Business Ideas for our New World of Work

It is all about Creativity and the desire to grow, to become more, to do more. This is the idea, experienced on my skin, that is taking shape all around the world. People in Europe are talking about pension systems, protection of workers and legislation, retirement benefits and healthcare. Africa is putting its business ideas in practice by tapping on the potentials of its youth, full of energy and willingness to make their dreams come true and be the protagonists of their lives. Africa is Young, and Present. It is colorful and fun. They are many great minds and bright young people who want to make a powerful social impact on the society, and then travel the world and take the business case of Africa, as the Rise of this century. This is truly happening.

Tapping on human development, freedom, flexibility, open-mindedness and friendships, African Business women & men are hitting the targets of people’s hearts, with their gentle manners and desire to share knowledge and ideas. In Nigeria, for instance, I am following a great blog, called “She Leads Africa”, where the editors are giving useful tips and advice to African business women who want to venture in entrepreneurship. From digital skills training, to webinars on entering the Nigerian political career ( 2019 is Election Year), to taking care of health, wellness, body, mind and spirit and relationships of rising Women, all over the globe.

In Kenya, where I am right now, Kenyan women are keen and experts on exhibitions and fairs, on food, kitenge (Kenyan fabric), beauty and cosmetics, jewelry, body art, paintings, set up either in shopping malls, or in bars/coffee places, where Music entertains the audience coming to check the products. It is the New Way of Work. A new perspective based on engagement, friendship and business networks. Ready with your stand, your products, your social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Website), as well as business cards and . It is the creative work that we all wish. Fun, flexible, people-driven and people-related.

It is not the people who follow jobs, but now the paradigm changes: it is jobs and assignments that follow people, who make the work their Passion and how their invest their Quality Time in what they Love. 

I came across, for instance, with two businesses, on health & body wellness. Interactions start face-to-face, before finding them again on social media and newsletters updates on what happens with the products and how you can purchase them online ( & home delivery): Terra, cold pressed juices (different fruits all mixed, with no sugar and no conservatives) and Mugzie’s Natural, working with shea butter, mixed with essential oils, and flavored vanilla, peppermint and coconut, all organic products, for hair, beard and skin). They are fantastic ideas, driven by socio-environmental impact, and for the health of body and spirit.

The next step would be to make entrepreneurial environments protected and free to operate, to give opportunities for everyone to navigate the new system and protect workers and access to finance, business environment and government policies of support and legal infrastructure.

Work needs to be primarily about human development and tapping into the potential of each individual to unleash the best of him/her to contribute actively and responsibly to society. Work should not be a burden, but should be a passion. And to become a passion, related studies must be channeled through the achievement of the Love and Passion.

2 things are key then: 1. know what you want, and 2. channel your energies into it. No matter the place, the important is to be happy and fulfilled, so that when you go to bed, you can say: i am happy i did something i like, i learned something new, i am contributing to society, i am nurturing my soul, i can learn something more new tomorrow. These are the kind of thoughts that should pass by our mind each night, before falling asleep and dream of the next exciting day.

To stay tuned to British celebration weekend (Royal Wedding derailed all the attention to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 19 May 2018, UK & USA, new Modernity and Young Energy -despite all the televised emotions)

“Imagine the Whole World when Love is the Way…”– GREAT Rev. Michael Curry, head of the Episcopal Church, gave a passionate address in which he quoted Martin Luther King, read Stand By Me on New York Times & the full speech of Reverend Michael Curry

a UK-USA Playlist chosen from me to you:

Stand by me (version UK Royal Wedding Gospel Choir)

Sultan of Swing– Dire Straits

Let it be– The Beatles

Broken wings– Mr. Mister

Please please please– The Smiths

Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before– The Smiths

Rocket man– Elton John

Heroes– David Bowie

Cherish the Day– Sade

Have a joyful Sunday!

@GaiaParadiso

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Higher Education can do. Inspiration in Action: A Kenya & Eastern Africa Story

Kenya is not only about safaris, wildlife sightseeing, beach tourism along the Eastern Coast of Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi & Diani Beach. It is much more. It is a country impregnated by political commitment, fighting for independence, civic & political engagement of inspirational people who set the tone for the country to be one of the most flourishing, free, welcoming, multicultural, international & pluralistic in Eastern Africa.

Kenyan National Archives, Nairobi- Kenya

A clear example is Tom Mboya (1930-1969), a Kenyan trade unionist, educationist, Pan Africanist, author, independence activist and one of the founding fathers of the Republic of Kenya. He laid the foundation for Kenya’s capitalist and mixed economy policies at the height of the Cold War and set up several of the country’s key labour institutions.

Mboya gave speeches, debates and interviews across the world in favor of Kenya’s independence from British colonial rule and spoke at several rallies in favor of civil rights movement in the United States.

He also helped build the Trade Union Movement in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and across Africa. In May 1959, Mboya called a conference in Lagos, Nigeria, to form the first All- Africa ICFTU labor organization.

What caught my complete attention was this letter:

Kenyan National Archives, Nairobi- Kenya

The letter is from 1959. It states:

“In his whirlwind tour from coast to coast he dramatized the need for higher education of the many young Kenyans for whose opportunities are non existent under the repressive colonial system. In Kenya today higher education is not available to Africans”. 

In the letter, Tom stressed the importance of Higher Education and the need of scholarships to allow Kenyan students to travel to the top universities in the United States of America, to build and strengthen their education and their knowledge.

Tom was already a visionary for mobility of students, internationalization of universities, Pan-African ideals and the need to establish partnerships with other countries, long-lasting friendships based on cultural and educational exchanges, to form the Leaders of Tomorrow.

This is the list of the 81 students awarded then the scholarships for university studies in the United States. Date: 1959.

Kenyan National Archives, Nairobi- Kenya

He anticipated the times, when the society was not ready. He was gunned down by an assassin on July 5th, 1969, 6 years after the Kenyan independence.

Kenyan National Archives, Nairobi-Kenya

Thanks to the Education African Airlift programme that Tom Mboya implemented, requesting to John F. Kennedy, in 1960, a grant from the Kennedy Foundation for the student airlift, the best and brightest students and political leaders and Nobel Peace Prize winners were born.

Barack Obama Senior was the first African student to study at the University of Hawaii, thanks to the Programme (Read the story of the Obama family, in a great BBC article of 2015, here).

Kenyan National Archives- Nairobi, Kenya

Wangari Maathai (1940-2011) an internationally renowned Kenyan environmental political activist and Nobel laureate, also took part in the Tom Mboya’s educational exchange program in the United States. She founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental non-governmental organization focused on the planting of trees, environmental conservation, and women’s rights.

Kenyan National Archives, Nairobi- Kenya

In 2004 she became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.

Kenyan National Archives, Nairobi- Kenya

Thanks to this revolutionary education programme, Tom Mboya was the first Kenyan to be featured on the cover of Time Magazine of the United States.

 

Enlightened people who changed the world.

A good reason to follow and/or participate to the next UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa Conference on Higher Education, Policy and Research: Quality and Future Challenges for East Africa and the Indian Ocean, where young students will interact with Ministries of Higher Education and Research in East Africa to discuss about existing reforms to promote science studies at national and regional levels, including pressing issues of climate change, ICT in education and peace and security , for a socio-economic development and political stability in the region.

Stop by Djibouti, next week, from 2 of May to 4 of May 2017, and experience the difference!

Participate, tweet, contribute to the dialogue via Facebook, using the hashtag #HE4EastAfrica and follow the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa Facebook page, with great content, digital and visual content to guide you through the Revolution of Africa through ideals and practical actions on Education and Peace!