"Women's Impact Is A Catalyst For Nation Building" -Shemimah Dapilaa

Views on Women Impact

Women making impact is the best thing that can happen to any country. Women making impact enhances the development of a country and I believe that is the support men need from us and not just being a house wife or seen as a sex object. Personally, I don't believe in gender equality, but I know it has encouraged, motivated and empowered women in so many ways. The empowerment of women has caused a lot more of them to do wonderful things which is gaining them some level of respect and recognition. Hillary Clinton, for instance, serves as a role model and a motivator for many women around the world. Her strength, hard work and her determination is what every woman should consider having in life. Despite the negative things being said about her, she still stays focused and that is who a strong woman should be. Michelle Obama once said, "Success isn't about how much money you make but the impact you make in the life of others". Based on that, it is my wish to start a venture in Ghana, sometime in the future, to help the less privileged in society.

Women abuse has always been one of the issues that makes my heart bleed. I have always frowned upon women abuse and it has always been my dream to fight it in my own way. This the more reason why I am planing on a foundation to support  and educate women against this act because I believe women are very vital instruments in society and should be treated with love and respect. If I had the power to avert sexual abuse by men on women, I will make an effective law that will protect women and impose a punishment on men who engage in sexual harassment and physical abuse on women. I will also make sure all men who fall victim to this will serve prison terms in order to serve as an example to the others. Through media channels, I will promote the education of the issue of sexual abuse against women in order that it becomes an issue of great concern in the country.

About Me

Shemimah Dapilaa is a 21 year old young woman who hails from Nadowli in the Upper West Region. She is from a family of eight comprising of 5 boys and 3 girls. She attended Sea School Limited JHS in Kumasi and she proceeded to Accra Girls Senior High School for her secondary education. Currently, she is a student of the Ghana Institute of Journalism. Growing up, she has always been a strong girl. She lived with her step mum at the age of five till now and sees challenges as part of growing up. Judging from her self confidence, she confessed that, "I have always been vibrant since Accra Girls Senior High School through to GIJ and have involved myself in so many activities just to acquire knowledge and to make an impact".

She contested for face of GIJ in the year 2015 where she was part of top ten finalists. She also went ahead to represent GIJ as Face of GUPS(Ghana Union of Professional Students) where she was crowned Face of GUPS in the same year. Being the Face of GUPS allowed her to do a lot of things such as embarking on a volunteering project in her village. During the project, she was able to donate toiletries and cloths to residents and talked to the young girls about the need for education. She also embarked on a Violence Free Election Tour to some Senior High Schools to preach peace with her team which included Irbard Ibrahim ( security analyst ), Konrad Kakraba of GTV, Abdul Hayi Moomen of GTV, and some student activists from UCC and Legon . This project won her an honorary award in this year's Ghana tertiary women's award as the Most Impactful Woman Led Project of the year.

Aspirations and Last Words

I see myself as an impact maker and a generational thinker because I always motivate my family and friends by partaking in volunteer works in my village and also by embarking on projects that impact the lives of people. I also write motivational messages that empower women and the girl child. Purpose is what drives me to do what I do or what I have already done. I have an invigorating energy which every person must have in order to be able to achieve their purpose in life.

My passions are in the field of media, politics, and human resource. I have never had the aspiration to be very rich, but I would like to earn enough to reach a stage where I can help others, give my family a comfortable life, and start my own business venture in Ghana. My aspiration in life is to have a loving and supportive companion and give my mother the respect and comfort that she deserves. A fulfilling life where I can look back and feel happy about the richness of it all. A life full of knowledge which I have used to make others life better.

Interview by: Justica Anima
Ghana Institute of Journalism
adjeianima@gmail.com

Adu Amani- Ambition, Opportunities, and Taking Chances.

                               

"I don't have challenges because I see them as experiences and opportunities to learn from", this seems to be the daily mantra of Vera Adu Amaning of Adu Amani Klodin. She is an outstanding woman entrepreneur doing great things with her talent, career and personality which I believe young people and aspiring entrepreneurs can learn from.

Career Path

The brand Adu Amani Klodin was inspired while helping with a friend who was into fashion accessories. Their first attempt was called VAAD Style, also a fashion brand. VAAD failed due to difficulty in reaching a ready market,  and the unavailability of her partner and friend. They lost a lot of deals with customers in the course making closing down the last option.

Vera later sought for a job at a Printing Press. Fortunately, she had a background in printing so she had little problem securing a job. While doing this work, a colleague enquired from her where to get hand made shoes to buy from. Vera then used the opportunity to show her colleagues some pictures of her old creations from VAAD. Her very impressed friends encouraged her to pursue the fashion vision and build a business from it. After seeking permission from her former partner, she started Adu Amani Klodin which is gradually gaining grounds on both the local and international markets.

Adu Amani Klodin can be found online at www.aduamani.com where shoes, slippers, bags, belts and many more fashion accessories, mostly handmade, can be shopped.

Hobbies and Fun times

Vera is a lover of creativity. She prefers to spend quality time creating new innovations and better styles for her brand. Hanging out and attending events also gets her spiced up for new energy and motivation. Cooking and trying her hands on new things are other activities that lighten her up. However, the greatest moments of joy for her comes with just being alone at home, soaked in her own world and thoughts. Most of these fun moments have catapulted the young woman to unimaginable fame. Her Chalewote Street Art Festival moments for instance are remarkable times which have gained her some popularity in the social media circles. It has also won her the "Adomi Bridge" title, emanating from a hairstyle she wore to the event, and this has been trending online since last year.

Social media 

Adu Amani, as she is mostly known on Facebook, can be described as a social media freak. Her daily posts online can be described as a mixture of education, information and entertainment. She also has accounts on Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, where she shares her works and fun times with her followers. Her love for social media allows her to turn her fun moments into a wonderful learning experience and avenues of opportunities for herself and her followers. Vera employs exceptional digital marketing strategies that she uses to promote her brand and other Ghanaian brands. She takes the chance to inspire, educate, and accept challenges through her social media platforms. Not a wonder that she clocked a deal with Woodin Fashion through her social media exploration.

Woodin Moments

Earlier this year, she had the chance to work with Woodin on their Wednesday Style Session, which features Fashion designers who teach customers simple fashion tips that they can practise at home. Speaking to her on how she got such an opportunity to work with a big fashion brand as Woodin, this was what she had to say:

"I must admit that it was a favor from God. I had always wanted to work with Woodin because I love their fabrics and I use them to design the male loafers that I work on. Some of their designs look more like leather making it easier for us to work on them", she confessed.

Excited about sharing the whole experience, she continued, "Five years ago, I visited their outlet in Osu to enquire on how I can work with them or at least sell in their shop, but I was disappointed when my efforts proved futile. Perhaps, I didn't try hard enough but i kept posting my designs on their timeline. Last year,  they updated a post on their Facebook page asking their fans to choose someone as their ambassador from a list of celebrities they had outlined. I commented with  my name, choosing myself as an ambassador. This seemed like a silly approach but it turned out positive. The next day, I received an appointment letter from Woodin asking to work with me on their DIY(Do it Yourself) Wednesday project."

To her, this was a dream come true, and a first step to becoming part of the Woodin family. "I was really excited about the opportunity of having Woodin on my portfolio/CV after 5 years so much that the package they offered really didn't matter to me", the fashion entrepreneur concluded. 

Words of Advice

It is okay to fail, she told me, adding that, "I start some creations afresh all the time because I find out that I have made mistakes on them". According to her, certain things we wish for will not come out as expected, however we must not see them as challenges but rather a chance to start all over again. This time, doing things the better way.

Vera advices young people by leaving them with these words, "Spend your time wisely. Learn a skill, a trade, or study a course. Stop visiting places like the Accra and West Hills Mall just to take pictures. All these things do not add value to your lives". She cautions everyone to build on themselves and carefully nurture their personality in order to be relevant in society.

Future Plans

She hopes to use her brand and its resources to fund and sponsor many worthy causes in society in the years to come. She also plans on training and educating young women, especially in rural areas, with requisite skills and business ideas so that they can live meaningful lives in their societies. 

In ten years, Vera sees herself to have gained a degree, married, and with children. By then, her fashion brand would have also gained much solid grounds in the fashion and business industries.

Interview and Story by:
Justica Anima
Adjeianima@gmail.com
Switstica.blogspot.com