Looking around the world today, there is a huge deficit of young leaders, could it be that priorities have changed perhaps? Someone said that the youth is not motivated enough to become exceptional and hence they are just fine with mediocrity. I have a group of young leaders I keep close to me because through their lives, I realise that there is still hope for the world. It blows my mind every time I meet young leaders who are truly maximising their time on earth by doing what is right and effective by them. Today I interview a truly exceptional and forward thinking young leader who I believe has a Global Agenda. Please be inspired by the 19 year old Stella.
Me:Please describe yourself
in five words?
Stella: Young, Ambitious, Vibrant, Confident and
Humble.
Me: Where were you born and
what do you love about your country?
Stella: I was born in Lusaka, Zambia. I love Zambia because of
the hardworking ethic of our people. You can see everyone trying to make a
living every where regardless of the time. From the woman who sells tomatoes on
the highway to the man whose stuck in the office from 8 to 5pm: there are very
few idle people.
Me: What does Beauty and
Confidence mean to you?
Stella: Sam Levinson said it best: "For
Attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in
people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair,
let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the
knowledge that you never walk alone." Beauty and confidence to me reflects in
how I treat people who have less than I do.
Me: What makes you
happy?
Stella: My best and
most happy moments are after achieving something that I first thought
difficult. I like the feeling of success after a challenge. I am also happy when
I help someone in need. There is a feeling of satisfaction knowing that you gave
someone a hand, maybe a ray of hope. I once helped an old man carry his suitcase
and though it wasn't much, his gratitude blessing had me grinning all
day.
Me: What are some of the
activities do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Stella: I enjoy reading and writing my
thoughts. I live for little moments of peace and quiet with a book I haven't
finished to read. I also like watching movies. I consider these activities an
escape.
Me: Your most fondest
memory?
Stella: This was my
second term in my 8th grade. I had just skipped two primary grades and was
9years old in my 8th grade. After having cried through out that years first term
because I kept failing, I received my second report form and had exceled in all
my classes. The report form came with a letter saying I would receive the "Most
Improved Pupil" award. I was so excited and I knew then that failure was never
permanent in my life and I would always improve myself.
Me: Your top five
books?
Stella:
1. Why Men Love Bitches - Sherry Argov (Trust me it's a good
book about confidence, all women should read it.)
2. No wonder they
call him Savior - Max Lucado
3. I know why the
caged bird sings- Maya Angelou
4. Letters to my
Daughter- Maya Angelou
5. Malice- Danielle
Steel
Me: What are you passionate
about?
Stella: I am very
passionate about children. It breaks my heart to hear, see or read about
children who are robbed of their childhood.
Me: Thank you Stella for such a lovely interview
Me: What does it mean to be a
Woman in Africa?
Stella: I
believe women in Africa or African women if I may put it like that, have to
prove thenselves based on both gender and race. However, African women are
proving not to focus on these stereotypes and are progressively achieving so
much every day. This question has a twofold answer; being an educated woman in
Africa is just like being a woman anywhere in the world with similar pressures.
Being an uneducated woman in Africa, however, is more of a challenge because it
comes with the lack of empowerment that a lack of education brings. Hence it
might mean taking a more traditional and subbordinate role in society.
Me: Please share your thoughts
on Education.
Stella: Education has proven to be a stepping stone for success.
The knowledge that one obtains in the classroom has proven to be just as
important as the knowledge obtained in our everyday life (in the street). I
believe that education in the classroom is very important but it is just as
important for us to consider the average person who can not afford to attend
formal classes and have to learn their values by working in the informal sector.
Short affordable courses should be introduced to such people in order for them
to attain the most relevant skills that we learn from the formal education
sector. 
Me: What have you
studied?
Stella: MSc in
Management and Development of International Financial Systems.
BA Hons Accounting
and Finance
Diploma in Business
Administration.
Me: What makes a person an
effective leader?
Stella: An
effective leader should consider themselves the servant and be accountable to
the people they lead. An effective leader must inspire, develop and empower
people and bring up leaders.
Me: You have been involved in
many movements and initiatives, what drives you to be a part of them?
Stella: Most of my initiatives and
movements are to do with children and my passion for them. I just feel if I can
give a small token to the betterment of childhood, I would have contributed to
something important.
Me: How do you deal with
challenges that come with being part of these projects?
Stella: Some days are better than
others haha. Well I look at the bigger picture and realise that whatever I am
going through, the little people I fight for have it worse and I can not afford
to give up.
Me: Who inspires you and
why?
Stella: I am inspired
by Dr. Maya Angelou. She inspires me in my writing and in the way she progressed
from writing to producing and directing movies. I also love how she is open
about her personal life and uses it to inspire others and to show me that some
of the things I face today, she faced too and if she could make it, so can
I.
Me: What are some of the
challenges in your opinion do you think that African Young people are
facing?
Stella: Young Africans are very
creative, driven and innovative with so many positive ideas. We often face a
barrier to progress when there are few people willing to invest in these ideas.
It is quite frustrating for a mind that has so many dreams being defered due to
lack of funds, physical resources and/or expertise.
Me: How do we overcome those
challenges?
Stella: We can
only do so much at the moment. Networking is important. It connects the person
with the idea to the person who would want to develop that idea. Some young
people never overcome this challenge and they end up settling for a very boring
lifestyle conforming to society. We need to persevere and fight till our ideas
are developed.
Me: Best advise you have ever
received?
Stella: "Never
count your money when you are sitting at the table."
This is a tale of
humility and not living your life in a show off way.
Me: What are some of the
virtues you live by?
Stella: Humility, Honesty, Prayer, Discipline and
Hardwork.
Me: Where can people connect
with you?
Stella: People can find me on facebook (www.facebook.com/StellaMutaleNkoleSata) Me: Thank you Stella for such a lovely interview
Stella: Xoxo.
Hope you had a blessed women's month.
No comments:
Post a Comment