magazine final edition by ftk
DESCRIPTION
bgiaTRANSCRIPT
www.blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
FILLED
VESSELS
Filled Vessels An Inspirational BGIA Magazine
Up Your Passion
Celebrate. Empower . Encourage . Inspire. Ignite
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Dabiri
Maiden Edition 2013
Annual Global BGIA Event
Igniting Your Passion
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 2
Founder and Editorial Director
Abby Osoba
Editor in Chief
Feyikemi Kukoyi
Editor at Large
Damilola Liyele
Deputy Editor
Idara Udo
Editorial Board
Education Contributor—Adewale Oluwatobi
Health Contributor —Idara Udo
Leadership Contributor —Deji Meije
Technology Contributor—Marianne Jamme
Page 27
Thanks
If you are interested in BGIA Magazine at your location,
email [email protected]
Find us online
www.blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Join our mailing list for the monthly newsletter and upcoming
programs, projects and events
WRITE US
BGIA welcomes letters from its readers.
To contact Editorial Team: Send us an email at
[email protected]. Letters should in-
clude writer’s full name, address and day time phone number.
Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
Page 26
THE PROBLEM WITH MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS
Health refers to the physical and emotional
condition of a person, the ability of a person
to function efficiently, and popularly, to be
free from illness, injury or pain. The World
Health Organization (WHO) defined health
in 1946 as "a state of complete physical,
mental, and social well-being and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity."
Mental health is a state of emotional and
psychological well-being. It refers to the
ability of a person to function in a balanced
cognitive state that is beneficial and satisfac-
tory both to him/her, as well as to society. According to WHO, mental health is
"a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities,
can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully,
and is able to make a contribution to his or her community". WHO stresses that
mental health "is not just the absence of mental disorder".
Everyone has the potential for suffering from mental health problems. WHO has
estimated that one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or disor-
ders at some point in their lives. When it occurs, the individual encounters prob-
lems in relationships and jobs, – largely due to ignorance on the part of society –
most times worse than if they would have had a physical illness. Some mental health problems are popular and some are more common. Examples
of common groups of mental illnesses include anxiety disorders (panic disorder,
phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder),
mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder) and schizophrenia disorders. Men-
tal illness, mental disorders and mental health problems loosely have the same
meaning.
Cultural differences play an important role in the definition of mental health; they
influence the way individuals with mental health problems are treated, and create
a healthy environment for stigma to thrive. In much of the developed world, men-
tal disorders account for the leading cause of disability in people aged 15 to 44.
In low- and middle-income countries, severe shortages of human and financial
resources make it nearly impossible for mental health services to be adequately
provided, and only a scant percentage get the treatment they need.
.
Idara S Udo
Page 3
Filled Vessels Magazine ׀August2013׀blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Contents
Filled Vessels Magazine is an in-
spirational BGIA magazine. We
connect to women from all works
of life or ethnicity. What makes us
unique is that all of our efforts are
concentrated on empowering, en-
couraging, celebrating young and
older African women and girls
A BIG THANK YOU to all who helped to make the maiden
edition of BGIA Filled Vessels Magazine a success.
4 Welcome
By Founder & Editorial Director
9 Women as Leaders
11 BEN—Business
Enterprise Network
10 A close look at
Abike Dabiri
14 Introducing BEN
19 “Igniting your Passion”
Environment
20 The Prepared
Environment
21 Our Service to
Humanity
13 Technology and
African Women
Page 4
Welcome Welcome to our exciting, new magazine!
I am please to introduce you to Filled Vessels, an inspirational BGIA magazine dedicated to
celebrate, empower, inspire and ignite young girls and women in Africa and all across the globe
in a personal, healthy, spiritual, and overall wellbeing in professional ways. To bring you infor-
mation you can use to boost your self esteem, identify positive role models in the various commu-
nities, make an impact in someone's life or in your community, start a new revolution, help some-one else achieve your purpose and dream, business success and career success. Filled Vessels is
filled with tips and stories to inspire and encourage you to
create whole-life success in your personal lives, homes, organ-
izations and communities. You’ll learn from the best of the
best—and from it, you can be your best. If you have an entre-
preneurial spirit, Filled Vessels is the magazine for you. And
if you juggle a busy work life or a busy home life, or both, you’ve come to the right place. Our magazine is a quick read
packed with tips on how you can make an impact in your
communities, in the lives of other young girls and women, to
help you clear the clutter and have a great lifestyle, manage the
chaos and create the life you want while being fulfilled at the
same time.
YOU have to be filled with something, What are YOU filled
with?
Filled Vessels is the result of my desire to help people reach
new heights. As a young girl growing up, I had long wished
for a magazine that could inspire women, and the goal was
brought into reality in winter 2013. Our tagline, celebrate,
empower, inspire and ignite young girls and women in Africa
and all across the globe, embodies what we hope you’ll learn
from the magazine: Live well, love what you do and inspire
others.
Filled Vessels will be considered the centerpiece to personal
development and inspiration in the years to come . Filled
Vessels capitalizes on these principles, but is geared specifical-
ly for young girls and women who want more out of life.
Names of women who have achieved great things and inspired
others in Africa grace the first issue, you will learn the secret to their success which is in their
stories so that you can stand on the shoulders of these giants and be able to do better than they have done. Each woman’s story in Filled Vessels is an uplifting, inspirational tool to show others
how we can all achieve such greatness.
As young girls and women, we have an innate ability to be champions of change. We support and
motivate our spouses, children and friends every day. Let Filled Vessels support and motivate you
as you work to reach your personal and professional goals.
I will like to personally welcome you again, ENJOY!
Abby Osoba Founder & Editorial Director
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 25
Page 24
Be the Change to Desire - MD, USA 2012 The 1st annual event—
Be the Change to Desire
within December 8,
2012, at Hilton hotel,
Maryland, USA. Mary-
land witnessed the event
that left many women
the desire to be the
change in their own lit-
tle way . This event ca-
tered to women
being more effective
around their
surrounding; the
desire to see the
environment change for
the better. In attend-
ance; Sherrie Johnson
of ABC 2 News Mary-
land, Chardelle Moore,
Adwoa Jones were
guest speakers along
with BGIA CEO, Abby
Osoba
Transformed to Inspire - Toronto, Canada,
2012 A workshop targeted at transforming
the minds of people in the
community. BGIA also visited a nursing home for senior citizens and
spent some time pampering the elder women.
Page 5
Word from the Editor In Chief Dear Reader:
Welcome to our first ever Filled
Vessels Magazine.
The Filled Vessels Magazine has been in the works since the exist-ence of BGIA as our CEO; Abby Osoba shared this vision with me when I joined BGIA. This Filled Vessels Magazine will be a vehicle for the delivery of timely and thoughtful information and opinion on the many issues that involve our non-profit organization..
I would like to thank those who serve on the Filled Vessels Maga-zine’s staff and its Editorial Board for providing the support and feed-back necessary to find, develop, and publish material of such con-sistent high quality. I hope that we can build on such a strong record and continue to expand the reach of the Filled Vessels Magazine for the benefit of the entire communi-ty, and ultimately for the benefit of the girls and women in Africa.
This edition of the Filled Vessels Magazine inaugurates a somewhat modified format. Most important, however, are what our collection of contributors who are authors have to communicate. I hope you find this issue of interest, and as we continue to explore new ways to
make the Filled Vessels Magazine useful to your work, please share your ideas and thoughts with us. I can be reached at [email protected], and I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Feyikemi Kukoyi Editor-in-Chief
Page 6
Letter from the Deputy Editor
My name is Idara Samuel Udo; I am a Nigerian, the first child and only
daughter of my parents. The part of Nigeria where my father is from has
a peculiar tradition of giving children the first name of their fathers to
have as a middle name.
I am a junior doctor training in the specialty of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry. Here at BGIA, I am the Executive Assistant/Administrator
and most recently, the Deputy Editor of the Filled Vessels Magazine.
It is with great delight that I welcome you to the maiden edition of our
magazine. The work of non-profit organizations is unique as well as im-
portant, most especially in regards to girls and women, as they constitute
a large proportion of the socially and economically underprivileged.
We hope that this magazine will provide a broader, higher platform on
which we can share and highlight the passionate work that we do at
BGIA. Through this means, the read-
ers like you can see how beneficial it
is to support organizations like ours,
and ultimately help the people who
are desperately in need of it.
Therefore, allow the stories to inspire
your imaginations and motivate your
minds. Step into our world as we
guide you through it.
Happy reading.
Sincerely,
Idara Udo
Deputy Editor
Email: [email protected]
Page 23
Past Program Activities SHE IGNITE SHE INSPIRE
(SISI)– Mentoring Program.
This is a Black Girls Ignite Africa
global monthly mentorship program.
Our goal for the girls & women who
join SISI will have increased their self-
esteem, become more confident and
show motivation. We currently are
mentoring in USA, Nigeria, Canada,
UAE, Kenya, Ghana, and Tanzania
kicked off at all regional locations on
Saturday, March 23rd, 2013. This was a
one kind of event where young women
from all walks of life had the oppor-
tunity to network; share stories/interest
and listens to inspirational words from
motivational women in our communi-
ty.
June 2013 - SISI SHE
Summit
North America (S.I.S.I) In collabo-
ration with S.H.E. Summit
(Women’s Week) New York
“Leadership and Lifestyle event
for women”
Page 22
BGIA Nigeria (Lagos Team) embarked on
an outreach to a village named Itedo in
Lekki phase 1, Lagos on 05/08/2013. The
aim of this outreach was to bless/feed fifty
(50) families who are less privilege by
providing them with different food items in
care boxes. BGIA donated careboxes filled
with Rice, Garri, Indomie Noodles, Tin
Tomatoes and Palm Oil to local familes in
unpriviledged areas in Lekki.
BGIA CareBox
Outreach, Lagos,
Nigeria
Widows and Orphans
Alive Community in
Eldoret , Kenya
BGIA provided for
over 100 community
members, paid hospital
bills, house rents, and
fed them during
Christmas 2012
Page 7
To empower, encourage, celebrate positive, life-changing
activity and healthy development through helping girls and
women foster their dreams of a better tomorrow without
comprising their integrity and self-worth today. Mentoring of
young girls and women to help combat negative images in
the media and all works of life. Seeks to build the self-
esteem by changing their outlook on life, broadening their
horizons, and helping them to empower themselves.
Our Mission
To empower girls/women to dare to fulfill their dreams, to
dare to be whoever they want to be, to let no one else define
what they can and cannot do, As a result, they will be great,
and they will ignite! The opportunity to enrich the lives of
girls aged 12 to 17 years old specifically and older women
through mentorship, arts education, cultural exploration and
public service.
Our Vision
We are a network of women connected invisibly by a common
thread of BGIA principles: We have a board of Trustees who are
Platinum Life Members and are ultimately responsible for the
Strategic direction of the work of BGIA.
We carry out annual activities and operations through the Board,
Executive Council, Senior Management, Management
Coordinators, and ad hoc volunteers.
We have active members and volunteer members.
Our Structure
Page 8
Benefits of Membership
Access to empowerment sessions with BGIA and BGIA Part-
nered Events across the world which in turn allows you to
mentor other women and girls in communities in Africa.
All access VIP passes and discounts to all BGIA Events
across the world.
Get your private company AD to be featured on the BGIA
homepage –imagine the exposure
Opportunity to promote your business at BGIA Events.
Receive discounts for product advertised at the BGIA Website
or Event.
BGIA Members Undertake to:
Display integrity in business and personal dealings.
Dedicated time , strength , vitality and energy for effective
participation in the BGIA charity and empowerment
programs.
Advance the influence of women and girls in the communities
in Africa.
Celebrate the success and the success of other BGIA Member.
Be a source of support to other BGIA members.
Maintain respect for themselves and each of the BGIA mem-
bers regardless of age and social standing.
Membership Guidelines
BGIA is a loose network of purposeful women from diverse backgrounds and walks of life, each of us bound by a common thread of BGIA member’s principles (a desire and passion to celebrate, empower, encourage, ignite and inspire girls and women.
Page 21
Our Service to Humanity
Zarephath Project (Feeding of over 400 people in
Elekuru Village in Nigeria):
With the support of Living star
mission, a mission which has been
sponsoring the village by sending
money and helping children’s edu-
cation, BGIA was able to feed over
400 villagers in Elekuru village
and other nine sub-villages which
included Gbesinra Village, Lasidi
Village, Ilu Ate Village, etc, during
the Easter and Christmas celebra-
tion and purchased clothing for the
orphans. BGIA is currently in part-
nership to build a school and re-
source center in Elekuru Village.
BGIA Visits Elekuru Village
In efforts to progress with the
Zaraphath project, BGIA will be
helping purchase a piece of land
which will be used to build the
future school and business center
for the people of Elekuru . BGIA
has visited the village at Elekuru
during a site visitation with the
Founder and CEO of BGIA –
Abby Osoba, the Head of Living
Star Mission – Ayo Kukoyi, An
Architect, and other Active BGIA
Donors and Supporters .
Page 20
The Prepared Environment
The Prepared Environment is a crucial part of the child's education in the classroom.
When the child enters the Montessori house, he/she will enter an environment that is
carefully prepared to cater for the child’s needs. According to the book ‘Maria Mon-
tessori’ her life and work by E.M. Standing, Maria Montessori sometimes used to
speak of this prepared environment for children (two and a half to six or seven) as the
luogo chiuso (the ‘enclosed space’).
"Plainly, the environment must be a living one, directed by a higher intel-ligence, arranged by an adult who is prepared for his mission. It is in this that our conception differs both from that of the world in which the adult does everything for the child and from that of a passive environment in which the adult abandons the child to himself…"
A prepared environment must liberate the spirit: an environment in which
children are simply physically free to run about and play is not enough.
The prepared environment allows the child to develop without constant
assistance and supervision from an adult.
A beautiful environment: a well equipped Montessori classroom, even the
materials are part of the environment and should be attractive to the chil-
dren.
The child has to be part of the group to be absorbed, the cultural traits, language, and
movement. The child also has a tendency to communicate, gregariousness and having
a space to move because he has the tendency to movement and sensitive period for co
ordination of movement. The prepared environment must meet the needs of the devel-
opment of the child. The environment does not contain any object that the child may
not need or that one hinders his development, nor does it contain any materials that are
broken or incomplete. Children function optimally in an environment prepared both
physically and psychologically. The design of the environment is based on the princi-
ples of simplicity, beauty and order. It is bright, warm and inviting, filled with the key
aspects of culture including language, plants, art, music, and books.
As part of the Practical Life activities, the children learn to keep their environment in
order and generally clean and tidy.
This also fulfills the child's innate
Sensitive Period for Order, the
sensitive period for co-ordination of
movement that gives the child the
precise movement.
This Montessori environment is
called the "prepared environment" because it has been set up to enable
the child to be successful and to
gain many skills here.
Adedayo Oluwatobi
Page 9
WOMEN AS LEADERS? POWER, PARTICIPATION AND
PROGRESS IN THE 21ST CENTURY? – BY DELE MEIJI
The continued dominance of politi-
cal life in Africa by men is not
good for men, it’s not good for
women and it’s not good for the
continent. Thankfully, this is a
situation that is beginning to
change. African women have made
remarkable progress in emancipa-
tion and empowerment, not least in the last few years where we have seen a
few women take on the mantle of leadership in the political arena at the high-
est level. Women occupy the presidency in Malawi and Liberia. Mrs
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is the Chairperson of the African Union Commis-
sion. In many countries, women are now the leaders of key ministries. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala is the minister of Finance for Nigeria; Linah Moholo is the
central governor of the Bank of Botswana. Yet, many challenges remain, not
least, the use of rape as a weapon of war, which has been a particularly dam-
aging development in many recent conflicts on the continent.
Despite the challenges, where African governments have made gender parity
a priority, there have been significant results – Senegal, South Africa, Bot-
swana, and Mozambique all rank highly for their level of women’s represen-
tation parliament. The only country in the world with more than 50% of
women in its legislature is Rwanda. The debate on using quotas to achieve
gender parity in politics remains a lively one, in Africa, the UK and else-
where, yet there is no gainsaying the results. Mozambique, one of the coun-
tries where quota systems have been implemented is ranked 5th in the world
for female representation in Parliament. Carlos dos Santos, the Mozambican
High Commissioner to the UK, speaking at our event on Women as Leaders
in Africa, links Mozambique’s gender policies to the country’s struggle for
liberation, and the equal role played by men and women in it. He said: “We
consider women’s equality fundamental to development in Africa and else-
where in the world…Our conviction dates back to the time of the liberation
movement against colonialism, where women fought side by side with men
to liberate the country… It was clear then and now that the development of
our country requires the full participation of women, who constitute 52% of
the population.” Lofty ambitions – but attaining them in most African coun-
tries remains a challenge, even with some of the most progressive legislation
anywhere in the world in many of the continent’s constitutions.
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 10
Honorable Abike Dabiri Erewa: A close look Politician/Member of the Nigeria Federal House of
Representatives – Ikorodu, Constituuency in Lagos
State.
Abike Dabiri-Erewa has always been a familiar face. Right from her days at the Nigerian Television Author-ity, where she made her mark as a newscaster cum reporter, she has always been a jolly good fellow. From the tube to politics, she has emerged as an Ama-zon; a parliamentary activist of sorts, especially when public interest is in grave danger. Not a few female lawmakers admit that her performance in the House of Representatives influenced their deci-sion to become legislators. What then is Abike’s oeuvre? She re-veals this herself, beginning with her birth.
Hon Abike Dabiri Erewa is the daughter of Alhaji and Alhaja Ashafa Erogbogbo, her dad Alhaji Ashafa is one of the children of late Alhaji. Sule Erogbogbo of Adegorunsen Compound, Ajina square, Ita – Agbodo, Ikorodu. Both her parent distinguished themselves in their career and taught Abike, the significance of hard work, to believe in the power of education and instilled in her a love for the Country. Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa started her edu-cational career at Maryland Convent private school, Ikeja while she attended St. Teresa’s College, Ibadan for her secondary educa-tion where she distinguished herself. She obtained her first degree in English Language from the prestigious University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU) Ile – Ife.
In pursuit of her quest for knowledge, she obtained a Post Gradu-ate Diploma (PGD) in Mass Communication and also a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the University of Lagos, blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 19
Breaking News: BGIA Annual Global Event
Black Girls Ignite Africa
Igniting Your Passion
October 15th-20th 2013: Dubai & Lagos
IGNITING YOUR PASSION FUNDRAISING CONCERT
REGULAR CONCERT TICKETS #2,000.00 (Naira)!
VIP CONCERT TICKETS #10,000 (Naira) VVIP/CORPORATE CONCERT TICKET (8 people)
#250,000 (Naira) Advance tickets are available NOW!
Contact us at [email protected] to reserve your spot today!
Page 18
Poem — The super African woman that i am
I am what I am, woman, soul, spirited
I am fearfully and wonderfully created
I am what no man can do without
I am meant to deliver with no doubt
I am behind every successful man
I am what was created out of a rib of a man
I am what i instill today in the future tomorrow
I am that feels the pain others will never feel
I am that bleeds without getting hurt
I am emotional and fragile i easily get hurt
I am that heals by my words and understanding
I am the producer of fine product
I am who's character is reflected in my conduct
I am the one with my hands open wide for the weak
I am what every child seeks
I am a mentor and role model for many
I am not imaginary
I am strong even when left alone
I am never weak forever
I am the super diva
I am unstoppable
I am capable of doing the impossible
I am self-sufficient
I am self indulgent
I am young and sophisticated in my own way
I am with the semblance of a new day
I hold my head high when its supposed to hang low
I am beautiful, i am joyful
I am the perfect imperfect
I am mistreated, misunderstood and mistaken
I am underestimated and often shaken
I can't be outrun or outmatched
In being everything that i am
I am what i am, soul and spirited African woman
Abigail Sikwenda
Page 11
She also had a stint at the Kennedy School of Government,
Harvard University, USA. This devoted Muslim is happily
married to Segun Erewa and they are blessed with children.
Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa fondly called “Mother of Theresa of
the tube” prides herself in her outstanding career as a broadcaster.
She spent 15 years of distinguished and meritorious service at the
Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). While in NTA she gained
a strong understanding of the industry because of her dedication,
inquisitive and professionalism. She anchored the weekly NTA
News line programme to the delight of millions of Nigerians irre-
spective of their tribe or religion. She warmed her way into the
hearts of many with her gallantary efforts of using television as
an effective tool to draw attention to the Millions of Nigerian.
Her commitment and passionate dedication to duty while
working on several heart touching News line stories stood her
out and endeared her to many. Indeed, she has made a suc-
cess out of her life having been a lawmaker of note in the
House of Representatives. For instance, she pursued the pas-
sage of the Freedom of Information Bill with the fury and
tenacity of a lioness.
Is she glamorous? Yes! But the mother of two would always
tell you there is more to her than glamour. “I have always
maintained that there is more to a woman than what she
wears. A woman can also be a part of whatever goes on in
her society— she can be a leader, an administrator or a suc-
cessful professional. On women, of course, she believes that
Nigerian women can do well in any position of authority.
“We have very qualified and highly competent women.
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 12
Poems - Empowered Woman
The Empowered Woman, she moves through the world
with a sense of confidence and Grace.
Her once reckless Spirit now tempered by Wisdom.
Quietly, yet firmly, she speaks her Truth without doubt or hesitation
and the life she leads is of her own creation.
She now understands what it means to live and let live.
How much to ask for herself and how much to give.
She has a strong, yet generous heart.. and the inner beauty she emanates
truly sets her apart.
Like the mythical Phoenix, she has risen from the ashes and soared to a
new plane of existence, unfettered by the things that once that posed
such resistance.
Her senses now heightened, she sees everything so clearly.
She hears the wind rustling through the trees;
beckoning her to live the dreams she holds so dearly.
She feels the softness of her hands and muses at the strength that they
possess. Her needs and desires she has learned to express. She has tasted
the bitter and savored the sweet fruits of life, overcome adversity and
pushed past heartache and strife.
And the one thing she never understood, she now knows to be true, it all
begins and ends with You. ♥
~Sonny Carroll
Page 17
Chantal Biya: The First Lady of Cameroon
If you are yet to hear of the Banane, then you read about it first on Afrikan Goddess
Online. Meet Chantal Biya, Cameroon’s First Lady, and her show-stopping hairstyles.
She is popularly known for her flashy hair-dos and flamboyant wardrobes, but at Afr-
kan Goddess, we will be introducing you to the heart and soul behind Chantal Biya.
Chantal Biya was born in Dimako, Cameroon in 1971. Her father, Georges Vigououx,
was a French expatriate, and her mother, Rosette Ndongo Mengolo, was a Miss Dou-
mé pageant winner. Her teeage years were spent in Yaounde, and she later married
Cameroon’s President Paul
Biya in 1994 after the death of
his first wife.
Flamboyantly adored and all,
Chantal Biya is passionate about
alleviating the suffering that
rises from pov- erty and disease,
specifically HIV/AIDS. She
founded Afri- can Synergy to
provide educa- tion, health treat-
ment centers, subsidized an-
tiretroviral drugs and better
care during blood transfusion
to patients. Her effort is building
unity in the fight against HIV/
AIDS, a unity we all know is
much needed in Africa. In 2009,
she led a team of Africa’s First
Ladies to the African First
Ladies Health Summit held in
Los Angeles. The event was co
-sponsored by African Synergy.
The focus of the summit was
maternal health, girls’ education and HIV/AIDS related issues throughout Africa.
Under Chantal Biya’s vision and leadership, African Synergy continues to synergize
the HIV/AIDS efforts of first ladies both in Africa and other continents with the work
of scientists and HIV/AIDS agencies.
The reputation of her hair and fashion styles sure precedes her, but her focus and pas-
sion to alleviate the suffering of the poor and destitute is much to talk about. In re-
sponse to issues of rural and urban poverty in Cameroon, she launched The Chantal
Biya Foundation to provide care for mothers and children, the elderly and for families.
The foundation bridges the gap between the people and much needed social services.
Page 16
Mobolade Adesanya
BGIA has really inspired me in a lot of ways, the major one
being the fact that, it has steered me towards fulfilling my
desires to help give
back to the society.
Prior to joining BGIA
earlier this year I have
been able to help in
the little way I can
with the nannies we
employ and people
around me but it
wasn't enough for me.
There still existed the
thirst to do more,
which to a very large
extent has been filled since joining BGIA. In Nigeria for
instance, we have succeeded in mentoring young girls during
our monthly SISI- She Ignites She Inspires program, to mold
and to shape them into better women in the society. Another
initiative of BGIA is the Care Boxes aimed at feeding the
less privileged families in our society. During our first
outreach, we were able to feed 50 families at the Itedo
village in Lekki, Lagos state Nigeria. I am also very excited
about our Elekuru school building project. I love everything
BGIA stands for and represent and I'm pleased to be part of
these success story. This is just the beginning though, we are
no where close to where God is taking us.
B-Spirations BGIA Inspirations
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 13
How Technology Can Transform Lives of African
Women
I recently left the Global Forum on Innovation & Technolo-
gy Entrepreneurship in South Africa, inspired, empowered
and hopeful, but extremely impatient to see radical changes
to help women in Africa develop a world-class talent in sci-
ence, technology, engineering, mathematics and businesses.
Throughout the event I saw women who were passionate en-
trepreneurs. They were all seeking new ways of growing
their businesses. The women discussed challenges and barri-
ers to success, and how to take their business to the next lev-
el. They wanted to grow their network and create global part-
nerships.
Women hold the key to Africa's development, from agricul-
ture to technology and entrepreneurship. But they still face
massive hurdles in many areas of development and they are
still financially disadvantaged and lack confidence in starting
up businesses in Africa.
Mid-career dropout is frequent; cultural and social bounda-
ries also are hurdles women need to overcome every day.
Gender inequality is also a major issue for women looking to
get loans from banks; often, they are not taken seriously.
In most African countries women account for a sizable part
of the workforce, but still, there are not many places where
women entrepreneurs can go for mentoring and support for
their businesses.
By Mariéme Jam
Page 14
Introducing BEN
blackgirlsigniteafrica.com
Page 15