Wednesday 19 February 2014

Why I use my time and talents to inspire people - Elsie Ijorogu-Reeds


Elsie

Ms. Elsie Ijorogu-Reeds. Ijorogu-Reeds is the founder of Deltawomen, a non-governmental organisation which caters for the less privileged. The amiable entrepreneur, whose magazine, Drumbeat, will soon hit newsstands, speaks in this interview with ADA DIKE, among other riveting issues, on why she is passionate about empowering the less privileged.

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Over the years, the founder and chief executive officer of a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Deltawomen, Ms. Elsie Ijorogu-Reeds, has devoted her time and talent to help the less privileged through her empowerment programmes, radio programming, online publishing, and so on.
 She set up Deltawomen in 2010 because helping people has always been her passion and something she has always loved to do. So she decided to use her time and talents to inspire people by providing for their needs, including offering skills acquisition, free medical eye tests and free eyeglasses for women in many places including Edo and Delta States.
Elsie
Her weekly radio programmes, online publishing and the soon–to–hit–newsstands magazine called Drumbeat are channels through which she strives to ensure that people are empowered, informed, and educated about societal issues, including business, health, relationships and so on, and are able to make informed decisions or choices.
Providing free medical eye tests and glasses for women in Delta and Edo states and other helps she renders to people is a gigantic project. She reveals how she raises funds to finance them:Deltawomen is 99% self–funded. I have worked as a business intelligence consultant for many companies in countries like the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA), United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar. I use most of my income plus donations from kind–hearted people to help the less privileged. Donations are highly welcome, “ Ijorogu-Reeds said.
Elsie
Stating her next plan of action, Elsie revealed thatFor the short–term, Deltawomen is engaged in proactive activities that have global reach—such as blogs, magazines, podcasts and newsletters, each of which accent women and women’s rights and ensure the inculcation of awareness—through articles, real–life stories and experiences.
“For the long term, Deltawomen is proactively engaged in educating women through online teaching and skills inculcation. The inculcation of skills is done with the intention of making women less vulnerable. Our studies have showed that because of poverty or lack of skills, some women open the window of vulnerability which leaves them exposed to harm. Women consequently go into prostitution, allow and accept abuse or violence, and even opt for monetary settlement after rape because they believe they have no choice.
“We also have eye health camps and checkups, where we check people’s eyesight and give them glasses for free. We are planning a free medical check-up, free eye tests, and eyeglasses giveaway to the entire Okpe kingdom, Delta State in the mid–part of this year.
“Besides this, we will be offering on-ground vocational training and micro financing at our centres. We have a pay–it–forward empowerment and training scheme in Adeje and are also running our own radio show called Deltawomen Drumbeat. In the coming days, we will be working on these projects while also looking at newer and newer avenues to benefit women and youth.“
Speaking on the challenges she has been facing since she began those projects, she stressed that:The resistance has been attitudinal. People in Nigeria tend to believe that a woman’s place is to be subservient, to be the kind of person that does a man’s bidding in entirety. We often hear from men that a woman is raped because she deserves it or has asked for it by her conduct.”
Elsie
She explained how she overcame those challenges and said it makes no sense to avoid engaging with people because of this mentality, “so we go ahead anyway, and do our work of spreading awareness. We want to change their mentality. People sometimes challenge, insult and threaten us online and through emails.”
In a couple of weeks, Nigerians will have their first chance to see this resourceful and hard working woman’s quarterly magazine, which is the first of its kind in Africa. She believes that “We are bringing the best of both worlds (African and Western) to the magazine, Drumbeat, so it will be empowering yet entertaining; it will include informative and entertaining sections including interviews, a career guide and articles about relationships, health and living, fashion and beauty, entertainment and lifestyle and so on.
“Drumbeat will be conspicuously displayed on newsstands across Nigeria. I hereby stress that it is not just a local magazine; it will add a qualitative value to the lifestyle magazine market in Nigeria and beyond.  I want to use Drumbeat magazine to celebrate the positive sides of Nigeria, its people and events. It will also feature places within Nigeria and around the world.
“According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, drumbeat is an English word meaning “A stroke on a drum or the sound this makes”. In traditional Africa, drums were a means of communication to the villages. Whenever a drum was being beaten, people would gather to hear the message that prompted the beating of the drum. So, Drumbeat magazine is a tool for communication to the world, with the aim of disseminating factual information to our audience, which comprises both young and old.
“The 48-page magazine, which will cost N700, will be sold in all states of Nigeria. This publication’s guiding principle is to educate, inform and entertain our readers in a way that has never been done before. So our unique selling point is: “Bringing out the best in you.””
Currently, she is using Crown FM for her radio programme, and this covers Warri, Delta state, and neighbouring villages. “We are planning to move to DBS, which covers entire Delta State. The reception has been awesome and the responses from our listeners are quite encouraging, actually, more than we anticipated, since this was a new concept.
“I would like to use this opportunity to extend my heartfelt gratitude to God, Deltawomen Drumbeat presenter and production staff and volunteers at Deltawomen—all of whom worked tirelessly to make this possible. For those who missed our broadcasts, don't fret! Continue to tune into the conversation every week when we will be interviewing experts on topics such as good nutrition for pregnant women and diabetic people, waste management, sexual disease, teenage pregnancy and so on. Crown FM or http://www.faebook.com/deltawomendrumbeat.”
On how she would be able to manage her magazine since she is not fully based in Nigeria, Elsie said it shouldn’t be an issue, explaining that she had managed Deltawomen from outside Nigeria for four years. “We have a global and a local team that work together very cooperatively. We have more than 145 volunteers and staff members worldwide.”
Elsie
She bares her perception of the media industry in Nigeria and states that: “I believe that the media is largely all about the aesthetic, and emphasises certain elements like body image, sensationalism, and even inaccurate reporting. I think these issues need addressing.”
On how the media industry in Nigeria can be moved to a higher level, she advised that the Nigerian media industry would be better if the media organisations are objective, factual and fair in their reportage. “Individuals have a role to play.”
To her, it is difficult to predict what will happen in the media industry in the next five years. “We all know that the emergence of social media has expanded the horizon through which people can access information. But print and electronic media will continue to serve as the major channels for dissemination of information in the world. I did all the necessary research before I decided to set up Drumbeat magazine and create the radio programmes. I am confident that people will continue to seek information through the above-mentioned media.
“In the next five years, I would have done at least 10,000 free eye tests within and outside Delta State. Secondly, I would like to see Drumbeat magazine categorized as one of the most informative and educative magazines, with a reach beyond Africa.”
Commenting on her greatest disappointment, she saysI have no expectations, so no disappointments. It may be difficult for me to mention a specific feat as my greatest achievement, but I am glad that I have been able to help people with the available resources at my disposal.
“If my 20-year-old self could see me now, she would be glad because I am taking life’s challenges one at a time. With perseverance, I have been successful in many, with a few disappointments along the line, which most people would not find strange,” she said.
If she had to rate her satisfaction with life so far, on a scale of 1 to 10, she scored herself:10! I am contented with life and thank God for his many blessings that I am not worthy of.”
In what place are you happiest?  She was asked:With God and my daughter Gabrielle.”
She answered whether ambition or talent matters more to success and has this to say: “Both are important, but I believe having talents means nothing if you don’t have the ambition to work hard or go an extra mile. “Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.”~ Salvador DalĂ­. Also, according to Ron Kurtus, the founder of the School for Champions, “Ambition is the strong drive for success. It is a positive personal character trait. A person without ambition is said to be shiftless”
Oprah Winfrey is her role model because, “I admire her strength, how she has moved past abuse to where she is today, and how she uses her wealth and talents to help the poor and needy.”
Elsie
Reeds, a native of Oku-ijorogu village in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State was born in London, United Kingdom. Her dad is an electrical engineer and her late mum had her hands in many things, like fashion designing, the food industry and business.
She holds a degree in Banking and Finance and an MBA in Information System Management as well as several IT certifications: MCP, MCSE, MCDBA, and IBM Expert and so on.
Growing up, according to her, was like any child who grew up in Nigeria between the 60s and 90s.
“I spent part of my childhood with my parents and part in boarding schools, with relatives, and abroad.”
Reeds does not miss anything she enjoyed as a child. In fact, she is contented with life and does not worry about tomorrow.
She is not a fashion freak. When it comes to style; she is simple, elegant and looks good in anything she wears. “My definition of style is: Wear things that are simple and comfortable. I like both formal and traditional attires and I also like casual clothes.”
One of the fashion accessories she likes most are shoes. “I love shoes so I have many pairs of beautiful shoes.”
Seeing smiles on faces of people she has helped drives her on because “it is both a service to God and humanity. That is the most important part of our call here on earth. As someone said, “Once you have stared poverty in the face, your life never remains the same,” I would love to say my life experiences and pains as well as having witnessed the suffering of many people have been my motivation and passion, and also keeping my vow to God that if He blessed me, I would be a blessing to others. So I am doing what I am passionate about always, and I am doing God’s work.
Elsie

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