Alice Gathekia: Young People Need to Step Up and Take Their Rightful Place
On Paper, Alice Gathekia is the perfect match for any legal department in corporations. She has worked for the Law Society of Kenya and with COMESA Court of Justice. However, despite her consistent efforts dropping her application in town, she remains unemployed. She founded Kenya Youth Professionals with fellow youths that were facing the same plight in an effort to fight for better employment for young people. Why does the youth need to step up now? “Our government had promised about 30% of employment slots to youths in their campaign manifesto. This includes formal employment or tender allocation. It is time we held them to their promises.” She says. Alice is the deputy director of Kenya Youth Professionals (KYP) and has petitioned the members of National Assembly on the issues that plague the youth in general when seeking employment. This includes a reduction in experience in the job descriptions put out to give the youth a chance. She is also keen on getting a youth-friendly Principle Secretary in the Youth Docket to deal with Youth Affairs, and reduce the amount of government certification is needed prior to an interview. When asked the major issues that have inhibited youths from getting jobs, she says without hesitation that the absence of generational change is a major cause. It has impeded the youth from accessing opportunities ideally designed for them. The advanced retirement age and the scarcity of jobs leave the incoming youth out of the employment slots given that there are genuinely no jobs to go for. The lack of mentorship has also led to the degradation of the employment scene. This scarcity accelerates corruption as well, which, to be honest, is really a buzzkill in Africa’s economy. [bctt tweet=”It is time for the youth to step up and take their rightful place ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Alice’s faith in the Kenyan youth Alice described the Kenyan youth as innovative, creative, and hard working. To her, it is really wrong that there is an unfair distribution of jobs despite the qualifications. She believes that it is time young people fight for their space in the political, economic and social world. She believes that once given the chance, the youth is equal to the task of leadership. After all, young people have more to lose in the future if they make wrong decisions. This motivates Alice to spend her time petitioning the government institutions to fight against the odds that are stacked against the Kenyan Youth. What are the challenges she encounters? Some of the challenges she and her team face includes the politicising of the agenda. Some rival groups and ill-willed people often accuse the group of having a political ‘Big brother’. This is a conditioning of the political mindset where people fail to realize that young people can fight as well as wage wars against systems set in place discriminate against the youth. This campaign aims at ensuring that the youth catch up from previous injustices visited upon them. For her, this is a lifetime mission not only in Kenya but also in Africa in general. It is time for the youth to participate in making decisions that will benefit them in their future rather than a span of short time. This does not need to be the grandest action and a simple start can go a long way. It is time for the youth to step up and take their rightful place. KYP stands by their motto: “Nothing for us without us”. A normal day for Alice Alice wakes up about 6 am, and her morning routine often involves putting herself together (which includes makeup because…why not). She travels to the city, and depending on the day, spends several hours in meetings discussing the issues that surround youth employment and how to resolve them. Alice intends to globalize this movement, which, to her and the rest of us, is a few years late. [bctt tweet=”Alice Gathekia is the modern day Khaleesi of Youth Revolution” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Got an article you’d like to share with us? Share your story with us here.
Joy Kendi: Your 20’s are not for chilling. Work hard now, so you can relax later
Joy Kendi is a lifestyle blogger, vlogger and content creator who covers everything from fashion, beauty, and travel. She has built her creative career from the ground up, constantly teaching herself along the way to allow for continuous growth in her profession. Joy is a SLAYboss and runs things on her own terms earning her global recognition and her story below tells us that this journey is only the beginning of far greater things to come. When did you first get into blogging? I’ve always been interested in fashion, ever since I was a young girl. I wanted to get into design after high school but most of the schools I applied to didn’t offer scholarships and I don’t come from a wealthy family so I had to scrap that idea. I took up styling right after college for about six months and I hated it. So I quit that and the blogging bug hit me. Back then, when blogging was still quite relevant and at the time it was just a hobby, I had been following a few blogs. Never thought I could make money off of it, until about a year later when Nancie Mwai (popular blogger in Kenya) got the opportunity to go to Germany because of her blog and my entire mindset on it changed. Then I decided to focus on it more and figure out how to make it more of a business. I knew nothing at the time but I just hit the ground running, going to different offices, telling them about me and what I can offer them. That’s really how I learned most of the stuff I know now, through trying and getting rejected. Weirdly enough, everything didn’t change until I shaved my head and I’m not sure why but going bald was the first step in getting people to see me as a different person and not just a regular blogger. [bctt tweet=”Your 20s are not for chilling, work yourself to the core now – @justjoykendi” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I realized that fashion is very limiting, especially in Kenya, so I started to expand more into beauty. Then tried travel and food and all that turned into a lifestyle direction for me. Less than two years ago, lifestyle blogging opened a lot of doors for me because it meant I could do anything – be it advertising phones, makeup, hotels, restaurants, airlines, even countries! What three things do you consider while creating content and/or partnering up with a brand? My biggest thing to consider when I’m partnering up with a brand is to answer the question – do I or will I actually use the said product? If I do use it, does it go with my brand? And third, will this propel me in a positive or a negative direction? When it comes to content creation, I think about: 1. How much work is it and how much time will it take on my end because that’s how I figure out my rate. 2. What have other content creators within the continent done in regards to the product that I need to create content for? 3. Is there a possibility of collaboration with others? If I know a friend or fellow blogger who can do it too, I will always try to bring them in and we both benefit from the job. Was this your career of choice? What would you be if you hadn’t gone the blogging route? If I wasn’t doing this I’d probably still be working in TV/film production. When I was still in school, I was interning at a local TV network, KTN and I was also working in a production company, behind the scenes doing things like writing scripts. I got burnt out for a while though, which is why I eventually quit at the beginning of this year and solely focused on content creation. [bctt tweet=”I went to the University of YouTube and watched how other people do photoshoots and edits” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] You take 90% of your images, manages your blog and brand on your own. Is there a particular reason why you chose to be a one-woman team? Well when I first started out, my boyfriend would take my pictures. Due to our different schedules though, I realized I needed to learn how to do this on my own. When starting out you don’t usually have a flowing income to be able to pay photographers so they would usually do it as a favor to build their portfolio as you build yours. If they get a paying gig, they will pick that over you thus leaving you stranded once again, so getting a photographer wasn’t an option for me. I went to the University of YouTube and watched how other people would do things like editing, photo shoots, what cameras to use, what kind of specs to look for and with that information, I slowly started to invest in myself. [bctt tweet=”I write all my proposals, attend meetings, create content, and do my own accounts” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] I saved any money I got to buy my own equipment i.e. camera and lighting equipment, a laptop, computer programmes etc. It is important that I have a say in what I do, and have control over what goes on with my work such as the editing process. Before now, I used to have a manager who was actually very nice but sometimes we’d bump heads over things like working with certain companies so these among other reasons is why I decided it’s better to learn and do everything myself. It’s a very stressful job I can’t lie – I write all my own proposals, attend all the meetings, create the content, send to the client, wait for approval, do my own accounts… It’s so much work but it’s how I prefer to work and also means I don’t have to pay anyone else. What challenges have you faced as a blogger so far? Getting
Emma Mogaka: We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives
Emma Mogaka is the Executive Director of a grassroots organization called Rural Women Peace Link. She is also an all-around superwoman fighting for local women from various counties in Kenya to have an equal opportunity to participate in governance and development. The organization, run by an all-women team, mobilizes the participation of local women in peacebuilding, governance, and development. Their main focus is women from the rural area because these are the women who are marginalized the most. Tell us about Rural Women Peace Link. How did it come about? Rural Women Peace Link (RWPL) was founded in the early 1990’s by a group of women peace builders. The significance of its name was to capture the critical issues the Community Based Organization (CBO) was addressing, namely rural women who had a passion to promote peace. Their vision then was to help rural women to network, gain self-esteem, be empowered and promote and maintain peace in their respective areas of origin. Our main thematic areas are: Women’s human rights pillar: This pillar seeks to advance recognition and appreciation of women’s human rights in their communities against socio-cultural restrictions and negative perceptions. RWPL achieves this through training rural based women and girls on their rights through community education on legal education, human rights reproductive health and issues of bodily integrity and increasing access to justice. Peace building and conflict mitigation pillar: We strengthen the role of rural women and youth groups in mitigating violence in the community, monitoring conflict through early warning indicators and mediating conflicts. Women’s economic empowerment pillar: the focus is on grassroots women and women survivors of conflict and gender-based violence to promote sustainable livelihood management through offering life skills and entrepreneurship trainings. We also provide seed grant to facilitate start-up activities as well as linkages to financial institutions, partners and donors. Education support and mentorship pillar: RWPL supports and encourages beneficiaries, mostly bright promising girls from vulnerable backgrounds, to take up opportunities offered through formal education in schools and colleges. Leadership and governance pillar: RWPL mentors women leaders through capacity building training and exposure enabling them to participate in leadership effectively in different areas and also to vie for electable positions. What led you to join this organization? RWPL resonates with my passion for women and girls. I joined RWPL in January 2015 as a program coordinator for the leadership and governance program and became the executive director in January 2016. RWPL provides a platform for me to reach women and girls at the grassroots level. I have had an opportunity to meet amazing women doing remarkable things in their communities. RWPL works with 11 women network leaders whose stories shook me to the core. They have grown from ordinary rural women to women leaders. One of the women was nominated to the County Assembly of West Pokot after the just concluded 2017 elections. Through teamwork, I have seen RWPL staff grow and together we are actualizing the vision of the organization through the support of our board members and technical advisor. [bctt tweet=”We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives or parents.” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Why is empowering women important to you? Empowering women and girls is important to me because it enables them to become aware of who they are and what makes them authentic. They become aware of their capabilities, their likes and dislikes, their boundaries, their options and opportunities and all these enable them to develop into authentic human beings. It is important that the girls and women I empower live a healthy life. We need to allow girls to be children first before they become wives or parents. I empower girls so as to give them the opportunity to get an education and pursue their dreams. This way, they too get to help in breaking the cycle of poverty and strengthening our economy. I am a mentor first and foremost because my experiences and knowledge positively influence the development of women and girls in their limiting environment. They do not always have to learn from mistakes because they get guidance. Do you feel like this revolutionary work you’re doing for women is your life’s purpose? Yes! In 2012 I attended a leadership training and I remember doing the passion test. We were required to complete this statement: When I am living my ideal life, I am… We had to write 10 things we would be doing if we were living our ideal lives, then prioritize them. Mentorship was number 1 on my list. Then it hit me that I actually talked to women and girls every chance I got. Totally unstructured mentorship! [bctt tweet=” I cannot support another woman if I’m drained and empty – Emma Mogaka” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Who are your top three women role models and why? My mum is my most real role model! She perfectly demonstrates work-life balance – she worked full time and raised five children. Her passion for women inspired me and I have watched her support women and encourage them wherever she is and whenever she has an opportunity. Selline Korir. Founder of RWPL, Selline has worked in several international organizations where she has touched the lives of women and youth. I met her in 2014 when I was looking for Women Human Rights Defenders to profile. As I was interviewing her I knew this is one woman I would love to learn and develop under. I approached her for mentorship and I have been growing under her wing since then. She gives selflessly to causes she believes in. Leymah Gbowee – The first time I watched ‘Pray The Devil Back To Hell’ I was amazed, impressed and awakened. Leymah demonstrated movement building in Liberia. She, together with other Liberian women, mobilized women for a cause (Peace) – religion and social standing notwithstanding. The results speak for themselves.
Women at Afroes: Anne and Gathoni are Leading the Mobile Gamification Path
Afroes , short for ‘African heroes’, is a mobile-first enterprise. They’re on a mission to position African youth for productive futures by, innovating in skills acquisition, engagement and connecting to opportunity. Anne Githuku-Shongwe is a Social Entrepreneur, Social Innovator, a Development Professional and a thought leader on digital and social innovation. Anne founded Afroes in 2010, as a digital enterprise. Creating gamified learning solutions designed to reach, teach and connect Africa’s young women and men to life skills, through their mobile phones. Her vision is to revolutionise learning in Africa, with a focus on delivering positive, Africa-focused mobile phone entertainment to the youth market across the continent. Anne and Afroes have received multiple awards including, the prestigious Schwab Foundation/World Economic Forum Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2013. Gathoni Mwai is a Sustainable Development professional. She has over 7 years experience working on social development issues in Africa, and on the use of data, technology and innovation for development. Having been brought up in Kenya she is passionate about the country, its people and seeing them all thrive. Gathoni joined Afroes as project manager for the development of the PeaceApp award winning Haki II: Chaguo Ni Lako, ,a mobile game that was used for peace building in Kenya, in the run up to the 2013 elections following the post election violence experienced in 2007-8. She recently completed her Masters in Sustainable Development Corporate Responsibility. Currently, she takes on the role of Kenya programme manager, where she is tasked with scaling the Afroes product range and developing partnerships. Join us on this inspiring journey as we share the stories of these two front-running African women in tech. Tell us the story behind Afroes Afroes (the name comes from a play on the words African Heroes and Heroines) was inspired by conversations with my children. I was worried that they weren’t being exposed to any positive African media content; and that their ideas and aspirations for Africa were being influenced by the Western media’s pervasively negative messages about the continent. I wanted to do something to change that. But it was whilst I observed my son excitedly relating things he’d learned while playing the computer game, Civilisations, that I realised that, children who play computer games are a captive audience for anything you want to teach them. I knew from that point onwards that I needed to harness the power of computer games, to deliver positive messages to African children. Given the growth of mobile phone usage and ownership across Africa the idea of computer games evolved to mobile phone games. How effective has the Afroes’ strategy been, in achieving its set goals and what successes have you recorded in recent times? The Afroes strategy has had to be very adaptable to the changing times, technology and issues that affect African youth. At our core ,our main goal has been to inspire and empower young Africans with 21st Century skills, which will help them transform their lives and the lives of people in their communities. We have set out to build partnerships with like-minded organisations that see mobile phone technology as a medium to change mindsets and positively impact young Africans. In the last 3 years we have been lucky enough to receive the following awards: Winner of PeaceApp – promote digital games and gamified apps as venues for cultural dialogue and conflict management, 2014; Winner, Gender Mainstreaming Awards, Empowerment Initiatives, South Africa, 2014; Winner, ICT Innovation Award for Gender Youth and Vulnerable Groups, Kenya, 2014; To date we have had over 800,000 users download our games and 100,000s more through offline activations. [bctt tweet=”Our core our main goal has been to inspire and empower young Africans with 21st Century skills” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] What challenges have you faced in the course of running your business and how have you been able to walk through them? Sustainable financing has been a major challenge. We have been lucky enough to have our games fully funded by our project partners, but this has been quite limiting. Another challenge we have had is convincing programme/ solution stakeholders to adopt an alternative media/ mediums, strategy and methodology to reach and engage their traditional intended audience; as well as appeal to a new demographic of social issue based content advocates, stakeholders and consumers. How important is technology for Africa’s future and how well has the African market tapped into it? Technology is important on a global scale. What is more important for Africa is appropriate technology to enable sustainable growth and livelihood development for all. The African markets have not only tapped into the technology, but are leading the charge in technological innovation. From Mpesa (mobile money), to the use of drones to transfer essential goods. Recent statistics have showed that 2/3 of young people own a smart phone, giving them access to a world of information, allowing them to tap into new ideas and adapting it for themselves. [bctt tweet=”Technology is important on a global scale” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] If you had to binge watch any movie series, which would it be? The Wire – because it’s on my watch list but I’ve never watched it. Tell us about the Job Hunt game launching soon and the concept behind it JobHunt is a mobile game designed to simulate the online/ digital work experience. The concept of this game is to create awareness on digital jobs and the opportunities to earn an income for young people. In the game you bid for jobs, improve skills and ultimately build the skills required to win jobs in this space. What is the greatest lesson you’ve learnt on your entrepreneurial journey so far and how has it helped you in the course of your work at Afroes? Being an entrepreneur is not an easy life, very often you need to be motivated even when things may not be working in your favour. There is this image of a man digging in a cave with a huge diamond just a few digs
Facebook Live with Sneha Shah: How to do business in Africa without fearing the risks.(Oct 13)
Want to do business in Africa successfully? Learn how to break down barriers and prove your worth. On Friday, October 13th, Sneha Shah – Managing Director of Africa for Thomson Reuters shared with us how the African business landscape is currently positioned for female entrepreneurs, and how you can take advantage of it. Sneha has initiated partnerships with leading international market development, and works in close collaboration with public and private sector organizations in each country, to tackle the opportunities and challenges around financial and capital markets development. [bctt tweet=”Learn from @snehasshah how to do business in Africa without fearing risks” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Register below to get a FREE downloadable guide with Sneha’s top 10 tips on how to do business in Africa without fearing the risks. Some of the topics we’ll cover Are there businesses that are easier to establish in Africa than others? Find out. How young start-ups in Africa are changing the game. Challenges and opportunities business owners should expect when operating in Africa. How the African business landscape is currently positioned for female entrepreneurs. Leveraging millennials for African growth. What Africa can learn from other emerging economies. Innovate or disrupt – how to prepare your company for the future. Watch the video: https://www.facebook.com/sheleadsafrica/videos/1949040855319225/ Sign up for the e-book here: [ninja_forms id=156] About Sneha Sneha Shah joined Thomson Reuters in 2001 in New York and has held several global leadership roles across the financial and media business units in operations, product development, and technology. She was appointed Managing Director of Africa for Thomson Reuters in April 2015, and leads all of the financial, risk, tax and legal businesses across the region, providing data, automation and digitization solutions to financial institutions, governments, and corporates. She is responsible for driving the profitable and sustainable growth for Thomson Reuters in Africa in a manner that contributes positively to the region’s economic development. Born in Kenya and having worked in many African countries, Sneha is particularly passionate about initiatives that help empower Africa’s success. Sneha is a member of the Board of the US Chamber of Commerce, US-Africa Business Center. She is also a member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the African Leadership Network (ALN) and has been actively involved in several initiatives of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, including the Partnering Against Corruption Initiative (PACI) (current), and the Global Agenda Council on Governance (2014 to 2016). Prior to joining Thomson Reuters, Sneha was a commodities trader for Cargill in South Africa and traded money markets and foreign exchange at CFC Bank in Kenya. She holds a BA (Hons) degree in Politics with International Studies from the University of Warwick in the UK.
From MIT to Harvard to McKinsey, Carolyne Njeri Gathinji Credits Her Success to God and to Going after her Goals with Undivided Attention
“God’s fingerprints are evident in the people He put on my path” says Carolyne Njeri Gathinji. Carolyne is an MIT and Harvard graduate who currently works at McKinsey & Company. Njeri has excelled through life, whether it was at the Alliance High School in Kenya, a prestigious all-women boarding school, or at UBS after MIT. She is a consultant who loves traveling the world. Her best self-care tips? Same as Kerry Washington’s: getting her nails did. No wonder she is such a gladiator! Who is Carolyne Njeri Gathinji and what gets you out of bed every day? Give us a brief tour of your life. She is a simple, light hearted lady who is living a life she had never envisioned for herself. An optimist with a disproportionate share of joy, seeking positivity and positive energy. She is an extroverted introvert who enjoys bringing people together and forging connections. She is a Kenyan (from Nakuru) living in Boston and working as a management consultant. Many people have been part of my journey. I could not get to where I am by walking alone. I am motivated by their belief in my strengths, their support along the way and the ability to inspire others. Secondly, my job gives me the opportunity to work with brilliant, ambitious and interesting people to solve clients’ problems. Getting to the solution becomes fun when surrounded by great teammates and clients. I spend most of my time in Boston with one or two trips to Kenya every year to visit my family. I love traveling so I’ve also established a tradition for a week-long summer vacation trip. During the rest of the year when I am at work, Monday – Thursday are spent at the client site, working with them to solve the problem. Given most of my clients are not in Boston, I find myself away from home most of the week. I get back to Boston most weekends and spend the weekend relaxing and catching up with friends. I am also currently helping a local Boston business think about its growth strategy. You are incredibly achieved – Alliance, MIT, UBS, Harvard, McKinsey- what’s your secret? Is there really a secret? If someone has discovered one please share… As I said earlier, it really has taken a village! I wish I could say all this was part of a master plan that I worked on, crossing one thing off the list after another. The only one of these institutions I really thought of for years was probably Alliance. I had that dream growing up, probably from the age of seven; given the caliber of strong women I knew who had attended the school. MIT only became an option in 12th grade when my physics teacher prompted me to apply to American colleges, and about a year later, I was packing my bags and leaving my family at 18 and taking my first flight of the country to Cambridge. Having said that, when I decided to go for any of the opportunities, I worked with undivided attention on the goals I had set and tried to leave no stone unturned. In the moment, it was a lot of hard work and a matter of sacrifice, but if your eyes are on the prize, you barely feel it. In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho talks about the fact that when you want something so bad, the universe conspires to make it happen. I believe this, but for me, it misses one crucial piece – the work you and the universe have to put in. What I have found is that if you decide you will pursue something and put in the work, and make sure the relevant people in the universe are aware, they will work with you to make it come true. Of course, this presupposes that these relevant people are bought into your success and want to be helpful. Although, I didn’t have the master plan, I believe someone did, and if I reflect on my entire journey, God’s fingerprints are evident in the people he put on my path, the strength and resources He provided and the favor upon my life. Steve Jobs said you can only connect the dots looking backwards, and even in my short life so far, I have had to trust that the dots will connect in the future and given my all to what is happening in the moment. You travel a lot. What’s the best place you’ve ever visited? Each place is different and I find that there are always unique experiences to enjoy and cultures to learn from. If forced to pick, I would say Thailand is at the top, because of the breadth of experiences it offers. You studied Mathematics and Management Science in undergrad, do you apply what you learned in Math in consulting? Any advice for younger women looking to study in the field? Even though I do not use most of the complex Math that I learned, logical and critical thinking skills gained are very applicable in consulting. Inherently, we are solving a client’s problem, which is what a Math major does daily. You need to break the problem into structured bit-sized pieces that lead to the final answer. You need to apply certain known theorems and assumptions along the way. That is what consulting is about. Additionally, we do a lot of quantitative analyses for which a love for manipulation of numbers fits well. Advice: First, let no one tell you that you cannot pursue or do math…refer them to Hidden Figures! Secondly, think of how you want to use your Math degree. There are many ways you could directly use it; as a professor, statistician, actuary etc. However, there are many other professions that would value a math degree and you have to figure out if you need to pair the degree with another to pursue a career in that field. I combined my Math degree with
Annemarie Musawale: I took my power back
[bctt tweet=”Being a single mom, academic writing seemed the best option in order to be home for my son & earn a living” via=”no”] Annemarie Musawale was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya and she says, she’s never actually stepped one foot out of East Africa. Growing up this self-publishing author almost always had a book in her hand. Needless to say, she made up stories of her own. By the time she went to high school, Annemarie had pretty much read every book her classmates were just beginning to discover. Annemarie went to the University of Nairobi to pursue a BSc. Degree in Botany, Zoology, and Chemistry. Two years into the course, she was accepted to Makerere University to do BPharm. Leaving work as an active Pharmaceutical Technologist, 2009 was the year Annemarie Musawale became a full-time academic writer. In her own words, ‘Being a single mom, it seemed the best option in order to be home for my son when he needed me, and still earn a living. SLA contributor Rumbidzai had an opportunity to interview her and Annemarie had all these interesting stories to tell. How long does it take you to write a book? Unfortunately for me, writing my own books is not my day job. So I can only write in my spare time, which is very scarce these days. So on average, it can take me anything from six months to two years to write a book. I’m working on making time no matter what, to write daily but so far, I’m not there yet. Looking at the books or pieces you have written what is your ultimate goal? When I wrote “Single Motherhood Unplugged” almost eight years ago, it was a catharsis for me. A way to get my baggage off my back and let it go. I put the book up for sale because once it was written; I could not just throw it away. There were life lessons to be learned, a way for someone else to learn from my experience. So I let it go out into the world and find its audience. It is my one non-fiction book and I call it my ‘step-child’ because of how much I do not market it. The goal therefore with that book was…help someone else who was looking for answers. My other books are fictional in nature. They were written with a lot of love and I guess their goal has been achieved. To have someone read them, and enjoy the words; perhaps be touched by it. My ultimate goal, of course, is to make the New York Times Bestseller lists. My role model in this business is Diana Gabaldon because our paths are remarkably similar. Background in the sciences, Diana started out writing (in her late thirties) just to ‘try it’. She ended up creating characters it is difficult to let go of. Twenty years later, Diana is where I want to be, twenty years from now. [bctt tweet=”My ultimate goal, of course, is to make the New York Times Bestseller lists – Annemarie Musawale ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] For the sake of some of our Motherland Moguls who haven’t read your book, “Single Motherhood, what can they expect from it? They can expect it to be raw, painful to read even and completely truthful on what it is really like to have a baby on your own. I called it ‘unplugged’ because it is like those musical performances where the singer has just a stool and a guitar and whatever talent they have in their bodies. They present it to you and let you judge them on the merit of their work. In the book, I let people into my head and lay it bare for them to do with, as they will. It was a very difficult thing to do, but from the feedback I have gotten, there are people out there who needed to read it. So have a look at it with my blessing. Now that’s interesting! In your line of work is there anything you find particularly challenging? Well, the business of writing has its challenges as many writers can tell you. The first is marketing. Getting enough people to hear of your books so that they want to go look for them. The market is crowded and getting noticed is hard. Add to that the fact that my books are not the typical ‘African writers’ type of book. One of my Kenyan readers put it this way; “This book could have been written by anyone, anywhere. It is not confined by time or space.” And while I agree that that is true, I think that nobody but me could have conceived of these books the way I did. It was my unique perspective brought about by living in the ‘global village’ but residing in Kenya. For that reason though, my books don’t have a readymade market. They have too many elements that are foreign to the African psyche, and yet if it were written by a Westerner, most Africans wouldn’t have a problem with it. But the combination of being an African, writing a global book is a new idea. The upside of this is, my audience is not confined to those around me but is truly global. When I see that people from as far away as Japan, Ukraine, Russia, America, and Brazil…have clicked on my links and looked at my books…it makes me feel warm and happy. However, it also makes hosting book signings a bit difficult. When I began in this business, I was traditionally published. However, my publisher was very stingy with information to do with my book. They expected me to do the lion’s share of marketing (as most authors are expected to) without giving me feedback on what was working, what sales figures were or even paying me royalties. So I took my power back, took my books back and went the self-publishing route. This way, I have complete control
How to land a job in the (Kenyan) public sector
[bctt tweet=”It’s easy to get a job in the public sector, provided you’re is confident, a go-getter and have experience ” via=”no”] When it comes to landing a job with the government, many people think it is a tall order that can’t be achieved by common citizens. According to Aziza Said, a communication professional working under the presidency, it is easy to get a job in the public sector, provided one is confident, has a go-getter mentality and experience in a related field. Here’s a summary of what the young Kenyan lady believes propelled her into getting a job in the public sector and keeping it so far. Confidence and immeasurable experience Working in the public sector is like working in any other job. As such, an interested candidate should have the common and necessary qualities such as relevant education and experience in the field. Above all, one needs confidence and a belief in self- qualities that push one to seek opportunities that will help them to grow in that field. Prior to working with the government, Aziza was a radio program host for two local stations. Here, she had an opportunity to put into practice her acquired skills. She expanded on people skills, a quality that is crucial, especially, while working in a government office. Excellent communication skills It is Aziza’s duty to ensure that information from the government reaches the public. Information is important in improving the lives of the citizens. “I am also keen on informing Kenyans about the country’s performance in the global market,” she adds. Communication skills are vital when it comes to performing these duties, as well as interacting with the public. This does not apply to communication professionals alone. All public servants should be able to communicate and interact well with colleagues and the general public at large. [bctt tweet=”All public servants should be able to communicate and interact with their colleagues & the public” via=”no”] Know what the Constitution says about your duties as a public servant The Constitution stipulates what public servants should and shouldn’t do. It is therefore important for government officers to know what the Constitution says about their field of work. As a media practitioner, the constitution has separate clauses that inform us how information should be collected, reviewed and shared with the public. Articles 31, 33, 34, and 35 of the Kenyan Constitution give a guideline on how to handle and disseminate information. [bctt tweet=”The good thing about the government is that there are training opportunities for every employee” via=”no”] Be on the lookout for opportunities to advance self The good thing about the government is that there are training opportunities for each and every employee. It is the duty of the particular public servant to identify and attend such training opportunities to increase their knowledge on a specific area. Public servants are also encouraged to go back to school for higher education. The good thing is when there are promotions; those with more experience and education are considered and rewarded. Aziza believes she’s grown immensely in the past two years since joining the government. She advises citizens to be on the lookout for job adverts in the Kenya Gazette, local dailies, and relevant websites, as well as keep tabs with those working in such offices, also known as networking. “Look at the requirements for every posting and avail all the necessary documents, as this is where the initial short-listing process starts,” Aziza advises.
Mary Njoki: Glowing from the inside out
[bctt tweet=”I had an idea of starting a company that embraced clear communication with its clients & employees” via=”no”] Mary Njoki is a young leader in the entrepreneurship industry in Kenya. Unemployment is a major challenge faced by Kenyan youth but Mary Njoki defied the odds and began her own company. Glass House PR was created with a starting capital of around Ksh. 6,000 (around $57). Having studied a different course work in college, she gained her first experience in the media when she interned with K Krew. Her internship ignited her love for Public Relations. Later, she secured a job with an Information Technology company that absorbed her as a marketer. In August 2012, she decided to begin her journey as an entrepreneur. Her contribution to the media industry has been impactful since then. She admits that starting the company was not an easy and a smooth road. The first year of business was rough because she could not make money. Mary realized that there was a lot of groundwork needed for her company to gain establishment in the industry. Presently, her company has worked with the big companies such as Google and Facebook. Her company is award winning in Kenya and Africa. Mary has won an award in South Africa as a young female entrepreneur. Who is Mary Njoki beyond Glass House PR? I am a young woman who is a sanguine-phlegmatic. I seek to serve others while finding fulfillment. My temperament enables me to be social with people and learn from them. I love prayer. I am a church leader and a sibling of one. Also, I am a leader of different associations in Africa in line with entrepreneurship like Africa Rise. My temperament comes in handy for her career because I able to be articulate and relatable to while addressing people on stage. How did you create the name of your company? When I planned to create my own company, I opted for expert opinion about my decision. I approached a brand manager who I told that I had an idea of starting a company that embraced clear communication with its clients and employees. I was asked by the brand manager what I had in mind and I said, “I wanted clarity and transparency”. This was because of my previous experience at work where I consistently saw this as a challenge. The manager wrote a list of names that brought out clarity and transparency. Once I saw Glass House PR I instantly realized that this would be the name I would work with. [bctt tweet=”The first year of Mary Njoki’s business was rough, she could not make money” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] How have events impacted Glass House PR? I keep myself updated on the events that can develop the company. I also create events in line with marketing for our company which enables the company to grow. What is the most important aspect of your life? I think it is growth. I am actively seeking to grow mentally, physically and spiritually. Growth is key in developing a person holistically. What is your advice for young people? Always understand that life is about learning. This will help you grow. It is challenging to live in a world that is information centered. Our generation has a weakness of thinking that we know everything because there is a lot of information released for us. But learning to have an attitude of learning and interacting with people who can mentor you enables a person to grow. Also, understanding that we live from the inside out. We ought to be people who feed ourselves from the inside out. We cannot give what we do not have. However, learning how to live from the inside out by feeding our souls and spirits makes us live as complete human beings. [bctt tweet=”Our generation has a weakness of thinking that we know everything because there is a lot of information” via=”no”] How has Glass House PR impacted the society? Glass House PR has developed a hangout for young entrepreneurs dubbed a billion start-up. A billion startup is a network of 100 entrepreneurs which enables people to learn and interact with other entrepreneurs for development of their company. It has created a network for young entrepreneurs. Glass House PR is teaching young entrepreneurs on different levels without a fee. It is offering training for free for young entrepreneurs. What is the future of Glass House PR? Glass House PR will be the ultimate outlet for content in Africa. It will build more products to integrate the company as a content hub in Africa. I think that the world offers a platform for everyone to use their skills and improve the world. This gives everyone an audience of their own to become the best in their industry. If people will live a life on the inside out they will achieve satisfaction. It will make people live true to themselves and the world. The attitude of living a life from the inside out will make a person glow. It will make them glow genuinely without faking anything as opposed to the common belief in the society. This will make people live honest lives that reflect who they are from the inside out. If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here.
Joyce Muthoni: Starting entrepreneurship at a young age has given me time to make mistakes
[bctt tweet=”The name Viral Gorrrila came from a need to have our audience be curious about what we do ” via=”no”] She calls herself a spirited individual and she has accomplished a lot in a short span of time. Joyce Muthoni is the founder of Viral Gorrrila and has worked in her first business for 6 years. She started her first business Proteque Consulting while still on campus, just before she graduated. After six years of running it, Joyce started a balloon business, retailing helium balloons. In under two years, her balloon business is now getting into retail stores and expanding into other regions in Kenya, after successfully setting up the Nairobi and Mombasa offices. The balloon business led to the founding of Viral Gorrrila, a digital marketing agency. It was because of digital marketing activities that her balloon business grew its client base. Joyce quickly saw an opportunity to venture into an untapped industry and help companies gain more market share through digital activities. Tell us why you choose the name Viral Gorrrila for your business. Viral Gorrrila is a digital marketing company that deals with a number of things including website design, Google analytics, Google ads, social media marketing and advertising, and content development. I believe that content is king and conversion is queen. the coining of the name Viral Gorrrila came from a need to have our audience be intrigued, attracted and curious about what we do. The essence of our work is to ensure that as many people as possible get to learn about our clients’ brands and services. The ‘viral’ bit is coined from this while ‘gorrrila’ came from the word guerilla in guerilla marketing. The goal of the company is to develop creative, captivating and memorable content for our clients and this is what guerilla marketing is about. Our creative content seeks to fulfill this and create advocates out of the audience. The Viral Gorrrila term in its self-symbolizes disruption, doing things differently, changing the way digital marketing has been done in our country and helping our clients and other brands see the value of change. The “rrr” in Gorrrila reflects this. Why do you say you’re a new kind of digital marketing agency? What makes you different? There are a lot of agencies in the country, some with a wealth of experience and others starting out and learning the ropes as they go along. We have a strong team that is conversant with Google advertising and social media advertising. We also have a deep focus on creative content development and we have ventured into animated productions in 2D and 3D for our clients and are pursuing a digital channel that will air only animated content made in Kenya. This will, later on, open up to airing content from the rest of Africa. What exciting projects are you working on lately that you can share with us? My work and keen interest in the animation field has led me to work with a local gaming and animation company that is making great strides in the market. I was approached by the Director of ISHAKA LLC, Mr. Sagwa Chabeda, to assist in the project concept and fundraising. We are currently working on a gaming, animation and manga franchise that is set to take the African, European and American markets by storm. It is a bold statement to make but it is a viable endeavor. We have attracted interest from some international production and distribution companies who are looking for new content to market to the world. The ball is in our court and we want to tell our African stories and help the world understand who we are, our cultures, traditions, and heritage. We want to give our viewers an authentic display of the different countries in Africa, one story at a time. [bctt tweet=”My keen interest in animation has led me to work with ISHAKA a local gaming & animation company” via=”no”] You started your business while in school, what was your experience being a student entrepreneur? I started my business in my final year of campus. I had some work experience previously in my father’s company and it was here that I made the decision not to pursue employment after my education. Understanding my personality and passion, I knew what my dreams were and I didn’t want to wait to pursue them. The great thing about starting my business while I was still on campus was that I got business referrals from my fellow classmates who were older and already running their own businesses. I also received advice from them on business planning and execution. On the other hand, I was inexperienced in many things and my lack of experience cost me a lot of money and brought a lot of tears. I had no HR, finance or management skills. My background was in marketing. I had to quickly learn the ropes and continue to keep an open mind, learning attitude, build tough skin and pursue continuous development. Starting entrepreneurship at a young age has given me time to make mistakes, understand my strengths and grow into the business woman I am today. I am now very clear on what I can and cannot do and this has helped me to avoid taking up projects that I know I will not be able to adequately serve. Starting early has also been beneficial in giving me time to grow my network and I can confidently say I am a very resourceful person. I have come to appreciate the pains and pleasures of entrepreneurship and I have a big heart for those who want to venture into business. I appreciated the assistance I got when I was on campus as I started out and I would not hesitate to help anyone seeking advice as an entrepreneur. You have to tell us about your balloon business, how did the idea to run this come up? How exactly did you use digital marketing to grow it?