How I Went Back to School on Friday courtesy the British Council

What is school without a face beat? Face beat by Makeup By Mogizzie

On Friday the 3rd of November, I went back to school, all thanks to the British Council.

I eagerly applied for the Media Workshop organised by the British Council when I found out about it and was happy to have been accepted. It was a Capacity Building Workshop that held at Radisson Blu between 9a.m and 4pm. We started on time... that was impressive. And not only that but the facilitators ensured each course was covered within the time frame allotted to it. It meant we were able to wrap at 4pm as planned.

The workshop covered various courses including Conflict Sensitive Journalism (Lauratu Umar Abdusalami), Collaborations in the Media Space, (Peter Okwoche), Online Content Optimisation for Journalists (Abasiama Idaresit), and my personal favourite- Personal Branding for Journalists.
The course on personal branding was taken by Lampe Omoyele from 141 Worldwide and Lucent Consulting Company and touched on what a brand was, why it is important to brand yourself, and things to consider when doing so. I asked a question about how to brand yourself when you have different interests and he advised me on that directly.

With Lampe Omoyele

During the full workshop session, we also took a test and worked the room asking people questions like, "Do you sing in the shower?" and "Have you ever stroked a lion?"
(Yes and No for me in case you are wondering). Harry Itie of TVC and Emeka Okocha of NothingToDoInLagos were also at the event and we caught up on what we had been up to.

After tea-breaks, classes, networking, lunch, questions, answers and pictures, we received our certificates.

It was a great learning experience with the opportunity to learn something new (especially for Child Protection and Coverage in the media), and also to re-learn things I knew before (like effective use of Social Media as a Journalist).

#MondayMotivation Even if NEPA takes light, a Fridge should not become your Wardrobe

There is a common joke in Nigeria about how when the power situation gets so bad, the fridges and freezers lose their initial use and get turned into wardrobes. That is what I thought of the second I stumbled upon this quote by Benjamin Franklin for my Instagram Quote of the Day - "Hide not your talents, they for use were made; what's a sundial in the shade?" 

Of course Benjamin Franklin is old and not an African so we probably do not use nor know much about sundials but we still understand it for what he means- things (and talents) should be used as they were intended and not buried away.

What are the top 3 things that keep us from letting our light shine?
From what I know, it usually has to do with Fear (of failure or rejection), Laziness (and its cousin, Procrastination), and Lack of Confidence (How dare I do something this big).

If you are troubled by one or all of the above, then think about this
- It does not matter how old, big or strong you get, fear rears its head. What you must do is let fear drive and not stop you. As Omilola Oshikoya says, do it AFRAID!

- There are simple tips and tricks that can help get your laziness and procrastination under control if that is your handicap. Once you acknowledge your flaws, you can then work around them. Do not let a negative flaw you have hold you back ever.

- What can we achieve by refusing to dream big or aim high? As they say, dreams are free so why not just dream big?

I hope this helps you? Just remember that you have your talent for a reason. Let your light shine. I cannot say this enough.
What is one thing you can do this week to showcase your talent? Leave a comment below!

WCW: SUSTY QUEEN, JENNIFER UCHENDU

Hi guys! Happy Wednesday and Happy new month! It's funny how 2017 ends next month and I'm still working on my NEW year resolutions. Sigh. Anyway, I'm just glad because our MCM/WCW interviews on this blog always inspire me to do more and I imagine how far back I would be without them.
Have you ever heard about SDG's (Sustainable Development Goals)? If you haven't then you're definitely sleeping through life, no offence ;) but Sustainabile development goals are key in order to ensure we live in a balanced and safe environment . In light of that, let's meet our Woman Crush today -Jennifer Uchendu, founder of Susty Vibes, an online platform for all Sustainability News and trends  across Africa. Enjoy and be enlightened ;)

1)     You are into a career path that is quite rare among youths, how did you discover your passion for sustainability  development and why is it important for people to be aware of what your company, SustyVibes  is doing?

JENNIFER:I got caught up in Sustainability/Environmental protection during my undergraduate years in Covenant University. I started learning about how much damage humans had caused (and are still causing) to the planet and I wanted to be part of the people working to reduce this damage.

Sustainability is about doing the right thing, we live in a world where wrong things seem normal for everyone, from environmental pollution to corruption and unethical business practices to even human rights violation. At every turn, people and the Environment suffer from our insatiable want for money and disregard for life support systems. I believe we need to start rethinking the status quo and doing things right, the Climate for one is changing and for us in Nigeria, we don’t even have anywhere to run to. The work we do at SustyVibes to increase awareness on sustainability issues is critical to the times we live in because no economy can thrive in a decaying Environment.

2)   What’s it like running a business at such a young age?

JENNIFER:I am 25, I don't think I'm that young, though in an environment like Nigeria - entrepreneurship is tough and even way older people face the similar challenges, It has been a journey of learning and unlearning especially in a sector as peculiar as Sustainability. I have been fortunate to have good mentors and colleagues who are truly passionate about Sustainable Development - they help solve complex problems and inspire me to put in my best.

3)     You recently won the SME100  25 under 25 award for energy and sustainability , how did that make you feel and what does it signify for the brand you're trying to build?

JENNIFER:Though I'm not very big on awards as I don’t think they are yardsticks for measuring success , the SME 100 platform was very significant for me, I had no idea I was nominated until few days to the announcements and I still got to win. It showed me that SustyVibes is making an impact and that people are observing and getting inspiration to live responsibly. Which is why I started SustyVibes in the first place,  to see that the objective is being achieved makes me so proud.

4) What keeps you moving when things aren’t going so well?

JENNIFER:Being a spiritual person, I draw strength by reading God's word and promises over my life. I also get encouraged by our volunteers; SustyVibers - seeing the work they do without supervision is just inspiring, SustyVibes was created to be a platform and when people start taking advantage of the platform to do big things for the Environment, I can't help but get really excited and motivated to do more.

5)     Asides work, what’ s your favorite thing to do for fun?   

JENNIFER: Recently, I enjoy posing in front of cameras, I have been famzing photographers a lot these days. Its so beautiful, the images they create after.

6)     One thing many people don’t know about you.

JENNIFER: A lot of people are not aware that I wanted to be a Gynaecologist before now, stemming from a passion for women development and inclusion - I was so obsessed with the specialization, I had several books on medicine and women's reproductive health. This informed my passion for ecofeminism and I’m glad I get to work with women through our just launched Foundation - Her Dreams Are Valid.

7)     Share with us any UNPOPULAR belief that you have.

  JENNIFER:Jesus is a feminist. I wrote about it here - http://sustyvibes.com/jesus-is-a-feminist/

8)     Please tell us one thing you’ll love to have achieved before the age of 40?

JENNIFER:Ah, I have a lot planned, but on a personal level - I want to be a counselor; I really love listening to people's problems and finding solutions. If I'm able to  find time to do this voluntarily  I'll be really proud,

9)     What’s on your mind this Wednesday?

I am thinking of what Seafood lovers like me would do by 2050 if we do not globally take steps to combat pollution. Research says we'll have more plastic than Fish in our oceans by 2050. I'm very worried about this.

Stay Inspired!