INTERVIEW WITH AN AMAZING DAUGHTER OF ZION AND A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL ENTREPRENUER, ADEPEJU JAIYEOBA, White House Emerging Global Entrepreneur, WISH Young Innovator, Mandela Washington Fellow. Enjoy.
Q1. CAN WE MEET YOU?
My name is Adepeju Jaiyeoba, i run mother delivery kits, a social entrepreneur in nigeria, that connects people in rural communities with life saving supplies needed at child birth.
Q2. HOW DID YOU GET INTO WHAT YOU ARE DOING?
In 2011, i lost a close friend of mine during child birth, and it was her death that put a face behind every statistics of maternal and child death i have seen or heard of, and because of myself thinking if someone who is educated can be affected, what could be happening in the rural communities? That was how i went to the rural community and found women giving birth on the bare floor, peolpe helping to remove mucus coming out of the nose of newly born and using blade to severe umbilical cord. This really got me thinking, we really need to do something in many more communities where we work on, and that was how i set up Brown Button Foundation, and train traditional birth attendants across rural communities in Nigeria, also Mothers Delivery kits to provide the right supplies for clean, save and hygienic deliveries.
Q3. WHAT IS LIFE LIKE AS A FEMALE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR?
Its a technical struggle, i can say its like twice as hard for the female entrepreneur than the male entrepreneur, especially because of the stereotype of the society as it relates to female in general. Investors will likely trust a guy in business 10 times over than they will trust the commitment in a woman, for instance to run the business to a success and get the necessary returns on investment for them, those are some of the challenges we face as female entrepreneurs.
Q4. HOW DO YOU SUCCESSFULLY COMBINE YOUR ROLE TOGETHER AS A WIFE, MOTHER AND A SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR?
To be candid, its very very tough, and also very hard, but the truth of the matter is, many a times, my husband supports me in what i do, he tries as much as possible to assist me in ways he can, most of the time he is usually my greatest fan and greatest supporter, he tries as much as he can. I aslo try to multitask, i try to do so many things at the same time. i could be having a phone conversation and have cooking, its not about being strong, but most of the times, situation and circumstances are what really makes strong, they bring out the strength in us and make us see how strong we are and could be and how many things we could really juggle together.
 |
| Adepeju & Team Mother Delivery Kits |
Q5. HOW HAVE YOU BEING ABLE TO REMAIN FOCUSED IN THE FACE OF SO MANY CHALLENGING AND DISCOURAGING CIRCUMSTANCES?
Actually i am an action oriented person, i just do what i need to do and have to do, once an idea struck my mind, i get going, i try as much as possible not to waste time thinking and planning, my husband handles that aspect, because he is a more detailed person. Focus has also been as a result of encouragement i receive from people like you, different friends, different quarters and different support system, it helps me keep focus on what i do.
 |
| Design Indaba Team visit Mother Delivery Kits work station |
Q6. WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER YOUR BIGGEST ACHIEVEMENT YET?
When you ask some people about their biggest achievement some talk about places they have gone, people they have met, and all that, but for me, my biggest achievement so far is the number of lives i have been able to impact positively as a result of the work i do directly and as a result of the result of the work that i do too. as a result of the work i do with mother delivery kits means the number of lives i have been able to change and impact, the number of women who are staying alive to watch their babies grow, the number of ladies who are staying to live their potentials.
Q7. HOW HAS YOUR FAITH IN GOD HELPED IN PURSUIT OF YOUR DREAMS?
There is nothing one has in life, that he or she was not given by God. Anything i have, and all i am, is as a result of God. All that i have now was given to me by God. My faith in God is strong, i trust God all the time because i know how he has always worked for me, guess that is why i don't dwell so much on planning, once an idea struck my mind, after putting one and two together, i just div in, knowing fully well that God has got my back, the moment i start taking steps, every other things just fall in place.
Q8. WHAT CAN YOU SAT TO SOMEONE HANDLING A TOUGH BLOW A FEELS ALL HOPE IS LOST?
All hope can never be lost in God, just hold on to God, he has never failed anyone i know, he is always on time, my believe whenever challenges comes is that God has not brought me this far to let me down, in every situation and circumstance, i have not come this far to be let down by God, and i know that he will not let me down.
Q9. WHERE DO YOU SEE ADEPEJU JAIYEOBA 10 YEARS FROM NOW, IF CHRIST TARRIES?
In 10 years from now by God's grace, i hope to still continue to inspire people, inspire change in my community, continue to shine in my own little corner, i hope my work be expanded far beyond Nigeria, to other many African countries.
Q10. TELL US THAT ONE THING NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT YOU....
I dislike beans, if you see me cook it, then it means in a long while i have not cooked it, and i cook it only because they say its rich in protein... ok... let me think of another thing ooo, my husband just reminded me one, and that is I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DANCE. hhahahahahaha
Q11. HOW DO YOU WANT TO BE REMEMBERED?
That positive change maker, who through faith in God almighty inspired others to take the lead and live their full potentials.
THE END
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU
No comments:
Post a Comment