women's month – Leading Through Story

July 6, 2021July 11, 2022

I Won The #ChooseToChallenge Storytelling Award ($1500)

🏆Great News! I WON🎉

Thanks to the African Union, Plan International, CSO Forum, GIMAC Young Women Network, and Save The Children for selecting me as a Senior Youth Award Winner (USD $1500) of the #ChooseToChallenge Storytelling Competition for African Youth that was launched during Women’s Month 2021.
*See opportunities to explore at African Union below.

🎬 My submission was a 3-minute video story under the theme: “Let’s Choose To Challenge Traditional Gender Roles To Improve Economic Growth.”
I crafted it using the same World-class Storytelling Strategies I Coach my Storyful Global Women Clients with.

It was recently announced at an Exclusive Africa-wide Online Award Ceremony with Top African Leaders, Humanitarians, and Nonprofit stakeholders that 173 total story submissions were made across Africa, 12 winners were selected and then 9 of us won the top prizes.

I’m so proud of my fellow winners especially knowing that… Our African Youth stories and recommendations will be heard by the African Union and used in the implementation of Africa’s Agenda for Children (Agenda 2040). We’re driving real change, y’all!

As a Top Winner of the Senior Category under the Economic Growth theme, I won USD $1500 which will of course be injected as capital into my business and other personal investments.

🔔 As promised, here are some opportunities for African Youth (under 35 years) by the African Union which you could explore or share:

1. Africa Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI).
Closing the digital gender gap in Africa by equipping young girls with digital literacy, coding, and personal development skills.

2. 1 Million by 2021 Initiative.
Catalyzing action and investment in youth development in Africa.

3. African Union Volunteer Programme.
Promoting youth participation, capacity building, and empowerment through service and skills exchange, driven by the philosophy of Pan-Africanism and Youth Leadership.

💌 I encourage you to use your voice as a tool for advocacy.
Bet on yourself and your story whenever you see an opportunity to drive real change in the world.

cc: @PlanAULO @GIMACNetwork @SaveTheChildren

March 16, 2021July 11, 2022

Guest Speaker at Rotary Club of Muthaiga in Kenya

The World Is Hungry For Alternative Stories. Here’s Why!

Yesterday, The Rotary Club of Muthaiga (celebrating 23 years) hosted me for a LIVE online storytelling session with their community themed: “The World Is Hungry For Alternative Stories. Here’s Why!”

We had such great fun as I challenged the community to look beyond dominant stories to rediscover alternative stories within the global human collective.

As soon as the recording is ready, I’ll share the delicious watch with you.

For now… a big Thank You to all who joined us and added such fun to the beautiful storytelling experience.

Cc:
The Rotary Club of Nairobi Muthaiga North
Rotary International

March 12, 2021July 11, 2022

Published on YAZA Africa as a March IKON Woman

Thanks to a generous nomination by @womenworkkenya I have been selected as a YAZA Africa March IKON, amongst fellow phenomenal African women.

In honour of the International Women’s Day 2021, YAZA will be celebrating the women of Africa, as the March IKON. So this whole month YAZA will be sharing 100 stories from 100 women across the continent.

For YAZA, an IKON is a woman who is successful in her own right, who knows who she is and what she stands for and who uses her power for the greater good.

My March IKON story is now published. Enjoy the delicious read on yaza.afica website here!

About YAZA:
YAZA is an online media brand for modern African women, with carefully curated stories by African women and on their own terms. And operates in a collective market of 700million people in South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and soon more countries.

Learn more about YAZA at @yaza.africa www.yaza.africa.com

March 8, 2021July 11, 2022

International Women’s Day 2021 – I’m a Family Female First

I’m a Family Female First

Yes, I’m the First Businesswoman in my entire family.

But it didn’t come without a fight, for I was only given two options:
1. To do what the family patriarchs sat, discussed and decided I should do for a living & receive their full support. OR
2. To do what I wanted for a living with a TOTAL withdrawal of their support.

I’d thought it was a joke. I remember thinking: “They can’t be serious, right? They took me to school to be enlightened, to expand my options and to access more freedom than my foremothers.

“Until I chose to pursue my own path.
And in a snap, the withdrawal took effect.
No phone communication.
No financial support.
No emotional support.

I suddenly became redundant because I didn’t choose a career path that would elevate the patriarchs in my family.
I must admit. It was SO SCARY facing the rejection. And it took a lot of humility to brave through the pain, anxiety attacks, confusion and brokene$$.

In fact, I remember once searching for coins around the house to afford me a packet of Ksh. 50 sanitary towels. Yet on TV I saw the patriarchs display their wealth in business and politics.

However, there was something in me that wasn’t shaken.
For the first time in my life, I felt FREE to CHOOSE. A freedom that not so many women in my family have afforded themselves.
In hindsight, I’m so grateful for the college student I was then for affording me the freedom to choose.

To make decisions about my own life.
To be openly ambitious.
To earn my own money.
To build businesses.
To fund my own dreams.
To fall in love with myself again.
To create my own legacy as a woman.

Turns out… I am the example I’d been waiting for all along!
Sis, don’t wait for an example. BE the example – for You first, then others.

And when you see the L on my business name LetS… think of Legacy – a Family Female First.

I’m helping women like me to take charge of their own stories and use them to launch their wild women dreams.

What do you #choosetochallenge about the women-specific narratives you grew up around in your family and community?

Change the story.
Start with yours.