Urban FLOW Magazine_Volume 1

URBAN

FLOW VOLUME 1 | JULY 2022

THE WULUW MAGAZINE

Personal Finance is Personal

By Andiswa Mojapelo

Journey of a STEMinist

By Kathy Kelley

WEND FOR WATER THE STEM EDITION

An inclusive, divers A world where difference This world will bec we celebrate wom increase vis create awaren and take action

Chidimm

se, and equitable world. es are valued and celebrated. come our reality when men’s achievements, sibility for them, ness against bias for gender equality.

ma Oladipupo

WELCOME In preparing for Urban FLOW magazine’s look, ‘feel’ and vision, this thought came to mind — paving new ways for women who want to excel in leadership roles and opportunities, break biases and stereotypes, and need a platform to showcase their authentic voices to a generation in desperate need of hearing it. The world is in need of leaders who strive to be worth knowing, rather than being known.

Similar to the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector, the media industry too is one that is dominated by males. Statistics show that only one woman is used as a news expert for every four times a man is. It is for this reason that this publication is driven by a diverse, all-female team. For women, by women.

Urban FLOW magazine is taking a slightly different approach in that every issue will showcase women making strides within their respective communities, spheres of influence and around the globe. We will be highlighting the untapped, often underrated, potential in every woman, and encourage women to be bold as female leaders in the WASH space. In addition to being inspirational, we also strive to remain relevant and informative.

The Glosbe online dictionary defines the term urban flow as “the different flows of resources like water and energy, people, traffic, etc. in an urban environment.” This is what this magazine is meant to provide - a flow of access to resources that will build you up.

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Zoey Nyati

SENIOR DESIGNER Marina Boada

SENIOR EDITOR

Kathy Kelly

CONTRIBUTORS

Idah Achiume Kathy Kelley Briony Liber Andiswa Mojapelo Karen Pallansch Baiba Žiga

With that said, we look forward to having you embark on this inspirational journey of self-discovery, encouragement, sisterhood and allyship with us!

Published by ROCKBlue All rights reserved

INSIDE JULY WOMEN MAKING WAVES 6 8

P7

Journey of a STEMinist

Here’s my story with Sarah Hennessy

AROUND THE GLOBE

10 Wend for water

CULTURE AND NARRATIVES 12

Tapping into the leader in you

18

Better together

16

P13

Why unconscious bias training doesn’t work

A BALANCED LIFE 20

22

Choose YOU

Personal Finance is Personal

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER 24

Staying in the FLOW

EMPOWER 26 28

P21

Establish & Advance your career as a STEM

professional

Career Q & A with Briony

WOMEN MAKING WAVES

moving around with toolboxes. The curiosity in me was piqued. I had to see what they were all up to.”

She decided she was going to join them, and be-

Journey of a

came the only student to work in the engineering department.

With her father’s full approval, she was introduced

with

Makumbe

engineering

can

trace

back

to

her

a

employees

were

she

It was an exercise to lift one foot and put

mo-

employed

men

up, and the safety shoes were heavy.

father’s company on a programme in which of

of

“The overalls completely swallowed me

ment in her childhood. She got a job at her children

team

overalls and safety shoes. As she recalls,

fascination

specific

the

would be working with and given a pair of

STEMinist Joy

to

on

a casual basis during their school holidays.

Upon arrival, she saw a pickup truck pass

it forward.” Nevertheless, she was excited. “On my first day,” she says, “our team was called in because some blowers had failed to start and

some milk that was to be used as an ingredient in powdered milk was at risk of getting spoiled.”

The team got to work. Her job was to learn the

names of the required tools and hand them over as needed. After hours of hard work, the

back.

boilers kicked into life. The Operations team

peared behind some buildings. “I saw men in

that spelled it out for me,” says Joy. “I wanted

by

Her

carrying eyes

huge

followed

pumps

the

in

truck

as

the

it

disap-

overalls with “Engineering” written on the back,

rushed in to save the milk. “This was THE day

a job that had meaning and impact. I fell in love

with Engineering, and I have never looked back.”

The road to becoming the civil and water engineer she is today wasn’t easy.

“ To

Sometimes, all you have is you. be

programme ed

to

admitted at

have

to

university,

studied

the

a

”

engineering

student

mathematics,

need-

physics

and chemistry at A level. During the fouryear

programme,

According

to

Joy,

there if

you

were

failed

casualties. an

exam

once, you could retake it, but if you failed the

rewrite

exam

you

were

asked

to

withdraw from university. “The fact that this

could happen made me push harder,” Joy says.

“I was not prepared to be sent home for any reason.”

How it started - Joy drawing as a toddler

6

As one of only two girls in the engineering class

of thirty, Joy was definitely in the minority.

“We were a minority, but we were determined. I had the passion for engineering, and I could not let myself down.” Graduation day came after four years, and Joy embarked on her career.

It was not easy being a woman alone. What Joy

calls “the patriarchal monster” made it difficult

for men—and even women—to accept that women can be engineers, and good ones too. Working as a junior engineer in the private, non-governmental, and government sectors, she often found that her presence was challenged.

Joy

again

has

battled

with

“the

scars

to

monster”

show

for

again

it.

“I

and

have

not given up because I believe in me,” she says.

“Sometimes,

all

you

have

is

you.”

Not only did Joy not give up, she accelerated her career. She started applying for senior roles after three

years of experience, even where the job requirements stated five years.

How it’s going - Joy doing a project handover

“I had an opportunity to be part of a team of

supervising

engineers

in

Water

and

girl in the shadows watching me; wanting so much

Sanitation projects in Tanzania and Uganda. I decided

to be like me. I must not let her down by giving up.

at first, but well worth it. “I love this job because

because I did it.” Adversity has also made her try

limitation of country borders. My work not only

inspiration to succeed,” she states.

al

Her

to spread my wings.” Joy admits that it was scary

I

I impact various communities around me, with no

harder. “If you expect me to fail, you become my

contributes to a local goal but to a globgoal

of

ensuring

that

by

2030,

every-

one in the world has access to clean, potable

must

neers

final

show

advice

watching

her

to

her

that

young

career

she

can

girls

journey:

do

and

it,

engi-

“Always

water and sanitation facilities.”

remember that people will treat you in a man-

When asked what her secret is, she replies, “Hard

the pace. Never let anyone tell you that you

ner that you allow them to, so you must set

work, hard work and more hard work. As a wom-

are not good enough.”

an, you have to work extra hard to show your

Adapted by Kathy Kelley

capabilities. People expect female engineers not to have what it takes to handle challenging positions.”

To continue with Joy on her journey, you can follow her on:

Though it wasn’t an easy road, she adds,

JoyMakumbeTrust

especially a professional woman. All you

Joy Makumbe

“No

one

can

hold

a

professional

down,

need is to focus, take aim and shoot.”

All along her journey, she has grown to think of her-

self as a role model. “I know that there is that young

The Tech Girl

7

WOMEN MAKING WAVES

y r o t s y m s ’ e Her

with Sarah Hennessy

With a passion for collaborating on Africa focused WASH projects, and expertise in sanitation, Sarah thrives in the areas of field testing, and the analyzing and designing of sanitation systems.

How has your educational background prepared you for your success in the industry?

I hold an MS in environmental engineering from Clemson University, with a focus on water/ wastewater, and a BS in chemistry from Furman University. After graduating from Furman,

I spent a year in Botswana working on a project with KEW Botanical Gardens. When I returned to

the USA, I eventually learned about environmen-

tal engineering and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). While working full-time, I began taking night classes at the community college, so I could

be eligible to start my master’s in environmental engineering at Clemson. My engineering depart-

ment at Clemson did not have a WASH-specific focus, so I plugged into groups on campus do-

ing international development projects, including

Engineers Without Borders (EWB). Whenever a guest lecturer or relevant WASH workshop was advertised, I tried to attend and personally meet the speaker after their presentation. If I could

How did you step into your current role?

Networking! It is essential in this industry. I at-

go back and do school again, I’d be interested

tended the Career KickStarter at Clemson Uni-

industry to be able to take your technical data,

als, one of whom was loosely connected with an

you do about your findings (including funders,

professional took my resume to the NC group’s

also use free online courses to further my lifelong

with my first WASH internship at RTI Internation-

in taking a storytelling class. It’s critical in this

versity. During the event, I met 20 profession-

personalize it, and make others care as much as

active WASH group in North Carolina (NC). This

policymakers, and the general public). I currently

weekly Toilet Tuesday event, and connected me

professional learning.

al.

8

This internship helped me get my foot in the door and land my current position as Implementation & Servicing Manager with Triangle Environmental.

What has been your most significant career challenge?

As a consultant, I’m constantly applying to op-

portunities while juggling current project work.

It can be disheartening submitting proposal after

proposal and not hearing back from many. I ha-

ven’t solved this challenge yet, but through the process I’ve been reminded again of the importance of networking in this industry.

How do you suggest males support other females in the industry ?

Fathers, grandfathers, uncles (and mothers):

Support and encourage your daughters, grand-

daughters and nieces in exploring STEM in early

childhood, both in play (buy her the traditional boy’s construction and building toys), and in pursuing school subjects like math and science.

Male colleagues: Speak out or call out colleagues

if you notice them expressing sexism in the workplace, or alienating a woman in a male-dominat-

ed team. Don’t make comments or tell stories

that make women feel isolated, inadequate or self-conscious.

Male supervisors: Don’t show favoritism, either to male or female employees.

What organizational structures could make the work-life balancing easier for women?

Organizations: Offer fair maternity leave, flexible

your expectations realistic. Ensure some of your social work gatherings are family friendly. Provide resources at work (e.g., pumping rooms) for new mothers. Don’t pass women up on promotions, or

be afraid of hiring a woman with a gap in her CV because she took time off to start a family.

What is your proudest achievement and how has it transformed your career?

I’ve had the opportunity to live in a lot of countries through my work. This has allowed me to connect

better in diverse team settings, and I’ve been able to establish strong relationships with colleagues

globally. Sharing our global lessons learned with one another is critical to localizing solutions and uplifting the WASH sector.

How can more females be attracted into the WASH industry?

Established women in WASH, should promote and participate in school or community-led

STEM ac-

tivities. We should provide mentoring programs for

female university students to be paired with a more experienced female WASH professional. Job shad-

owing days, or videos, can help women see if WASH

is right for them. Established WASH professionals

should be open to receiving cold calls from younger women trying to network in the sector.

What is your advice to young women who may have experienced any form of workplace gender-based violence?

Speak to your supervisor, HR, whatever means there are for reporting. You DO NOT deserve it. There are safer working environments out there.

work hours, and work-from-home options. Keep

9

“

CHILDREN STILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF HAVING TO WALK TWO TO THREE KILOMETERS, DAILY , FOR LOW QUALITY WATER.

”

WEND FOR WATER

AROUND THE GLOBE

by Kathy Kelley

T

here are 159 million people worldwide who still depend on surface water for their daily needs.

That means multiple trips to and from a local river, stream or lake to fill large cans or buckets with

water. Not only is this exhausting and time-consuming, but the water itself is usually of questionable quality, many times lying downstream from latrines.

The gathering of water often falls to children, and young girls in particular. A 2016 study confirmed that across 24 African countries more girls were tasked with water collection than boys. Those who

live furthest from their water source and make multiple trips per day may only attend school sporadically, if at all.

Children are also at increased risk for water-borne illnesses, and this impacts their education as well.

In Uganda, for example, 25% of children will drop out of school due to continued water-borne illness.

Other than illness, children have been attacked by crocodiles, hippopotamuses and other wild animals, and girls have been victims of sexual attacks. Rape statistics are difficult to gather as most likely go unreported—or are informally settled within the community.

According to ROCKBlue’s former local representative Gilbert Mafico, the situation is improving in Zimbabwe as efforts by government, utility providers and nongovernmental organizations are working hand in hand in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) projects.

The young girl pictured on our cover resides in Dangam-

vura, a peri-urban settlement in Zimbabwe. So-called because it’s located at the edge of an urban area. The area is home to many informal settlements, often with

inadequate WASH services. Until the last two or three

years, these informal settlements had no clean, con-

venient water source, but recent WASH projects have

focused on these areas, drilling boreholes and creating community taps.

Still, rural areas in Zimbabwe are lacking, and children still bear the brunt of having to walk two to three kilometers, daily, for low quality water. However, in many

of these areas, families are tackling the problem by sharing a donkey-driven cart to fetch water in bulk.

While progress is ongoing, access to clean water in Africa lags behind the rest of the world: eight of the top 10 countries with limited fresh water are located in Africa, with Ethiopia at the top of the list.

There is still work to be done on the continent to ensure that girls and women remain healthy, safe, and in school. And ROCKBlue is helping every day.

11

CULTURE & NARRATIVES

Tapping into leader in

the you

Leaders surround us. We move through our world

and as a single parent was raising me, she did

tributes that lie within each of us.

in the broader world. Oh how different my life

blindly and often do not realize the leadership at-

The word leadership can mean different things to different people. It can be a difficult word to

define because it is something that is reflected

back on you by others — it is not merely a title or a role. More often than not, leadership is not

about making everyone happy. It is about show-

ing up, even when it would be so much easier not

to, and helping others find their own success in a meaningful way.

If you have raised children,

taught others, participated in religious groups or served in professional organizations, you have

tapped into your own leadership attributes and,

in doing so, influenced others. At the end of the day, it is about knowing your ‘why’ — your reason for doing what you do.

Personally, I never expected to be regarded as “a

leader” amongst my peers and colleagues in the water sector. And now, as I move to a new phase

of my career — serving on the ROCKBlue Board of Directors — I regularly hear myself referred

to in these terms. Which begs these questions: How does someone get to be considered a leader

in their sphere of influence? Is it charisma? Is it

determination? Is it something rare and innate that only others have? Is it by election? I believe

that leadership ultimately comes from knowing and living your own ‘why.’

I was the first person in my family to attend university.

I asked for help from my high school

guidance counselor. Even though I had particularly good grades and was “scholarship-worthy”,

she leaned over and told me to give up my dream of college and learn a trade. My family was poor

not think that I would find success in college and would have been had I not known my ‘why’... I chose to listen to my heart and head and not external voices. I chose a life of public service,

a rich life - filled with opportunities taken when challenges arose and an array of many fascinat-

ing people who have flowed in and out of my life, always willing to share their knowledge freely.

This life has given me an ability to serve my many communities of choice in many ways.

The first step in a leader’s journey is to know

Find the time to build real and personal connec-

you determine your values, which then helps you

for you to learn and it is our job to figure out

yourself. Knowing what is important to you helps make consistent decisions.

“

Leadership is not about making everyone happy.

”

Secondly, be intentional about seeking resources that will help you on your journey.

Remember

that you always have a choice about who you listen to, why you listen, what you take away and,

most importantly, how you use that learning. Focus on words, feelings and ideas that lift you up

tions with others. Every person has something what that take-away lesson might be.

Trust me, I know how hard this journey can be.

As I navigated my world being one of the only women at the table for many years, I interacted with others whose values were not consistent with mine.

I had to learn from them — some-

times the hard way — and move on.

Realizing

that we all make mistakes is important learning.

Even more important is how you handle the results of the mistake and then take the necessary steps to move forward.

and help you envision a positive future for your-

As women in the industry, let us continue engag-

colleagues that want the best for you, and just

learn, grow and succeed!

Find the friends, mentors and

ing - to discuss our “why’s”, and help each other

as important, you should always seek to find the

by Karen Pallansch

self and others.

best for every person that touches your life every day.

13

#Br

th

BIA

Thank you to those who support and stand with the WULUW Initia

reak

he

AS

ative in breaking biases in the sphere of water, sanitation & hygiene.

CULTURE & NARRATIVES

WHY

UNCONSCIOUS BIAS TRAINING DOES’T WORK Inequality exists and is rising all over the world.

Even in organizations striving to lead their indus-

tries on diversity and inclusion, many “gold standard” interventions are not effectively reducing bias or inequality.

Various one-off training sessions, such as uncon-

scious bias training, have been the go-to approach

in the diversity and inclusion world for decades.

Mainly for two reasons: FOMO (Fear Of Missing

Out) or due to trouble they find themselves in following some very public missteps (as we saw with Starbucks, Sephora, and Papa John’s.)

Evidence is mounting - unconscious bias training does not lead individuals or organizations to be-

come less biased or more equitable, and can even have harmful backlash effects.

What is unconscious bias?

Let’s just start by saying that bias on its own is

not bad. The University of Edinburgh explains it

Why does unconscious bias training not work?

as “The tendency of us as humans to act in ways

As Dr Kristen Liesch, Co-CEO of Tidal Equality

and biases that we are not aware of. This can

ers, explains, unconscious bias training was NOT

that are prompted by a range of assumptions include decisions or actions that we are not con-

sciously aware of, as well as hidden influences on

decisions and actions that we believe are rational and based on objective unbiased evidence and experience”. While bias in its own right is nothing bad, the moment bias turns into discrimination, is when we start having some serious problems.

and one of Forbes Diversity & Inclusion Trailblazcreated as a solution for systematic bias, preju-

dice and discrimination. Instead, you see these training sessions targeting individuals and their ingrained worldviews and unconscious cognitive shortcuts and fail to provide the systematic context of where it lives. As with any other

training (e.g. Cyber Security or Health & Safety) unconscious bias training is equally a risk-mitiga-

tion and compliance tool. And therefore, was not

16

designed by people who experienced and understood discrimination, but by corporate lawyers with the intent of protecting their organisations from litigation.

The first reason why these forms of training fail is that sessions or workshops do not talk about

“what works” when it comes to achieving less

biased, more equitable and lasting behavior change. Secondly, they are targeted at the individual rather than the system as a whole, so they do not achieve the change we need to see.

What can you do?

To maximize the impact of any diversity and inclusion training, it is important to assess other

company practices, hold upper management ac-

countable for driving change, and the training job and/or industry-specific. Understand your ‘why’

for running any kind of training session - what is

the end goal for it? That will inform whether it

is a basic unconscious bias training you want, or something more structured and impactful. Make unconscious bias training part of a wider program

of change. Moreover, make it an internal initiative,

i.e., driven by management rather than a result of external events (e.g. public demonstrations and unrests or a lawsuit). Studies show internal motivation for such change is better accepted and

adopted. Invite people from across the organization to (anonymously) share their observations

or experiences of inequity and bias and empower

them to be part of designing the solution. Pull together a pool of enthusiastic change-makers,

equip them with the appropriate skills and get them to dig into the design of products, services, processes, policies, systems, communications

etc. Reveal opportunities for redesign to invite

greater equity and inclusion and less bias. Do not make this a ‘side-project’, but instead tie it into

their appraisals and remuneration. Create formal two-way or reverse mentoring programs that pair

existing managers with people in different de-

partments, who seek mentoring and sponsorship.

What unconscious bias training in the workplace

can do, however, is to create awareness of per-

sonal unconscious biases. So, if your goal is for your employees and leaders to learn more about

This helps with opening two-way conversations

between people, who usually do not work together, identify high potential and creates space for storytelling and building mutual empathy.

discrimination, biases and stereotyping then run

We are seeing a trend to explore bias in a curat-

tool for delivering information. However, keep in

tablish cultural change within companies, which

an unconscious bias workshop, as it is a good

mind that there is no evidence that awareness leads to behavior change, as you cannot ‘train’ the bias out of people. It is like expecting people to suddenly turn to a healthy and active lifestyle after one nutrition seminar.

ed training environment rather than trying to eswould in the long term lead to better outcomes.

We need to sharpen our focus on implementing and measuring what actually matters and chal-

lenge the status quo. Unconscious bias training is useful, but it’s not the answer.

by Baiba Žiga

17

CULTURE & NARRATIVES

BETTER

TOGETHER Bado Mnthali is a Civil and Environmental Engineer who has extensive experience in a variety of critical infrastructure projects across South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda. He currently fulfills the role of Technical Director at ILISO Consulting (Pty) Ltd and advocates for gender equality in the workplace.

In addition, he is ROCKBlue’s Director of Utility Partnerships.

What thoughts come to mind

gender equality would mean

oration, attracts and builds

der Equality?

population

to the industry. Profession-

when you hear the term GenThere are so many aspects to gender equality.

Of course,

equal pay for equal productivity and output, as well as equal

opportunity

discrimination.

I

without

also

think

about the improvement of

fully utilizing Africa’s young and

creating

more capacity development.

We cannot expect develop-

ment

to

materialize

under-educating, lizing

and

while

under-uti-

under-valuing

over 50% of our population.

opportunities and options for

Please share your views on

nephews. Achieving optimal

and building successful pro-

my own children, nieces and

gender equality will improve economic multiplier effects for projects, by including female

participation.

Finally,

the importance of working fessional

relationships

with

women in the WASH industry.

Networking is very important. It also improves collab-

confidence

in

newcomers

al relationships increase opportunity and allow the shar-

ing of knowledge and skills.

Removal of the ‘single story’ perspective [that there

is only one way to solve a problem] allows for innovative development strategies

and policies to be tested.

Name one or two organizational structures or improve-

ments you believe would make the work-life balance

18

less challenging for women

Full accountability and a ze-

family.

detrimental behaviors. In ad-

who embark on starting a

Flexible working hours are key! As well as an output/ deliverable-focused agement

system.

man-

These

changes to workplace culture shifts the focus from

time spent at office to outcomes

achieved

within

a

given timeframe, regardless

of regularity or and dura-

tion of attendance, which is currently the norm in most workplaces.

What is the best approach

an organization could take

in an issue of gender-based violence (e.g. sexual harass-

ro-tolerance policy for such dition, there must be transparency in disciplinary pro-

cesses, and education for

How do you suggest that

males support the career progression of their female colleagues in the WASH industry?

all employees on identifying

Support

at all levels of an organiza-

ly as one would with male

and mitigating such issues tion. Support should be pro-

vided by Human Resources teams to employees who

have been victimized or feel unsafe

in

the

workplace.

progression

and

mentoring as enthusiasticalcounterparts who we easi-

ly identify with. Encourage and critique without fear or favoritism. Do not adhere

to stereotypes about male

or female behavior and be open with criticisms where necessary.

Share

industry

insights and invite female colleagues to events/activi-

ties that have typically been male dominated spaces.

ment, bullying, psychological abuse, etc.) in the workplace?

19

A BALANCED LIFE

Choose

YOU

I have recently noticed the increasing use of

Considering this shift in awareness, the question

“setting boundaries”, etc. As a mental health ad-

self-sacrifice at the expense of our well-being”? I

phrases like “self-care Sundays”, “me time”,

vocate, I am proud to see that there is somewhat

of a global shift towards intentional wellness and mindfulness.

I recall, as a young black African woman beginning her career in advertising, how unaware I was

of the concept “mental health”. Let alone any jargon that aptly describes the behaviors which

characterize wellness. I had inherited so many poor coping mechanisms from my time at uni-

versity - where binge drinking and greasy foods served as the proverbial ‘self-care’ approach to

tackling stress and life’s challenges. The truth is I did not know any better. Most of us did not.

Take a walk around any university campus today, and you are guaranteed to come across multiple

efforts that create awareness around wellness

and mental health - posters; events; campus ra-

dio station initiatives; and onsite student support centers.

which I pose is: “Why are we women so willing to

speak for myself when I say that I never knew any other way to exist but to put the needs of others

before my own. I argue that women are gener-

ally brought up to be nurturing and cater to the

needs of others, often sacrificing our own in the process. Men (perhaps due to inherent cultural norms and beliefs) seem more able to put their

own needs first. While it may be easier to take

on a victimhood mentality and wave the ‘gender card’ (which is valid sometimes), I do believe

that the onus lies with us women to be intentional about putting our needs, ourselves, first. “But how”?, you might ask. Here are a few tips that I have found to work well for myself and many of my peers:

Learn to say NO Find confidence in knowing that “No” is a full sen-

tence. The perceived success ceiling has been

“ Superwoman culture is toxic.

” 20

placed so high and we often feel like we have

stand by the statement. As women, we can jug-

why would we say no when we constantly feel

need to learn the art of resting. So, sis, take that

been set up to fail before we have started. So the need to prove ourselves. It may not be easy

or come naturally at first, but you need to start

somewhere. Especially when knowing that saying yes will leave you in a deficit.

Close that door, and lock it!

Setting boundaries can be very challenging - par-

ticularly when you do not know what defines your space and time. As a mother to a seven-year-

old and an 18-month-old , I have had to really question what boundaries look like for me. I real-

ized that the only way to have a moment alone is to feign needing the bathroom. So, I often ‘run away’, leaving my kids with their dad or nanny. I shut the door, lock it, and I find my moment to just breathe and recalibrate. This serves as an

analogy for any situation that requires boundaries. Whether it be at work, with friends or with family. Just shut the door and do not forget to lock it.

Take that day off On my Instagram vlog, @mental_wealth_with_ ida, I recorded an episode where I declared that “superwoman culture” is toxic. I further stated

that I am no one’s hero - granted, at the time, I was knee deep in my postpartum hormonal dis-

ruptions and very high-strung. I do however still

gle so many roles, but do we always have to? We

day off!!! An easy way to achieve this may be to schedule it into your diary—in ink!

Buy those shoes I love how self-explanatory the word “self-care”

is. It simply says care for yourself. It seems intuitive and obvious that one would cater to them-

selves, but often not easy to practice. Feelings

of guilt and unworthiness often come to mind for many women when it comes to self-care. Look

out for and spoil yourself occasionally. For me, that means a trip to the coast, or a new pair of sunglasses, or at times, a visit to my favorite restaurant for a delectable treat. For you it may

be a cup of coffee at your favorite café in between school drop-offs, or a weekly one-hour ladies’ get-together because you crave adult conversation (without any kids) as a new mom.

Ladies, I encourage you — I encourage us – to

take control of the narrative of our lives. Let us steer clear of self-sabotaging habits and practice loving and choosing ourselves first.

by Ida Achiume Shiaka

21

A BALANCED LIFE

PERSONAL FINANCE IS PERSONAL UNPACKING THE NON-MONETARY SIDE OF MONEY You may be wondering, “How can money have

the next 5 or 10 years. Visualising where you

money is more personal than we think. The soon-

is breaking that vision into bite-sized, practical

a non-monetary side to it”? The reality is that er we come to terms with that, the sooner we

will begin to understand the importance of forming healthy relationships with money.

Understanding the

main use of your

money is a good place A

to

quick

search

start.

Google

will

en-

lighten you on the fact that money

is mainly used as a medium of exchange,

i.e.

any

object that is accepted as payment

or repayment. For this reason, I like

to think of money

as a resource - a means to an end. The end being

what you value. Here is where it gets personal, because the end is different for us all and so is the journey.

As you delve into constructing your personal money journey, consider the following: Step 1: Define what matters to you We all have our individual dreams and aspirations and our own idea of where we see ourselves in

would like to be is great, but what is even better goals that you can start working towards. What

matters to you this year? Is it finishing your postgraduate studies or buying your first car? After

giving it some thought, consider what it will take

for you to achieve

this - in light of your current financial sta-

tus. For most of us,

the reality is that we

do not have an unlimited amount of resources. This is why it is so important to

know what you truly

value and hold yourself accountable to this at all times.

Step 2: Tackle social pressure head on

I have seen it stated that we always seem to be-

lieve we are doing well until we pull our phones out and start scrolling through social media. Suddenly our good is not good enough, as the standard of measurement is set against somebody

else’s journey. Once you have fully immersed yourself in step 1 and defined what matters to

you, avoid allowing the pressures from society to force you into making decisions that do not

lead you to your end goal. More often than not, the pressure is not always from the strangers we

22

idolise at a distance but from those close to us.

ble. The goal should never be to become perfect

towards what YOU truly value because trying to

ery day is about taking meaningful steps towards

It’s important that your money is always directed meet everyone’s expectations can become not

only expensive but strenuous both mentally and financially.

Step 3: Avoid lifestyle inflation ALways remember that money is limited. If you

spend every bit of extra income that you earn at

every given point in time, it means that you will

overnight or even after reading this article. Evyour goals and ensuring that your decisions are always aligned to what you value.

by Andiswa Mojapelo

Andiswa would love to connect and engage with you on the following Social media platforms:

never have enough left over to save and invest

Andiswa Mojapelo

does not have to mean a car upgrade or new

Andiswa Mojapelo

ate your journey to financial freedom by invest-

@andiswamojapelo

in order to grow wealth. A new job or promotion

wardrobe. It is in fact an opportunity to accelering in the goals you have set for yourself in step 1.

Maintaining a healthy balance in any aspect of life will never be easy. It takes constant practice,

discipline and a lot of intentionality but it’s possi-

“

It takes constant practice and discipline.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Staying in the FLOW

What we’re reading The way of integrity

By Martha Beck A sociologist, world-renowned coach and

New York Times bestselling author, defines

integrity as the “the cure for psychological

suffering and how it can be used to bring us into a state of wellness.”

Tech girl diaries

By Joy Makumbe This book will motivate, inspire, and encourage you to become the unstoppable, confi-

dent woman you are meant to be, and equip you with practical strategies you can use to

survive in male-dominated industries.

24

What we’re streaming Podcasts • Art Of Conservation Podcast Dedicated to the most important environmental issues of our time.

TedX Talks • Own Your Behaviors, Master Your Communication, Determine Your Success

By Louise Evans Behavioral Coach, Corporate Trainer, Author,

• The 21st Century Change Agent

Louise Evans, offers international leader-

ship development, cross-cultural transition-

Highlighting and celebrating people who make

al coaching and personal development pro-

tries, businesses, industries and beyond.

in international contexts.

real change happen in their communities, coun-

grammes for individuals and teams working

Where we’re going World Water Week by Stockholm Institutional Water Institute (SIWI) Theme: Seeing the unseen: The value of water

23 August to 1 September 2022 online and live in Stockholm

EMPOWER

ESTABLISH & ADVANCE YOUR CAREER AS A STEM PROFESSIONAL Studying and working in science, technology, en-

self well in order to overcome any strategies that

ing innovative solutions to real world challenges,

more of your work will be done with others and

gineering and mathematics (STEM) means findplaying a role in discovery, research and development, and application of solutions to problems

that are experienced in the world today as well as anticipating and solving problems of the future.

STEM professions often require a combination of

science, engineering, technology and math skills.

But (and this is really important to recognise early on in a STEM career if you want to succeed)

they also require an understanding of people and people-related problems as these professionals will work with other people to solve people-issues.

I frequently observe, with my STEM clients, that the technical excellence that got them where

they are today is not typically the competencies

keep you hidden. Progression means, more and through others, and the competencies to man-

age others are different to those of managing yourself. Critical to working with others is knowing others and what makes them ‘tick’.

Build a solid foundation In the first five to ten years of your career, be prepared to get your hands dirty and do work

that perhaps you don’t believe you should have to do after acquiring a four year university degree. In fact, be more than prepared - embrace the opportunity to build a solid foundation.

Your degree gives you book knowledge. Work gives you experience and an opportunity to apply that knowledge in infinite contexts.

that propel them forward. What enables them to

Don’t be afraid to ask questions

navigate their way to the top, has been a combi-

Being thrown in the deep end is an excellent way

succeed as they transition in their careers and nation of the following:

Expand on your competencies as the nature of your work changes

As you progress through your career, what you

need to be good at will change along the way.

When you are starting out your curiosity, abili-

ty to follow instructions, your initiative and your willingness to learn will be competencies that

you need to demonstrate - along with your abili-

ty to apply the technical knowledge that you’ve

acquired at university. You will need to manage yourself - and to do that you need to know your-

to learn but can be scary if you are too afraid to ask questions. While your manager may appear to expect you to know everything, mostly they are

testing the limits of your capabilities and where you need further guidance.

If you don’t ask for their help and remain open

about what you do not know, you risk your learning process. Repetition builds muscle memory

and neural pathways - the stronger your muscle memory and neural pathways are the easier it becomes to do a task. This is good, but can also be

bad if you repeat bad habits because you were too scared to ask a question.

26

“

You don’t know what you don’t know.

”

Remember, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” Own your learning experience and make sure that, where uncertainty arises, you ask the necessary questions.

Build your ‘personal board of directors’ and serve on other personal boards as well

Start building a network of trusted advisors early

in your career. These people can be in or outside

Advocate for yourself One of the biggest challenges my clients experience is their hesitancy to advocate for them-

selves - believing that it is not humble to do so.

While they are technically brilliant, they fall short in some instances because they believe that working harder is better than shining a light on themselves.

of your direct work environment and they may or

What will ultimately make you successful in a

sonal board of directors’. Look for people who:

recognizing that your qualifications and technical

may not know that you view them as your ‘per-

inspire you, ask tough questions, help you in your thought processing, advocate for and encourage

you, and model behaviors and values that you aspire to integrate into your way of being. Don’t wait for someone to guide you, seek out guidance intentionally.

Be mindful that others will observe you too.

So model professional behaviors at all times.

STEM career, or any career for that matter, is

competence will only get you so far. You need to bolster this with an ability to build relationships.

Not just with your peers, but cross-functionally

as well - with your line managers, their managers

and colleagues in other departments. Through relationships you make yourself visible, create the opportunity to communicate about how you add value to the organization and ultimately advocate for yourself.

by Briony Liber

27

EMPOWER

CAREER

QA &

with Briony

Q: While job searching, I note that most organi-

a position at a water treatment plant, then you

As a recent graduate, how can I apply for a job

rience across multiple areas within water treat-

zations look for experience, even at entry level. without experience?

A: Organizations ideally want new employees to be able to get up to productive levels as quickly as possible. Yes they do seem to want entry-lev-

el applicants to have some experience - but it doesn’t necessarily need to be formal work ex-

should highlight the areas where you have expement. It’s also worth including the name of the

company you are applying to, the name of the position, and the reference number for the posi-

tion, if there is one. This demonstrates that you have actually read and are specifically responding to that company’s position.

perience in the position you are aiming to ob-

tain. Look for experiences that you have had that might be transferable into a new context.

For instance, if you have done volunteer work, with tasks that were relevant to your career interests - that counts as experience. If you have

not volunteered or interned, my advice would be to actively look for opportunities to contribute to the professional bodies that are relevant to you.

This is a rapid way to network with people that

are leaders in the industry, contribute to a bigger purpose, and learn skills that will be relevant in a work context.

Q: After or within my first job/internship opportunity, what are the techniques or strategies I can use for career progression?

A: In your first position in a work environment,

remember that “you don’t know what you don’t know”. It’s a tricky transition in your career, because you leave university with a degree (or two)

and a lot of knowledge, but often no tactical ex-

perience or insight into what goes on in the world of work. A common mistake new workers make is

assuming that they are competent because they

have qualifications. As a result, they often hold

back on asking questions because they don’t want Q: How do I write a good cover /motivation letter?

anyone to know that they are unsure. Recognise that when you start a new position you are start-

ing a whole new learning journey and you need

A: Work your way through the job specifications

to enter this phase with a ‘childlike perspective’

strates your competence in relation to these

asking questions, and sometimes failing. Put up

achievements or experiences that are relevant to

Above all, demonstrate that you are integrating

and highlight relevant evidence that demon-

- one that is open to learning by doing, trying,

specifications. Make sure to highlight one or two

your hand, do the best work you can possibly do.

the position. For example, if you are applying for

28

and applying what you learn. Others will gladly

A: This is to ensure that all submissions are ulti-

when they can see that you consider their advice

away opportunities for personal bias and possibly

invest their time, energy and experience in you, and integrate it into how you do your work.

Q: How do I approach answering competency-based Interview questions?

A: Competency-based interview questions are seeking evidence that you can do what you say

mately received in a comparable format - it takes

makes it easier for the applicant tracking software to codify information.

It may seem like “double work” on the part of the applicant, but it makes the job of the recruiter

somewhat easier. Ultimately if you make the recruiters job simpler, it’s far more likely that your CV will be looked at.

you can do. The best way to answer these types of questions is to structure your answer using

the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Situation - Provide context: What was the proj-

Q: How do I negotiate a suitable salary when advancing from my first job?

ect? What was the problem? For example: When

A: Keep a portfolio of evidence for yourself from

experienced a zzzz challenge.

butions you have made to the organization, proj-

I worked at xxx company on a yyy project, we

Task - Explain what you had to do: What was your role or responsibility? For example: I was re-

sponsible for coordinating / leading / managing / sourcing / assessing / analyzing xxxxx

the very first day that you start working - contriects you have worked on, tasks fulfilled over and

above your day-to-day job, achievements or ac-

colades received, skills you have developed and successfully applied, any continued professional development programmes completed, contribu-

Action - Describe what you did to resolve or con-

tions made within industry and professional bod-

took the initiative to xxxxxx.

your growth, and when the time comes, it will

tribute to resolving the challenge.For example: I Result - Show impact by describing the result of

ies, etc. This portfolio will provide evidence of help you build a motivation around your value.

the actions that you took : You did all of these

The preparation for your negotiation is similar

“As a result of my actions the impact was xxxxx.”

mance review. A negotiation is a conversation

The more tangible your examples, the more con-

ly satisfactory outcome. Once you have a clear

things - but, what was the impact? For example:

fident an interviewer is going to be that you are not just saying that you have a skill, but rather that you can actually demonstrate your proficiency in that skill.

Q: Why do companies require applicants to fill in

all their details on an online form and submit a detailed resume? Is that not “double work”?

to the preparation you would make for a perforwhere both parties are interested in a mutualportfolio of evidence that supports your motivation for your salary, it’s worth doing some thinking on what the other party’s interests might be

so that you might predict what the other party might want to negotiate.

Have career focused questions?

Email them to: ufmag@rockblue.org

29

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Featured in image: Catalina Morales

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