by the fire-side, to keep her warm.

On shame and insults

“They called me ‘abiku’ and several other names, but thank God things have changed today. Also, the government is doing everything within its power to enlighten the people about the disease.”

On how her father cared for her

She said her father pampered her because he feared he could lose her at any moment. So he mostly kept her away from school.

She said: “If he didn’t die, I probably wouldn’t have been educated because he said I should be left at home so that they can watch over me every time.

“He insisted that because of my nature, no teacher should beat me. He would say I should be left at home even when I was not having any attacks; but when he died I had no choice because my mum insisted I went to school. That, in a nutshell, was how it became possible for me to go to school.”

Before she took a fall

Before I fell, I used to walk from my house here in Ilasamaja, Lagos to Mushin and Oshodi market as a form of exercise because I believe walking is the best exercise one can engage in. I walked like that until I was 90 when I fell and had to stop.”

Prior to her fall, Alhaja Laguda used to go to hospitals to talk to people living with Sickle Cell anemia, lecture them, and encourage them.

On raising sickle cell children

She called on parents with children suffering from sickle cell anemia to take care of the children very well, feed them well and show them lots of love.

“This will make it easier for them to live with the disease. When it is cold, keep them warm; don’t keep them at home because they are always sick; let them go to school, it is very important,” she said.

On if she wants to live longer

She said she hopes to leave this earth soon, adding: “I want to go but God has not killed me, so I have no choice but live.”

Credit: The Nation, Fab Woman

In Interviews&profile April 4, 2018 By Women of Rubies

MEET SALMA AL-MAJIDI, THE FIRST ARAB AND SUDANESE WOMAN TO COACH A MEN’S FOOTBALL TEAM

In 2012, Sudan’s Islamic Fiqh Council issued a religious banning the formation of a national women’s football team in the country. Their reason? It’s an ‘immoral act’. While the order has made most Sudanese women abandon their dreams of becoming professional footballers, Salma al-Majidi has gone around it by becoming a football coach instead – and her players are all men!

Acknowledged by FIFA as the first Arab and Sudanese woman to coach a men’s football team, al-Majidi started dreaming about a career in football at the age of 16. Confident that what a man can do a woman can also do, she approached a coach in charge of a boys’ team and asked to work with him.

Speaking with AFP, she said:

“At the end of every training session, I discussed with him the techniques he used to coach the boys. He saw I had a knack for coaching and gave me a chance to work with him.”

From there, she started coaching under-13 and under-16 teams. Now at 27, not only does she have the CAF “B” badge – meaning she can coach any first league team across the continent – she has coached four Sudanese men’s clubs so far. Two of the clubs even topped local leagues under her coaching.

Determined to succeed, al-Majidi looks forward to coaching an international team someday.

Culled from konbini.com

In Interviews&profile March 31, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“I WAS IN JUNIOR CLASS WHEN I TOLD MY MUM I WANTED TO LEARN FASHION DESGINING”- ANIMASHAUN AMINAT ADERAYO

Animashaun Aminat Aderayo is the CEO of Switt fashion and leather works which is a Nigerian company founded in 2012. A Company make use of quality leather and fabrics such as Ankara, Aso-ofi, silk and satin to produce handmade shoes with matching bags and accessories for women, as well as high quality leather footwear for men. she created the brand name ” De’rayo” and launched her vocational institute “De’rayo vocational Limited” which is into training of youths and youth corp members to be experts in a field of their choice in the fashion industry.

She had her Diploma in marketing from Olabisi Onabanjo university, studied French and have Delf certificate in French,studied B.sc. Entrepreneurial and business administration at Nigeria National Open University.

She also studied Entrepreneurial Development at Enterprise Development Center, Lagos Business School. Derayo is also the co-founder of Prospects for Girls Foundation, an NGO that train and empower young girls in Africa. The young entrepreneur who believes Nigeria will be great again shares her inspiring story in this exclusive interview.

Childhood Influence

When I was at age 6, what I do most times is to stitch fabrics together. I remember vividly when I was in JSS 2, I told my Mum I wanted to learn fashion designing at her friends’ shop which I resume there after school each day instead of going to extra lesson. I did not know then I would become an entrepreneur. All I noticed at a tender age is that I enjoy marketing. I can market a product I don’t have with word of mouth and people will demand for it. I started out selling book stands, scarf and fashion accessories among others.
I enjoy marketing which I later studied at Olabisi Onabanjo University at 2004.

Meet Me

I am Animashaun Aminat Aderayo the creative director and CEO of Switt Fashion and Leather Works based in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The company was founded in the year 2012. The company makes use of quality leather and fabrics such as Ankara, Adire, and Aso-Ofi to produce handmade shoes, with matching bags and accessories for women, as well as high quality leather footwear for men.

I created the brand name “De’rayo”. I’m also the CEO of “De’rayo Vocational Limited” which is into training of youths to be an expert in a field in Fashion Industry. I studied Diploma in marketing from Olabisi Onabanjo University, studied French and have a Delf Certificate in French; I studied B. Sc. Entrepreneurial and business administration at Nigeria National Open University.

I also studied Entrepreneurial Management at Enterprise Development Center, Lagos Business School. I’m the co-founder of prospects for girls foundation, an NGO that train and Empower young girls in Africa.

Inspiration behind Switt Fashion and Leather Works
Switt Fashion and Leather Works is a manufacturing company that is into production of Shoes, Bags and Accessories with quality leather and fabrics such as Aso-Ofi, Ankara and Adire.

We produce for other brands both locally and internationally. We produce for 18 Forever a London base brand and Redefine Africa in Pennsylvania USA and brands in Nigeria.

The inspiration behind Switt Fashion is to see quality products produce here in Nigeria by us for us to the world and for the fact that I want to reduce the rate of unemployment which I known setting up a factory will help to employ certain number of youths and the factory success can also be a source of motivation to Nigeria Youths, that it can work here in Nigeria against all odds.

Challenges

The challenges are enormous, but have confirmed that greatest opportunities are gotten from greatest challenges. Firstly is acting as the Creative Director and CEO at the same time is not sustainable, inadequate power supply

Empowering Youths and Corpers
Empowering Youths and Corpers is our company Corporate Social Responsibilities CSR and it is actual one of my core passion to see lots of youths create jobs for others, so we can all reduce the rate of unemployment that is alarming, and the best place to catch them is during NYSC, I also visit orphanage homes to train orphans on Ankara craft and the company also gives out scholarship to youths with interest by training them for free. I want to change the narratives; I am a shoemaker with a difference. I want to groom young entrepreneurs that value culture, education and also produce quality products to the world.

Tell us about your other project and activities

De’rayo Vocational Limited is a provider of fashion and craft education to all levels. We balance the know-how of design production with an international vision. We offer training on shoemaking designing, bag making designing, texture designing, fashion accessory designing, fashion business, fashion marketing and merchandizing. We offer diploma certificate in all our courses. We provide state of the art learning facilities, equipped practical rooms our vocational center is located at 61, Adesam Plaza Dikat, Ring Road, Ibadan. We also do online training which you can enroll on our website: www.dvi.institute.

Reward
I got a scholarship from World Bank (women x) extraordinary women where I was trained at Lagos business school, enterprise development centre for free. I was also awarded personality of month by JCI (Jimson Chambers International) Oluyole Chapter, Ibadan, Nigeria. I have participated in many exhibition and conference.

My brand in the next five years
We would have our stores nationwide and export to other countries. Expansion of our factory which we will be able to employ (50) fifty people and turn our vocational limited into a conventional universities where we produce certified shoemakers, bag makers and curtisam.

Giving up

No, not at all, there are ups and downs which I believe every profession has. I enjoy what I do a lot that is why it is difficult for me to turn my back at it. My burning passion boosts my moral sometimes when I’m down.

Who and what inspire you to be better

My Mentor – Mrs. Atinuke Fadahunsi Smith, (Datina Designs) she supports me and my mother Mrs. Aderonke Animashaun. I learn from afar my role model as well Mrs. Sola Babatunde (OSC College of Fashion). My inspiration comes from seeing quality products made in Nigeria and promoting our culture to the world. Our traditions and culture is very rich which we need to tell our stories through them, our designs celebrates Africa culture and tradition.

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am a woman of rubies because I nurture the next generation of creative leaders and thinkers, I nurture my God given abilities. I dream and yearn for a better Nigeria which I am doing my part to make Nigeria great. I believe in making sure everyone wins which reflects in all my daily activities. I support all women businesses and mentor aspiring youths to become an entrepreneur.

Final word for women all over the world

The expert in anything was once a beginner.Do not let anything stand in your starting, start something, start somewhere, just start, follow your dream and passion. Don’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream, you’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself.

In Interviews&profile March 24, 2018 By Women of Rubies

“NEVER ALLOW YOURSELLF FEEL LIKE YOU CAN’T DO ANYTHING” – BOLA BANWO

Bolanle Banwo is a brand Identity designer from Lagos, Nigeria. She helps brands tell compelling stories via creative designs. Much of her work is centered around helping small and medium businesses create smart impressions and build strong identities via good communication designs. Bolanle is the Founder and Lead Creative at the Female Designer Movement, an initiative she launched with a mission to train and equip women with design skillset and thereby help increase the number of women in the Nigerian Technology ecosystem. She shares her story and the inspiration behind her initiative in this interview.

Growing Up
I have always loved Art and Art related subjects right from nursery school. I found myself always illustrating on paper and anything I could find. I drew so much all my school notes were filled with drawings from the back. For me drawing came naturally and it was a way to ease myself. I think all those experiences contributed in preparing me for today.

Meet Me
I’m Banwo Omobolanle , a Brand Identity, User Interface / User experience designer, Illustrator and Animator. I am the Founder and Lead Creative at The Female Designer Movement, an initiative borne out of my desire to see more women actively involved in the Nigerian Technology / Design ecosystem.
I’m also a lover of good food and I hope to travel to china soon to have a plate of their locally made noodles in spicy soup.

Being a Brand Identity designer
Basically, I help brands tell compelling visual stories through intelligent design, illustrations and animations. Every brand has a unique identity and message that they would like to convey to their audience. My job entails coming up with creative visual content.

Challenges
People say Nigeria is beginning to embrace Art, But I think even if we are…It’s not fast enough. We need more initiatives in place to protect Art and everything related to it. My dream is to see people confidently take up Design as a profession without fear of not earning enough.

Inspiration behind Female Designer Movement
The Female Designer Movement is an initiative I launched to equip women with design skillset. I have nursed the idea in my heart for a while and decided to go ahead and launch it this year. Our first meetup held on the third of March while the other was held on March 10th. We had over 150 ladies who registered for the sessions. The response has been awesome and exciting, and we’ve only just started.
The ultimate goal is to increase the number of women in the Design and Tech industry. I desire to see more and more women get technical skillsets and take on important roles on tech companies and work on interesting projects in the industry. We intend to reach more females in secondary schools and keep training and creating opportunities for more and more of them across the country and then we’ll to other African countries eventually. It’s a huge project and I’m excited at the interesting journey that lies ahead of us. We plan to go even bigger, to reach out to more women around Nigeria. We can only achieve this by getting the support we need. So we are open to partnerships and support from individuals and organisations.

Reward
As regards TFDM, my greatest reward is the genuine joy and satisfaction displayed on the faces of the people we trained. Knowing that what I do or did helped add tangible value to their lives, which will go on to affect their careers…it’s a priceless feeling.
I think it’s about the same thing with my other works with brands that I create designs for. The satisfaction they show at the work I deliver, and knowing how important it is to them is actually very encouraging. I like to do work that matters and being able to achieve that is the greatest reward anyone can hope for.

Where I see my brand in 5 years
I see us becoming the most recognized training institute for women in Nigeria. I also see us making immeasurable impact in other African countries as well.

Giving up
Definitely, there were times I felt like just leaving this profession to do something completely different. I held on because of the genuine love I have for design. I place fulfilment above everything other thing.

Who and what inspire me to be better
I have a couple of people who have inspired me over time. Paula Scher and Chris Do are some of these people. I am inspired by the work that they do and the impact that they make.

Being a Woman of Rubies
Over time, I have had to be strong, focused and relentless. I have seen myself grow into becoming the woman I am now. I have not allowed obstacles stop me from doing what I love.

Final word for young women all over the world
I would like to encourage every young woman not to give up on themselves and on their dreams, Don’t look down on yourself and never allow yourself feel like you can’t do anything. Learn, develop yourself, your skill and of course tell God your plans so he can show you the best way to achieve it. You can be anything. You can do anything.

In Career Gems March 23, 2018 By Women of Rubies

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO SWEARS IN FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT

Eight years after the country’s first female Prime Minister was elected, Trinidad and Tobago witnessed the swearing-in ceremony of the country’s first female President, Paula-Mae Weekes.

Following her swearing in, President Weekes said that citizens have to make the choice to fight the ‘darkness’ threatening the nation.

“Our destinies are inextricably linked. Many experts beset us with dismal stories, they tell us Trinidad and Tobago is perilously close to the point of no return….that we will soon be a failed state….so what are we to do?”

“As I see it, we have two choices; we can lament, blame, criticize and allow a miasma of despair to overwhelm us, or we can consciously choose the alternative…not dream about the alternatives but mobilize our resources to step out boldly and make Trinidad and Tobago a better place for us and our children…all the while understanding that although faith is a necessity, without action it is useless.”

“Confront the darkness and declare that it will not take over…good things are indeed possible for Trinidad and Tobago,” she said.

She urged citizens to create doable short-term plans to help assist their communities.

“I ask all of you to find ways to make a positive difference in whatever your sphere of influence…practicable, doable projects, the results of which can be seen and measures in the short term.”

“Many organizations have been asking to meet with me, but let’s not meet just for meeting sake. Come armed with your ideas, your feasible projects to improve the quality of life in our nation nothing will catch my eye faster than a man or woman with a plan,” she said.

She also urged citizens to consciously move away from violent thoughts, actions and speech.

“We speak about how violent we have become, but the climate of violence is not in overt acts, it’s embedded in everyday talk, schools, business places, rum shops, and worst of all in homes.”

She also urged citizens to join her and to help bring the country to greatness.

“Do not let me walk alone. By faith let us stand together side by side as we carry our nation to greatness.”

Weekes was put forward by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for the position in January 2018 and was elected on January 19, 2018.

Weekes is the sixth President of Trinidad and Tobago and carries on from former president Anthony Carmona.

Weekes, a former student of Bishop Anstey High School, attended the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, from which she graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree. She then went on to the Hugh Wooding Law School and was called to the Bar in 1982.

After graduation, she worked in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for 11 years, before going into private practice in 1993.

She was appointed to the judiciary in 1996 and to the Court of Appeals in 2005, where she served until her retirement in 2016.

In September 2016, Weekes was appointed to the appeals court in the Turks and Caicos.

Credit: www.looptt.com

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