Evolve mentorship program

EVOLVE
MENTORSHIP
PROGRAM

Preparing the next generation of
women leaders for Africa’s future

Evolve is a mentorship and leadership program of Strong Enough Girls’ Empowerment Initiative (SEGEI) that connects women aged 18-35 years to outstanding female professionals who provide real-world leadership and career inspiration, advice and guidance to support them on their life journeys. Evolve provides a safe virtual and in-person environment that allows recent university graduates and young women professionals to be open and proactive about the challenges and successes they face in their personal, academic and professional lives. Inspired by the vast and growing number of emerging young female leaders and the dearth of intra and inter mentorship amongst women, Evolve seeks to nurture stronger community for and by women on their journeys to becoming all they desire to become. The program is keen on mentoring African/Black young women, but is open to young women of all ethnicities/nationalities and abilities. Evolve supports the SEGEI vision of an equitable world where every girl and woman feels supported and empowered to reach her full potential.

EMP IMPACTS

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Number of Cohorts

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Number of Alumni

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Number of Mentors

Our Goal

To equip young women aged 18-35 years with real-world personal development and career knowledge, skills, and resources to lead and live healthy productive lives in order to advance the achievement of sustainable development goal 5: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

You can become a Mentee

You can click on the link below to register and take advantage of this life changing opportunity

Register as a Mentee

Become a Mentee

Objectives

To inspire self-discovery, confidence and personal development among young women
To nurture a safe community for and by young women
To equip young emerging women professionals with skills and resources to thrive in the 21st century and beyond
To increase the number of young women seeking and taking leadership positions
To increase the number of young women seeking and taking leadership positions
To help young women find a healthy balance in their personal and career lives

Program Design

Bespoke content to meet mentees’ need, time and resource constraints
Emphasis on building practical skills to improve self-esteem and leadership
Interactive, flexible schedule, task and action oriented
Linkages to internships, fellowship programs and job opportunities
Designed to nurture disciplined and proactive young women, leveraging professional and diaspora women leaders’ experience, knowledge and skills

Program Components

Self-selected one-on-one pairing with mentor
Whats App group mentorship sessions (one hour, twice a week)
Facebook community (closed group) Instagram community with daily inspirational and motivational quotes/posts (open group)
Weekly assignments
Weekly case studies and discussions
Monthly “Mentorship Matters” Live session with special guest
Monthly book review via in-person meetings and/or Facebook group
Annual International Women’s Day celebration event to showcase the impact of the program and promote mentorship among women

Program Topics Include:

Achieving positive self-esteem
Emotional Intelligence
Four ways women stunt their careers unintentionally
Getting your foot in International Development
Creating a Vision Board
Work-family life balance

Program Fee: N30,000 Nigerian Naira | $80 USD

Donate to EMP

Meet Our Mentors

Adaoma Onwukaeme

Career Field: Education/Teaching, Non-Profit/Non-Government Location: South Korea

MENTOR

Adaoma Onwukaeme
**Career Field:** Education/Teaching, Non-Profit/Non-Government
Location: South Korea

Adaoma Onwukaeme is a multipotentialite- Child and Adolescent Counsellor, Youth development specialist, Parent and Teen Coach, Author, Book Project Consultant, Creative and Youtuber.
She is the Team lead at Teenrific Coaching, a blooming teen coaching outfit created to equip teenagers with strategies to live a wholesome life.
Adaoma Onwukaeme is the author of 5 books, one of which is “Labels do not define you”.
As a creative, she creates educational and inspirational resources such as journals, coloring pages, puzzle books and activity books for children, teens and the family at large.
She is also the information and publication officer of the Expat Professional and Business Women’s Network, Songdo, South Korea.
She believes in “pouring into others” and uses her experiences and skills to help young women navigate life and become wholesome individuals.
Adaoma loves to play, smile, read, travel, write and dance.

Branishka Lewis

Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Non-Profit/Non-Government Location: The Bahamas

MENTOR

Branishka Lewis
Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Non-Profit/Non-Government
Location: The Bahamas

Branishka started her career in public health as a registered nurse in The Bahamas. She worked in maternal & child health clinics, ambulatory clinics, school health services and finally at the Infectious Diseases clinic. It was during this time that she obtained her MSc in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medical University of London.
She was afforded the opportunity to live and work in Zambia when she was accepted into the Centre for Infectious Disease and Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) HealthCorp Fellowship. At the end of the fellowship, she returned to The Bahamas to work as the Acting Director of the National HIV/AID Centre, which is responsible for overseeing HIV services in the country.
Branishka has since transitioned to the private sector as the Public Health Officer for the Royal Caribbean cruise line at one of their private island destinations.

Chiamaka Uzomba

Career Field: Non-Profit; Community/International Development; Public Health Location: Abuja, Nigeria

MENTOR

Chiamaka Uzomba
Career Field: Non-Profit; Community/International Development; Public Health
Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Chiamaka Uzomba is a researcher, program manager and social justice advocate with over 8 years of programmatic and research experience working in the gender, youth, and social development space in Nigeria.
Her expertise covers the field of gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), HIV/AIDS, human rights, and political economy.
Chiamaka holds a master’s degree in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies (ISS), Erasmus University Rotterdam. She currently works with ICAP at Columbia University where she is seconded to provide program management support to the National AIDS and STIs Control Programme (NASCP) of the Federal Ministry of Health in the coordination and scale-up of differentiated service delivery (DSD) for HIV in Nigeria.
She is also the Founder of Active Voices – an organisation committed to advancing the health, rights and development of women and girls.

Oluwa Sophie Enitan

Career Field: Education/Teaching, Non-Profit/Non-Government, Community/International Development, Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Civic Responsibility Location: Lagos, Nigeria

MENTOR

Oluwa Sophie Enitan
Career Field: Education/Teaching, Non-Profit/Non-Government, Community/International Development, Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Civic Responsibility
Location: Lagos, Nigeria

OLUWA, Enitan Sophie is a Mastercard Foundation 2022, Youth Impact Associate. She is a Sustainability Champion with special interest in the SDGs Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Goals Number 1, 3, 5, 10 and 17.
An astute volunteer with over a decade experience with non-profit organizations focused on providing assistance for the needy especially in areas of youth development, peer education, mentoring vulnerable children, girls and people with disabilities.
Enitan is a Google and Lagos Business School Certified Digital Business Manager; She is a graduate of English with a special interest in Literature.
Enitan is also VERY passionate about Adolescent Reproductive Health and Gender Rights. Which explains why she studied Law as a second degree to complement her advocacy for issues relating to sustainable development, human rights, and social well-being.
Enitan is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators. She is the founder, Natinee Empowerment for Sustainable Impact Initiative, a non-profit organization providing empowerment and development services through Advocacy for Sexual Reproductive Health, Gender and Disability Rights.

Margaret Bolaji-Adegbola

Career Field: Education; Non-Profit Location: Abuja, Nigeria

MENTOR

Margaret Bolaji-Adegbola
Career Field: Education; Non-Profit
Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Margaret Bolaji-Adegbola is an International Development Professional with ten years working experience in research, project implementation and management with particular interest in adolescent and youth sexual and reproductive health and rights.
She is the Founder and Executive Director of Stand With A Girl (SWAG) Initiative; a registered youth led organization dedicated to ensuring that every girl in Nigeria no matter where she is born or found is empowered to fulfill her maximum potential.
Margaret recently worked as a youth program advisor with the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs FP Portfolio in Nigeria where she led the portfolio’s design of integrated, innovative and intentional youth and adolescent-focused sexual and reproductive health interventions.
She also worked with Population and Reproductive Health Initiative in Northern Nigeria for five years. Margaret served, as the inaugural youth representative on FP2020 REFERENCE GROUP
Margaret has represented youths at local, national and global conferences, meetings and submits, championing Education, Health and Rights of girls and young people. She was among the 47 young people from around the world selected to speak at the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP) held in Nusa Dua, Indonesia in 2016. She is one of 120 under 40 winners – New Generation of Family Planning Leaders.
Margaret has a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Masters in Policy and Development Studies from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and completed a Global Health Leadership Accelerator Program at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA in 2019

Michelle Mckenzie

Career Field: Education; Community/International Development; Business/Entrepreneurship Location: Maryland, USA

MENTOR

Michelle Mckenzie
Career Field: Education; Community/International Development; Business/Entrepreneurship
Location: Maryland, USA

Michelle is an international development professional with global experience in Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean, where she is from.
She has varied interests and experience in project/program design and management, curriculum development and training, capacity building, strategy development, innovation and learning, impact communication, agribusiness, food security, and supporting early-stage entrepreneurs.
Michelle has held several positions in Program Management positions including the West African Regional Program Manager at the US African Development Foundation (USADF), an independent U.S. government agency devoted to grassroots development in Africa. In her 7-year tenure at USADF, Michelle managed projects in several countries (Mali, Niger, Liberia, Senegal, Mauritania, Nigeria, Guinea, and Burkina Faso) that promote entrepreneurship development for smallholder farmers, particularly women as a pathway out of poverty.
Michelle is the host of the WHERE’ THE FUNDING? A podcast that interviews guests who provide information that demystified entrepreneurship and the fog around funding for listeners.

Noimot (Na-ee-ma) Bakare Ayoub

Career Field: Economics/Research/Data Analytics Location: Washington DC, USA

MENTOR

Noimot (Na-ee-ma) Bakare Ayoub
Career Field: Economics/Research/Data Analytics
Location: Washington DC, USA

Noimot (Na-ee-ma) is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Economics at Howard University, studying Development and Financial Economics. Currently, she explores research topics in financial inclusion and student debt. In addition to research, Noimot has also taught graduate courses around Microeconomics, Macroeconomics and Financial Literacy.
She is well versed in econometric analysis and data analytics. She is adept in the use of various statistical software such as R, Stata and, LATEX. Prior to her doctoral program, Noimot received her BA in Economics from University of Illinois Chicago.

Olufunke Folorunsho

Career Field: Banking/Finance Non-Profit Location: Oyo, Nigeria

MENTOR

Olufunke Folorunsho
Career Field: Banking/Finance Non-Profit
Location: Oyo, Nigeria

Olufunke is a young lady passionate about adding values to the lives and spaces around her. She is an author, civil engagement advocate, motivational speaker, professional volunteers at Foundational Network Africa and other organization causes she believe in. Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Alumni. Common Purpose Fellow (2020)
A believer in the power of positive contributions, no matter how little. The founder of Hopespring To Africa Foundation founded in the year 2012 aimed at building and equipping African children, teenagers, youth to become something great for themselves and add value to societies.
Olufunke Folorunsho has over 7 years of experience in the community development sector, specifically focusing on initiating, designing, and implementing strategic activities and vision vehicles to impact life especially the less privileged and eradicating poverty.

Oluwakemi Gbadamosi

Career Field: Non-profit; International Development; Communications and Gender/Life Skills and Personal Development Location: London, United Kingdom

MENTOR

Oluwakemi Gbadamosi
Career Field: Non-profit; International Development; Communications and Gender/Life Skills and Personal Development Location:
London, United Kingdom

Oluwakemi Gbadamosi is a Lawyer, Communications/PR professional, and Policy/Advocacy strategist. Her advocacy and Policy work focuses keenly on Gender and Development, HIV/AIDS, and Girls’ Education. For more than a decade, she has been active in communications and development, engaging with the media, government, policymakers, CSOs, intergovernmental organisations and communities to advance meaningful change, particularly for young women and girls and people living with HIV. Oluwakemi has a proven record in identifying critical advocacy and policy priorities and developing and implementing targeted advocacy and communications strategies in line with her interests. These span issues such as policy change, gender transformative programming, domestic resource mobilization, media relations, strategic partnership building, treatment access, behavior change and awareness campaigns and girl’s empowerment.
She is the Director for Advocacy, Policy and Marketing – Africa Bureau at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). A Los-Angeles based INGO with a presence in 45 countries championing global HIV/AIDS Advocacy, Treatment and Prevention since 1987. Before this, she worked as the Senior Manager PR and Communications Africa Bureau and Regional Manager Advocacy and Policy at AHF, supporting multiple African countries on HIV/AIDS Advocacy, Policy and Marketing/Communications. She is also a co-initiator of the organisations’ “Girls Act” initiative, which has reached over 5,000 young women and girls living with or at risk of HIV/AIDS and GBV.
Oluwakemi holds a Master’s degree in PR and Communications, a Bachelor’s degree in Law, and a Certificate of Call to the Nigerian Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She is a recipient of the prestigious UK-FCDO Chevening Scholarship award (2020/2021), under which, she recently concluded a Master’s programme in Education, Gender, and International Development at the University College London (UCL). She is a two-time recipient of the Evolve Mentorship Mentor’s Award and was recognised in 2019 by PAWAfrica for her work with young women and girls. also volunteers on several boards such as Stand To End Rape Initiative (STER), the Nigeria Youth SDGs Network and the Evolve Mentorship Programme. Oluwakemi is the founder of The Girls’ Initiative, connecting out-of-school girls with sponsors who can support them in returning to and staying in school; a TEDx Speaker and an internationally certified speaker and trainer with the John Maxwell Team.

T. Luna Imhotep

Career Field: Holistic/Traditional Health and Wellness; Education/Teaching; Business/Entrepreneurship Location: Alabama, USA

MENTOR

T. Luna Imhotep
Career Field: Holistic/Traditional Health and Wellness; Education/Teaching; Business/Entrepreneurship
Location: Alabama, USA

LUNA IMHOTEP, M.DIV, NHWC- is a lover, nurturer and healer of self and those she loves deeply. She holds a Master of Divinity, and is a certified Kemetic Reiki Therapist, Certified Womb Wellness specialist,Certified Naturopathic Clinician, Certified Holistic Doula, Emotional Wellness Facilitator and has recently completed her Certification as a Natural Health and Wellness Consultant. She is the owner and consultant of Asase Ye Duru Health & Wellness and Fruits of Mother Earth Sacred Birth Support.
She has love and passion for Birth Work and Birth Keeping in the Black and African traditions, which has inspired and empowered the work she does in supporting families and working with fellow birth Sistahs. From her work as the Chieftess of Staff for Equity Before Birth, a charity organization offering financial support for Black Birthing families, to educating and building relationships with other birth workers while co-creating Motherland Birth Collective; Holistic Wellness, Well-being and Familyhood is a part of the work she was called to do in the world.
She currently is a Naturopathic Clinician instructor as well an Holistic Doula instructor and clinical supervisor serving in Ghana West Africa.

Tadiwanashe Burukai

Career Field: Non-Profit/Non-Government, Community/International Development; Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Politics/Governance/Civic Responsibility Location: Zimbabwe

MENTOR

Tadiwanashe Burukai
Career Field: Non-Profit/Non-Government, Community/International Development; Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Politics/Governance/Civic Responsibility
Location: Zimbabwe

Tadiwanashe Burukai-Matutu is passionate about girls and women. Her interests are in sexual reproductive health and rights, HIV and AIDS and minority groups. She is a freelance writer for KhulumAfrika and NANGO.
Tadiwanashe is currently pursuing her second master’s degree – Master of Science in International Public Health. As a passage towards her doctoral studies, she holds her first master’s degree in development studies, Bachelor of Science honors degree in politics and public management, numerous certificates in various Public Health and Women Rights disciplines. She is currently the Founder and Executive director of WoMandla Foundation, a women-led and serving organization in Zvishavane Zimbabwe.
She is part of the SHE DECIDES Global movement as the Zimbabwean curator. Tadiwanashe is an alumni of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung YLT. She is part of the Women’s Networking Zone, a global network of Feminist leaders, one of the Facilitators of Young Feminist Hub and the Zimbabwean ambassador of I ♥ Black people.
Tadiwanashe has written numerous articles for various publishing houses and has been a part of international summits and forum as a participant, moderator and made various presentations.

Temitope Alfred

Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Health Promotion and Education strategies; Community/International Development; Non-Profit/Non-Government Location: Ogun, Nigeria

MENTOR

Temitope Alfred
Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical; Health Promotion and Education strategies; Community/International Development; Non-Profit/Non-Government
Location: Ogun, Nigeria

Temitope is a Public Health Programs and Communication Professional with eleven years work experience in the health and social development sector with specialty in Maternal, Youth and Child Health/ Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights/Family Planning, Malaria, Diarrhea, HIV/AIDS and Gender issues. She is also a Programme Management Specialist with vast experience in effectively and efficiently managing international (e.g. USAID, Global Fund, DFID, Bill and Melinda Gates etc.) and local donor funded projects from conceptualization through implementation, monitoring and evaluation. A graduate member of the Nigeria Institute of Management, she is proficient in fostering strong partnerships and collaboration with government, NGOs, community leaders at Local, State and National levels for programme visibility, enhanced participation and support. She has strong advocacy experience with State Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries, Federal and State Technical Working Groups of Ministries of Health, Youth and Education for sustainability, to accomplish project goals and influence practices and policies. Temitope is skilled in demand creation and community mobilization, capacity building and training, social marketing and franchising, organising, planning and coordinating of activities/events, multi-tasking and team building. Her guiding principles and values are honesty, transparency, accountability and pro-activeness.

Thais Rosa Pinheiro

Career Field: Education/Teaching, Community/International Development, Business/Entrepreneurship Location: Brazil

MENTOR

Thais Rosa Pinheiro
Career Field: Education/Teaching, Community/International Development, Business/Entrepreneurship
Location: Brazil

Thais is an entrepreneur from the tourism industry based in Rio de Janeiro and exchanging to the US. She has more than 7 years of experience and knows the importance of sharing knowledge, finding solutions and developing strategies for overcoming issues. She is the Founder of Conectando Territorio, a tourism agency that connects people to the culture and history of traditional Brazilian communities and places of memory, based on Tourism and Education. She is a Master in Social Memory (UNIRIO), Specialist in Environmental Analysis and Territory Management (ENCE), Specialist in Economics, Tourism and Cultural Management (UFRJ), Specialist in African Brazilian History (FACHA) and Embratur Tourism Guide.

Chinenye Audrey Nri

Career Field:Banker ; Non-Profit ; Lifestyle Coaching : Author. Location: Lagos, Nigeria.

MENTOR

Chinenye Audrey Nri
Career Field:Banker ; Non-Profit ; Lifestyle Coaching : Author. Location:
Lagos, Nigeria

Chinenye is a banker,co-anchor on the D-Sabi podcast, a seasoned content writer and an author with her latest book offering titled -THE FAT BEAUTIFUL GIRL.
She is passionate about helping businesses, professionals and individuals especially women build their confidence level for a rounded profitable engagement and lifestyle.
She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology/Anthropology from the University Of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Veronica Adeusi

Career Field: Accounting, Finance and Data Analytics Location: Lagos, Nigeria.

MENTOR

Veronica Adeusi
Career Field: Accounting and Finance
Location: United Kingdom

Veronica is a graduate of Accounting and a Chartered Accountant. She is the author of Finding the Silver Lining, a book she wrote to make everyone, especially young adults, understand the importance of having a positive mindset and identifying themselves as unique beings instead of comparing themselves with others.
She loves to serve thus she enjoys volunteering and community service, she is also an advocate for self-development and financial independence.

Tolu Omodara

Career Field: Community/ International Development. Location: USA

MENTOR

Tolu Omodara
Career Field: Community/ International Development.
Location: USA

Tolu is a Thought Leader and Management practitioner with deep and broad expertise in conceptualizing and implementing client-enabling solutions cutting across Institution Building, Strategic Management, Strategic HR, Leadership Development, and Change Management. I have crisscrossed the public, private and nonprofit sectors with ambidexterity-cum-versatility that comes from conceptual depth, execution excellence, and a unique capacity to reproduce myself in people and teams. I love taking on interesting and challenging roles, especially those that transform nations, institutions, and organizations.

Dr. Beryne Odeny

Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medicals Location: USA

MENTOR

Dr. Beryne Odeny
Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medicals
Location: USA

Beryne is a medical doctor and global health practitioner. She has a PhD in Implementation Science at the University of Washington and has global experience in public health involving collaborations with scientists across the world. Her key interest is in promotion of population health through communication of evidence on high quality health interventions.

Oluwadamilola Opawale

Career Field: Community/International Development, Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical Location: London, United Kingdom

MENTOR

Dr. Oluwadamilola Opawale
Career Field: Community/International Development, Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical
Location: London, United Kingdom

Oluwadamilola is a medical doctor with over 10 years experience in clinical medicine, research, community development, and global health. She worked with Johns Hopkins University in Nigeria for over 2 years, supporting the government to increase access of women and girls to contraceptive information and services. She currently works in the United Kingdom as a medical doctor, providing mental health services to adolescents. She has a master’s degree from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine through the Commonwealth Scholarship. Oluwadamilola loves research and she has published a paper in an international journal.

Deborah Olumuyiwa

Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical Location: Maryland, USA

MENTOR

Dr. Deborah Olumuyiwa
Career Field: Public Health/Medicine/Bio-Medical
Location: Maryland, USA

Deborah is a 2019 MPH graduate from University of Maryland
Baltimore with a concentrate in Global Health. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2016 from Morgan State University. Currently, she has over 5+ years of experience working in public health, specializing in program management, communications and research. She currently works as a Program Analyst at USAID supporting Global Health and Maternal Child Health grant awards. Her interest relates maternal/newborn health, social and behavior change and implementation science.

TESTIMONIALS

My experience was beyond remarkable! I had a lot of interactive sessions with my mentor and access to other mentors. EMP is a place for growth and encouragement. It taught me that I deserve where I am. It has helped me to be more accountable to myself and those around me. My mentor was so welcoming and I spoke to her about my personal and professional goals.

My experience was awesome and impactful. I learned about self-awareness and self-love. The Evolve Mentorship Program is a program for young women to boost their self-esteem.

I really enjoy the questions and prompts the mentors have been asking of us because it allows me to sit and reflect on who I am and who I want to become and how to bridge the gap between the two parts of my identity.

Before now, my goals were merely plans but I now understand and see where I have been making mistakes and put in all that I learned to get an achievable outcome.

The EMP was an amazing opportunity to join a network of women looking for guidance. I enjoyed all the group and one-on-one sessions with my mentor. It was a rare opportunity to connect with Black/African women across the world. The different sessions showed me different aspects of myself (personal and professional) that I can work on.