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.

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.

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


The EMP was an amazing experience for me. I have become more intentional about my career growth and more accountable to my set goals. The community of successful women inspires me alot. The personal stories of success by the mentors give me the motivation not to give up
Ibukun Babarinde
2019 Mentee

The EMP taught me to stay resilient. After 40 rejection letters in the span of 3 years, I got something I've wanted for a long time. With guidance, leadership and firm encouragement from my EMP mentors. I stayed on course and put to practice every idea, advice, insight and tips given during the mentorship program and got my heart desire. I received a full scholarship to study a Master's degree in Netherland
Taiwo Racheal Adetunji
2019 Mentee

I made SMARTer career choices. I decided to pursue my purpose afraid. I am managing my timewisely and using ICT to make my work easier. I identified my strengths and weaknessess
2019 Mentee