Interviews&profile Archives

In Editor's Choice March 27, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

I started Omaness Skinfood To Empower And Enrich The Lives Of Women- Ifeoma Adibe-Chukwuka

From the humblest of beginnings, Ifeoma Adibe-Chukwuka began her journey into social entrepreneurship at 19 when she founded her first non-profit organization (AYECI Africa) focused on providing educational intervention and access to work opportunities for young people and women in low-income communities.

Ifeoma is also the Founder and CEO of The Omaness Skinfood Company, an indigenous skinfood production company which began its operation in 2018. She broke the mould to become West Africa’s first homegrown skinfood products company “with an all-women direct distribution and merchant force”, as she likes to say.

Social Impact, Economic Empowerment and African Development- These three words best describe Ifeoma’s focus as an Entrepreneur. In 2019, Omaness launched the Business of Skinfood Program, a unique distribution model that allows Omaness to retail its products directly to consumers everyday through an all-women merchant force! The Business of Skinfood program is a deliberate approach to unlock a generation of new sustainable income source for women and exemplify the ideal of creating African-based solutions to African problems.

With over 40 products in the market, Ifeoma is breaking boundaries through Omaness Skinfood. She shares her inspiring journey exclusively with Esther Ijewere in this Interview.

Childhood Influence

One of my childhood dreams was to become a beauty queen. I recall being fascinated by the world of beauty pageantry. I was not only drawn by the glamour and I was deeply inspired by the way beauty queens used their voice and their platform to advocate, raise public awareness and support for worthy social causes. I remember I had a diary where I wrote down the names of several beauty queens and a portfolio of the social causes they were involved in.

As a teenager, this experience helped influence my ambition, and nurtured my interest to become a social change agent.

Today, I am a social entrepreneur who advocates strongly for women empowerment, education and local enterprise development. I may not be your regular beauty queen but I’m living out the childhood dream I once had to use my voice, skill and platform for social good!

Inspiration behind Omaness Skinfood

Before starting Omaness Skinfood, I had spent over a decade working and creating charity interventions for young people and women in low-income communities. During that period one of the things that became a pressing concern for me as I worked in those communities, was how I could help women who struggled with financial inadequacies and lack of opportunity to earn a decent income.

In 2016, while I was pregnant with my first child, I got a gift of shea butter from one of the women who was a beneficiary of my organization’s community learning program and I had my first real skin-enriching experience with that shea butter! The shea butter was so good and I wondered why this woman wasn’t making more money from her produce? It was this question that sparked the idea for Omaness Skinfood!

I thought to myself “How can I use my platform to get more people to know about this woman’s amazing local produce and get them to buy?” This was when I realized that if I can do this, I would have created a solution that can enable local artisan women earn more and have a sustainable income source.

This is what inspired me to start Omaness Skinfood, knowing I could create a social business that would enable me to enrich the lives of women in a sustainable and profitable manner!

The journey so far

Initially, when we launched Omaness Skinfood products the reception was slow because the majority of our target consumers were only used to foreign cosmetic products, while others were interested in skin whitening products. But over the last 4years since we launched Omaness Skinfood, we have stayed true to the mission behind the brand that is “to use naturally-active homegrown ingredients to create functional skinfood products best suited for the African skin” and I must say that our consistent brand positioning is gradually paying off as the consumer reception for our products has improved compared to when we first started!

What motivated me to start my entrepreneurship journey at age 19

I founded my first non-profit organization (AYECI Africa) at 19 while I was a student at Lagos State Polytechnic. My campus was located in a low-income community and I witnessed first-hand the lack of learning opportunities and exposure that affected many low-income students. This became my motivation for venturing into social entrepreneurship and founding AYECI Africa. With funding from corporate sponsorship and volunteer support the organization provides access to learning, employability skills and dignified livelihood opportunities for under-served young people and women.

How I Impacted the lives of over 30,000 youths and raised over N250m funding support

First, there’s a sense of fulfilment that comes with this kind of achievement, knowing that what I do is making a real difference in the lives of people who would not have otherwise benefitted without my intervention.

Secondly, I feel a sense of responsibility to do more! Knowing that there are millions of other young people and women in need of social intervention.

Challenges of running my business

First, one of the challenges we encounter at Omaness Skinfood is (impact) sourcing of our raw materials. Our business model at Omaness Skinfood is deliberate in its approach at ensuring women are key players and direct beneficiaries in supplying our raw materials. However, because the majority of these women are rural dwellers with limited access to mechanized processing equipment, we usually face the challenge of sourcing bulk materials within a shorter time frame. There is also the challenge we face with cumbersome government policies and rising cost of production that are unfavourable to growing businesses like mine.

Omaness products, our skinfood programme and accessibility of our products

Our skinfood products at Omaness are formulated to be functional to address common African skin concerns. We use naturally-active homegrown ingredients like shea butter, dogonyaro, tamarind, baobab etc. to create products that provide nourishment, healing and help our people put their best skin forward! Our skinfood products are sold directly to the final consumers through our authorized skinfood merchants. We created the business of skinfood distribution program onboard women to become independent retailers of our skinfood products, The program provides training, business support and empowers women to earn and build their own skinfood retail business.

How Omaness has impacted the women’s community

Since our official launch in 2018, Omaness has continued to enrich the lives of women. As a women-driven and impact-focused skinfood company, we have been deliberate in our approach at ensuring women are active players and profit fairly in every stage of our value chain. Omaness has continued to enrich the lives of women who are part of our supply chain in Badagry, Maiduguri, Nsukka, Tede,and Akure. We are also providing employment for the women who work in our production facility and creating an opportunity for hundreds of women to earn profitably by retailing our products as Skinfood Merchants.

What I enjoy most about my job

One of the things I enjoy most about my job as a social entrepreneur is the sense of purpose and fulfillment it gives me, seeing that my work is solving a social problem and making a real difference in the lives of people, communities and the African continent!

3 women who inspire me and why

First, would be Sara Blakely, an American female inventor, entrepreneur and founder of Spanx, a global leading shapewear and undergarment brand. I admire how she built her company from scratch into a global prominent brand now worth over $1billion. Next would be Tara Fela Durotoye, a Nigerian beauty entrepreneur and founder of House of Tara International. I admire how she pioneered the bridal makeup profession in Nigeria and a prestigious Nigerian-owned makeup line. Finally, would be Madam C.J Walker, I got to discover her story through a Netflix true life inspired series. It was so inspiring watching her story about how she created a homemade line of hair care products for Black women and her rise from poverty to becoming one of the wealthiest African American women of her time! One thing that stood out for me about her was how she built her haircare empire and financially empowered over 20,000 black women who sold her products.

Message for young women who are trying to go into skinfood business

There is room for more! We are yet to scratch the surface of Africa’s skinfood sector potential!

Work-life balance

First, I am able to manage it all because I have an amazing support system. I am blessed to have a husband who understands, supports me fully and is constantly encouraging me to succeed! As a mom of 2 daughters one of the things that have kept me grounded is the aspiration to become the woman they can look up to and I hope my career and impact as an entrepreneur play a role to help them see that they were born to make a difference!

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am a woman who continues to use her work as an entrepreneur to serve and enrich the lives of others! This is what makes me a WOMAN OF RUBIES!

In Career Gems April 4, 2022 By Women of Rubies

LAPO MFB And Wevvo Nigeria Set To Support Female Breadwinners

LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited, (LAPO MfB) , a premium microfinance institution in sub-Sahara Africa partners with the Wevvo Nigeria, a non-governmental organization to provide support to female bread winners who are; Widows, Divorcees or Single Mothers (WDS)

Speaking the media , Ikponmwosa Cynthia , Managing Director, LAPO MfB reiterates “LAPO MfB is a pro-women organization , for over 30 years providing easy access to micro-credits to women and free social advocacy services: health, legal aids, skills acquisition and scholarships for clients children to bridge the poverty gaps in a sustainable manner. Today, over 1 trillion Naira has been disbursed in micro- credit to women in Nigeria.

Women and children are referred to as vulnerable, this partnership is an alignment of vision aimed at breaking barriers and bridging vulnerability by providing easy access to credit and social support systems to this “special” sets of women who are already breadwinners for their families in the society.

In the same light, Weyinmi Eribo, the founder and chief community builder of Wevvo Nigeria further reiterates “ this initiative is born out of the genuine passion to break the barriers that female breadwinners face and provide economic growth opportunities for these women to enable them compete favourably, be of more value to themselves, their families and communities” Wevvo Nigeria is a community based platform that supports female breadwinners across Nigeria with access to finance, capacity development and a safe space to thrive.

This initiative has birthed 2 unique financial products for female breadwinners. A loan product at 2.5% monthly interest and can access up to 3Million Naira without collateral, and a savings product with target savings which provides access to free hospital cash insurance policy and scholarship for a child.

This initiative will among other things provide; speedy and easy access to credit facilities for economically active female breadwinners across Nigeria; manpower and capacity development, business advisory services; and other social interventions.

To know more about the loan, and how to apply, send a DM to @wevvo.ng on Instagram.

In Editor's Choice March 26, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

‘My Mother’s Legacy Is The Inspiration Behind Black Diamonds Support Foundation’-Adefunke Oluremi Adewumi

Adefunke Oluremi Adewumi is a goal getter and a force to reckon with. She is committed to supporting indigent communities, providing shelter for homeless victims of domestic violence , and empowering widows and single mums across the nation, through her non-governmental organisation, Black Diamonds Support Foundation (BDSF).

Adefunke’s popularity increased with her annual outreach tagged ‘PROJECT 5000’ – An event which comes up every year, on the 26th of December, and brings together a minimum of 5000 indigent children from various slums across the state, and they are given free medical attention, free back-to-school packs, food, clothing, and a Christmas party. Her passion for seeing both children and adults live to their full capabilities and for women to thrive, birthed her creating the ‘ UNMASKED – Her Truth’ event, which allows women to be free, and be themselves, without the fear of being judged or condemned.

The Alumni of the University of Ado-Ekiti and Master of Arts in International relations and strategic studies from Benue state University is also the CEO of The Food Sense Shop- A business that boasts of selling a variety of African items across the world.

Defunke is a passionate Gender-based Violence advocate who has continuously used her platforms to advocate and support victims of domestic violence, rape , child abuse and molestation. and lend her voice to voiceless single mums in the society. She is committed to adding value to humanity and living intentionally.

She shares her inspiring journey with Esther Ijewere in this interview.

Childhood Influence

I was born into a family filled with love and independence, my was my first role model , she was a skillful entrepreneur and counsel head . My mother was a perfectionist, and she could multitask diligently. She was a major mentor in what I’ve grown to become today. My house was always occupied by total strangers, homeless and orphaned children, widows and impoverished women and men because my mother was a philanthropist to the core. She embraces everyone and would even prefer to give her last drop of water to a thirsty stranger than for her to drink it.

I would say the life she lived molded me into what I do now , going over the edge to get things done and being able to spearhead multiple things at a time from my childhood .

Inspiration behind Black Diamonds Support Foundation (BDSF)

My mother’s legacy is the inspiration behind Black Diamonds Support Foundation, she was a lover of children , women , widows , orphans and the homeless. After she passed on to glory there were lots of people who depended on her for survival and I could not sit by and watch her legacy die.

Why I bring 5000 indigent children together for my annual project

Yes I do that to put smiles on the faces of these underserved children in mostly neglected communities. We have been running it for years. Unfortunately, It couldn’t hold in 2021 due to the covid 19 safety guides , instead we did project 5000 food boxes , we supplied 5000 families with raw food items that is enough to last for the festive period ( rice , noodles , spaghetti, semo, oil, garri, yam flour , pepper and tomato pastes) we also supported children with back to school items like bags and books.

Motivation behind my food items brand; “Food sense shop”

The Food Sense Shop was born out of my love for healthy foods, I appreciate nature alot and it had always been my dream to own my own raw food brand where I can change the common use of additives and chemical preservatives in our food items. Majority of the sickness out there is as a result of unhealthy foods and drinks we take in. To cause a change in getting local foods without preservation, led me to start the food sense shop.

My passion and drive for issues that affect women and children, such as rape, domestic violence and molestation, and we can get the society involved

I have been a victim of domestic violence, sexual assaults, child discrimination and abuse. This has been a drive for me to rescue as many as I can and my late mum for women and children when she was alive had been a force to do more than she had done. The helplessness of vulnerable women and children are heartbreaking, they can be traumatizing. I can’t just keep quiet when I know there is something I can do in my little way to help people. I can identify with them, I’ve been in their shoes, their hurts and abuse and hunger is like mine. We have gone to slums across the country to do our bits and we hope they pass it on too.

Challenges as an entrepreneur and stakeholder in the GBV sector

The economic meltdown is a major challenge for an entrepreneur like me, the prices of raw materials have skyrocketed by over a 100% and this kills business by paralyzing the demand curve. Despite being in the business of locally harvested crops. As a GBV Survivor and advocate, the laid-back attitude, insensitivity of our people, the cultural patriarchal communal living system, impunity, lack of funds and emotional trauma we face is extreme these days. Forget all the paperwork and policies. We are still far behind in getting it right as a country in the area of prompt sensitivity to GBV.

other projects and activities

Unmasked hertruth: A women group we created to intentionally be Deliberate to be better as women in all ramifications. A healing, learning and networking hub for women 16+.

We are also trying to raise funds for our humanitarian projects this year and extend our Humanitarian Services to more zones in Nigeria, and expand food sense shop in a global model as the number one choice for African (Nigeria) locally foods suppliers.

3 women who inspire me and why

My late Mum: She was a phenomenal legend. A giver per excellence. Philanthropist to the core who goes all out of her way to ensure women and children in her community do well. She is a lover of Humanity, she works for others to be happy

Tobore Anne Emorhokpor: She is the drive for the majority of our projects and goes all out to ensure our humanitarian projects do not go unaccomplished. Our coming together had helped us to achieve so many feats because she is selfless and committed to ensure women and children are not helpless in her own way.

Ellen DeGeneres: Her heart of giving is second to none and she is non judgemental and love everyone no matter who they are and help as many as she can help, without thinking of who or what they are

My perception of marriage as it relates to the Nigerian society

To me marriage is a union of togetherness and when I say ‘togetherness’ , it is in the entirety of its sense , in all aspects of the union . I am not a believer of the average Nigerian mentality that most couples practice, you’re married and you can both do what you like in the way that pleases either of you, a union should be about support, communication, motivation, growth , loyalty, commitment and a foundation built on God.

Stigmatization of single mums

There is so much stigmatization, Cultural setbacks and society victimizing single mums. There is so much to be done, but if single mums can give support to each other,dignifying their option of taking the bold steps of living for their kids despite societal judgmental insensitive patriarchal approach to them, they will rise above all the odds that is a daily factor to limit them from their goals in life. I will also want single mums to stop the pity party victimization of themselves. Being a single mum is not a disability. Be dignified

Being a Woman of Rubies, mom, entrepreneur, women’s advocate, and support system to many, and managing it all

I take each day as it come, as I know that each of these roles must not fail. So I do well in planning, delegating duties to others.

—

In Inspiration March 21, 2022 By Women of Rubies

She Wanted To Be A Lawyer But Ended Up A Carpenter, The Story Of Comfort Adzigbli

Adzigbli Nana Ama Comfort is a skilled carpenter, a not so common field that women thread. All the way from Ghana. She is a furniture architect and designer who had earlier wanted to be lawyer.

Adzigbli is the CEO and founder of Namas Decor GH. Her company offers services such as 3D mirrors, Beddings, Curtains, Furniture, Tiling & plumbing, 3D plan and architecture designs, Home & office interior & exterior décor, Event planning, Painting and wall arts.

As a young girl, Adzigbli dreamt of becoming a lawyer but to carry on her father’s legacy, she ended up becoming a female carpenter in a male-dominated industry.

“My Dad’s dying words to me affected me positively,” she said. “He said I will never be successful in any career aside carpentry. I laughed and asked why. He said I was born to lead the feminine generation into creativity.”

She grew up making penny boxes and fixing broken tables, chairs and petty damages at home with her dad. “I didn’t train to be a carpenter. My Dad was one and because I was Daddy’s girl I learned it from him. I was always with him whilst he was working,” she said in an interview with Ghanaian blogger Edward Asare.

Adzigbli didn’t take his words seriously at first so went ahead with her life after her father’s demise. She tried out several things before settling.

After completing her studies at Aburi Presbyterian Secondary Technical Senior High School, she joined the showbiz industry as a model, but did not excel and went into acting. That also did not go well hence she gave up on show business.

At that point, she decided to venture into carpentry with the knowledge and training she received from helping her late father. Adzigbli now runs a fast-growing carpentry and furniture design shop.

“Patience, humility, creativity, ready to learn and good human relations are attributes one must possess to survive in the industry, and she is proud to say she has got them all and is surviving well. It doesn’t get easier dealing with very complicated clients’ needs,” she revealed.

One of her biggest achievements has been putting up her own house and owning a car from the toils and sweats of working as a carpenter.

In Editor's Choice March 12, 2022 By Women of Rubies

#Interview| I Started Safe Pregnancy Africa To Curb Maternal And Child Mortality Rate- Emmanuella Inah

Nurses are unique, they have the insatiable need to care for others, and that is their strength. Caring is the essence of nursing and midwives . These words describe Emannuella Inah , a registered Nurse and Midwife who is touching lives, and changing narratives through her work.

She is passionate about seeing that women of African descent go through pregnancy effortlessly and are armed with information relevant for maternal and child health. Through her initiative; Safe Pregnancy Africa, a community of black women which she founded. Emmanuella dedicates her time to teaching and mentoring women through the trimesters of pregnancy, contributing to curbing maternal and child mortality rates in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

She is also the founder of the Preggy pidgin podcast, a platform that gained global recognition after emerging as one of the 35 best pregnancy podcasts in the world in 2021. She uses the platform to reach the inner cities of Africa, educating people on successfully transitioning from pregnancy to delivery without complications using the Nigerian pidgin, a language as old as Nigeria and spoken in several countries of the Africa continent.

In 2020, Emmanuella was listed as one of the 100 outstanding women Nurse and Midwife leaders in the world. A list which was compiled by the World Health Organization, International Council of Midwives, Nursing Now, Women in global health and UNPFA.

She has three books to her name, one of which is titled “The PREGGY workbook “ . It is a simplified guide to going through pregnancy and labour with concrete information and a space for the pregnant woman to journal her experiences using prompts and questions from the book. The book is written with captivating content laced in stories that catches the human’s heart and attention.

Emmanuella is a force to reckon with and a visionary. She shares her inspiring journey with Esther Ijewere in this interview.

Growing up

The thought of being a Nurse or midwife never crossed my mind until a school Nurse said I acted like a real Nurse. This was in primary school, many years before I became an adult but her words never left my mind. I would later ask my mother if I truly behaved like a Nurse. It was all exciting, I took her words as a compliment, dear compliments. What nobody realised was that She planted a desire in my heart. I read books because my mother said Nurses read big books and solved hard mathematical equations because papa says it’s what Nurses do. My uniforms were neat and ironed because I didn’t want Nurse Joy to take back her kind words. The foundation for the Nurse I am today was laid years before I realised I would someday be a Nurse.

I grew into loving the profession, I had access to beautiful videos and pictures of Nurses , my mother made them available, she told me lovely stories too. Those stories infiltrated my subconsciousness and made me long for the day I would wear the Nurse’ white gown and the Nightingale’s cap. So, it wasn’t difficult to choose Nursing when I got two admission letters to either study Nursing and Chemical Science.

Inspiration behind my initiatives; Safe Pregnancy Africa and Preggy pidgin podcast

In 2018, I and three other midwives were posted to a community in Nigeria to serve for a month. In those few weeks, my eyes were opened to the large knowledge gap amongst pregnant women. The things I considered simple and expected everybody would know were things many of the women didn’t know. In that community I saw that women got pregnant by chance, there was never preparation for the health of the woman, the finances of the family, education on recognising danger signs in pregnancy and generally poor knowledge on how to successfully transition from pregnancy to puerperium.

My colleagues and I did a good job in educating the villagers, we took health education to the village squares and markets, and held meetings with the Chiefs on how to get funding for the Primary Health care centre.

When I got back home, there was unrest in my spirit. I knew there were other women in several other places with zero knowledge about their health, body and pregnancy. So, I went online and created Safe Pregnancy Africa, a community for women of African descent where I would educate on everything that bothers maternal and child health. A platform where I could answer questions and give guidance to as many women as I could reach.

In 2019, I realised my message was better understood when I taught in Pidgin English. I got many women asking questions for more clarification and many others speaking out. It bridged the language barrier I never knew existed. I was able to break down compound topics like Preeclampsia/eclampsia into understandable bits teaching in pidgin. This gave birth to the Preggy Pidgin Podcast. The listenership has grown from Nigeria to 38 other African countries with positive feedback every week.

Preggy pidgin podcast nominated as one of the 5 best pregnancy podcasts in the world

Consistency made that happen. It is one thing to take a step, it is another thing to remain consistent. I understood that for my message to penetrate the busy online space and get to my core audience, I have to remain consistent.

The journey so far

So far, so good. It may sound cliche but that is how it’s been.The feedback has been great, the love and positivity are some of the motivation that fuels my conviction and consistency.

Why I pitched my tent in the nursing and midwifery sector

Becoming a Nurse was easy because I believe life prepared me for the profession, but specializing in midwifery came as a result of an event that happened in 2012. It happened on a Sunday when many people had gone to church. A young lady from the village had come to stay with her husband in the neighbourhood. It was just her third week in town but she was almost due to deliver. That morning, her scream stormed the yard. The lady was in labour and not just that, the baby’s head was already in the vulva. I still don’t know if she attempted to deliver the child herself but the child’s head was trapped between her thighs and it was already turning blue. I was the first to rush into her room before other women joined in. That sight has never left my head. At that moment I wished I could do something, something to help the woman and her baby whose eyeballs were already swollen. She lost the child. Later on, I would come to learn about precipitate labour but I still wonder what happened to the dear lady. That was the first time I wished I were a midwife. Also, the growing rate of maternal mortality inspired my decision to become a midwife. I wanted to contribute my quota to the noble course of ensuring that women especially of the African descent go through pregnancy ready, healthy, and knowledgeable.

Challenges of my work

Trust! I am a petite midwife and often, women in labour would like midwives who look physically competent. Funny right? But I have had a few challenges proving myself.

Other projects and activities

I am working on funding and distributing birth packs to 3 communities in Nigeria under Safe Pregnancy Africa. Also, I am looking to partnering with international organisations to carry out health centre renovations and sponsor training for health workers.

What I enjoy most about my job

It is the satisfaction. Nothing compares to the peace of welcoming a child into the world. Midwifery is a ministry. My hands have touched and handled purity. From the first time a newborn takes their first breath and lets out that loud cry, I am there. I think it’s right to say, I stand by the gate of life. Hahaha.

3 women who inspire me and why

One of the women that inspire me is my mother. She is very resilient and confident. Once she sets her mind to do a thing, wink an eyelid and you see the results displayed. She is focused, determined and loving.

Remi Owadokun is another woman that inspires me, she is smart. Remi utilizes resources within her environment and her reach to achieve goals one would think are farfetched. She is smart.

Ugochi Obidiegwu is a focused woman. She inspires me. I have seen her take up projects that seemed complex and accomplish them in a moment of time.

These women play huge roles in my life and I am blessed to have them.

Women’s awareness on maternal and child mortality rates

Not many women realize that the mortality rates are high. If we share these details with more women, they will be more interested in knowing details about their health before even falling pregnant. That is why The Preggy Pidgin podcast pushes this information through pidgin English, trying hard to ensure that more women understand the process of transitioning from no pregnancy to pregnancy and everything in between.

What can we do better as a society to educate women on mortality rate and safe pregnancy

It starts from the grass roots. If we could dedicate more time to teaching during Antenatal clinics in health centres. Answering questions without the terminologies and creating a warm setting for women to be free to express themselves. Also, training or educating the Traditional Birth Attendants ( TBA). Most women in our communities trust the TBA, if we could arm more TBAs with correct information, then they would know what to say to the women who trust them and such information would correspond to global standards.

One thing I wish to change in the midwifery sector, especially in Nigeria

Remuneration of staff!

Being a Woman of Rubies

I am teachable, smart and loving.

In Interviews&profile March 10, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Meet Funke Adeoye, The Lawyer Who’s Helping Prison Inmates Get Justice & Advocating For Reforms

Funke Adeoye, a public interest lawyer who’s the founder and executive director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, a community of volunteers building a social profit organisation committed to restoring justice, dignity and hope to the lives of women and men living behind bars with particular emphasis on indigents, women and young inmates.

Funke‘s goal is simple: to promote the development of effective and sustainable interventions for increasing access to justice, human rights and reducing a cycle of recidivism/re-offending among women and juvenile offenders housed in correctional facilities in Africa.

Funke decided to become a lawyer because she wanted people, especially the underserved, to access justice. While writing her thesis on prison reforms in Nigeria, she decided to do something about the problems she discovered – so many people in prisons are poor and they can’t afford legal representation; then there’s the issue of lack of information. This idea became more concrete when she volunteered with an NGO and visited prisons.

After she spoke to lawyers about the situation of things, they told her they want to act, but they needed a platform, and she decided to create one.

Today, with headquarters in Abuja, the organisation works with volunteers in Abia, Niger and Nasarawa states in Nigeria.

Since founding the non-profit in May 2018, Hope Behind Bars Africa has represented well over 50 indigent awaiting trial inmates in criminal and human rights cases in Abuja, Niger and Abia states, many of whom should never have been in prison in the first place.

The non-profit’s welfare interventions have reached over 1000 inmates at Suleja and Keffi Prison. It is advocating and working towards the emergence of a humane and secure correctional system where justice is easily accessible to indigents and people who find themselves behind bars are corrected and empowered to prevent re-offending.

Funke is a 2019 Accountapreneur with Accountability Lab and a Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide Makwanyane Institute Fellow.

We celebrate Funke for being a voice for the voiceless and for leading a change in the Nigerian correctional system.

In Interviews&profile March 10, 2022 By Women of Rubies

How Veronica Lucy Gordon Broke Into South Sudan’s Male Dominated Industry To Establish Her Radio Station

Veronica has been speaking out since she was a child. As a secondary student, she noticed a gap between what women were doing in their communities and what was reported in the media. To address this, she did research in her community, wrote up her findings in a school newspaper—and pinned her work to the walls for the other students to read.

Veronica went on to become a pioneering journalist, radio broadcaster and producer.

As a producer, Veronica created educational programs on family planning, reproductive health, childcare and other topics of importance to women. More recently, she founded theAssociation of Media Women in South Sudan and established her own radio station.

Her work is critically important in this newly independent country. South Sudan sank into civil war last December, less than three years after gaining independence.

In South Sudan, men own most private media companies and the majority of reporters are men. Most female journalists work for state-owned media companies where men also have more decision-making power, and where political bodies censor the content. As a result, there is very little space for women’s voices in South Sudanese media.

Veronica’s organization aims to add more balance to the news by increasing the visibility of women’s issues and offering support and training to female journalists. Veronica’s radio station also gives women in rural areas the opportunity to learn about government policies and services, and to express their views on local and national issues.

“It is very important to have women in media and women as civil society,” says Veronica. “I had to take the initiative of establishing an association for media women in South Sudan so that we fill the gap of having balanced information and to advocate for the rights of women through and in media.”

WATCH Veronica Lucy Gordon speak about the importance of women in media

Credit: Noble Women’s Initiative

In Inspiration March 10, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Meet Queen D.Tardoo,The First Woman From Benue State To Study Aeronautical Engineering

Queen D. Tardoo who hails from Benue state, is said to be the first lady to study Aeronautical Engineering from the state.

In an interview with Wisdom Nwedene, Igbere TV & 9news Nigeria editor, Tardoo shares how she became first lady from Benue State to study Aeronautical Engineering.

She narrated the challenges she experienced studying the course in Philippines. She also revealed that she studied Computer science at Benue State University before she traveled to Philippines to obtain her second degree.

Read excerpts below,

How do you feel being the first girl to study Bs Aeronautical Engineering from Benue State?

“I am overwhelmed with joy. It hasn’t being am easy journey. I also feel blessed, honoured and accomplished. I was always told aviation especially aeronautical engineering wasn’t for women. But I have had to opportunity to prove that wrong. It is also a responsibility to motivate other women, especially from benue state and make them understand that they can do even greater things regardless of their gender.”

Which part of Benue State are you from?

“I am tiv, from Ushongo Local Government Area”

Can you tell us about the University which you studied this course?

“I studied in two different schools. I started my course in the year 2014 at PATTS college of aeronautics, paranaque, Metro Manila Philippines. Studied there from 2014 – 2017. Then I transferred to Holy Angel University, Angeles City, Philippines. Studied there from 2017 – 2019.”

Wow! That’s nice. Did you study in any university in Nigeria before travelling to Philippines?

“Yes. I studied in Nigeria. B.S Aeronautical Engineering is actually my 2nd Bachelor’s Degree. I took up B.Sc Computer science at Benue State University, Makurdi.”

That’s very great. You look pretty young. Can you tell us about your age? And having studied both in Nigeria and Philippines, is there any difference in the system of education?

“I am 28years old.”

“Yes. There is a difference. The Philippines has adopted the American system of education which is quite different from the system in Nigeria. Both systems of education have their pros and cons.”

What made you to achieve this feat?

“Determination, perseverance, hard work, support from my family and friends (most especially from my mum) and most importantly God’s mercy and blessings.”

Does your mom live in Philippines or she is in Nigeria?

“She lives in Benue state, Nigeria.”

Can you tell us about a project that you worked on in school. Did you run into any difficulties? If so, how did you handle it?

“I worked on a few projects while in school both academic and extra curricular ones. Hence, I am the reigning Miss Holy Angel University, Philippines. I am always involved in one project or the other. But, the one project I am most proud of is my final research work. I worked on a birdstrike prevention project for my final research in 5th year. A project feasibility study which had to do with the use of laser lights to prevent bird-aircraft crash.(birdstrikes). And this particular project won me a medal as the best thesis of the year 2019 in the Aeronautical engineering department of Holy Angel University, Philippines.”

What challenges did you encounter in the process of achieving this feat?

“There were alot of challenges, being a black person in an Asian country isn’t always great. You experience a lot of racism and it affects you as a student. Also, being female in a field that is considered to be for the male gender is also not easy. You have to prove yourself all the time, you are always stereotyped to be not competent enough. Aeronautical engineering itself is very challenging. You have to study extra hard and make a lot of sacrifices, but it will always be worth it in the end.”

What motivates and inspires you?

“My mother has always been my inspiration. She is the strongest person I know and everytime I think of the sacrifices she makes for me. I want to be a better person not just for me but for her. I have also cultivated the habit of turning my challenges into motivations. Whatever challenge I face at a particular time, I try to extract some positivity from that situation, make sure I learn from it and build myself into a better human being.”

What are your hobbies?

“My hobbies. I am an athlete as well so I like athletic events, I like to play volleyball, go bowling, watch sports channels, especially football. I also like to read, dance, listen to music and taking a walk on the beach with my bare feet.”

Who are your mentors?

“My number one mentor will still be my mother. She contributed alot in molding me into the person that I am today. I find myself looking up to her and learning a lot from her. I have always wished to develop myself into the kind of woman that she is and by God’s grace even better.”

Do you have plan of coming back to Nigeria since you have finished your study over there?

“Nigeria will always be my home and I can return at anytime. But the goal right now is to further my studies, obtain alot of licences and also work at the same time. Hence, there isn’t any university in Nigeria that offers a master is aeronautical or aerospace engineering. I will not be returning home immediately. But, I will visit from time to time.”

Source: yabaleftonline

In Inspiration March 10, 2022 By Women of Rubies

Meet Olutoyin Olakunri, The First Nigerian Woman To Become A Chartered Accountant

Chief Mrs. Olutoyin Olakunri is the first female Chartered Accountant in Sub-Saharan Africa.

A woman of many firsts, Olutoyin was born on November 4, 1937. She attended primary school in Nigeria and completed her secondary and tertiary education in the United Kingdom.

In February 1963, she qualified as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales.

She became a foundation member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in 1965. In 1978, she served as the Chairman of the Society of Women Accountants in Nigeria.

She was also the first female President of the Institute of Directors in Nigeria, former member of the National Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Policy Commission, Vision 20:2020 Committee, and Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Olutoyin was a member of the Constituent Assembly that generated the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A former president of Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. She was on the Finance Committee of Nigerian Institute of International Affairs and the Board of Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited for 8 years.

She also served as the Chairman of the Education Trust Fund, now Tertiary Education Trust Fund for two terms.

Chief Mrs. Olutoyin Olakunri received many local and international awards for her contributions to the profession and societal development. One of which is the Officer of the Federal Republic [OFR] of Nigeria.

Credit: womenafrica.com

In Career Gems March 10, 2022 By Esther Ijewere

Meet Karen Uhlenback, The First Woman In History To Win Nobel Prize In Maths

Karen Uhlenbeck, a mathematician and a professor at the University of Texas, emerged as the first woman in the world to win a Nobel prize in mathematics. The Abel Prize, modeled by the Nobel Prize and awarded by the King of Norway to honor mathematicians who have made impact in their field, began in 2003 and since inception has only been awarded to men.

However, Uhlenbeck who is known for “the fundamental impact of her work on analysis, geometry and mathematical physics” changed that. The award comes with a cash prize of about N253 million and a recognition as a giant in the world of mathematics. Uhlenbeck is renowned for her work in geometric partial differential equations as well as integrable systems and gauge theory, Gucmakale reports. It was gathered that one of her most famous contributions were on pioneering the field of geometric analysis in which she created theories of predictive mathematics. Among her colleagues, Dr. Uhlenbeck is renowned for her work in geometric partial differential equations. Photo: UGC. Source: UGC

The minister was recognised for how he initiated a reconciliation process between his country and its long time enemy, Eritrea. According to the prize’s committee, it gave the award to Ahmed to encourage its peace-making effort even though there are still many things to be done.

According to the prize’s committee, it gave the award to Ahmed to encourage its peace-making effort even though there are still many things to be done.