The ripple effect of change, female friendships, a fully funded program at Oxford, and 200K scholarships for undergrads
5 minutes read
Hey sister,
It’s been a few weeks since we last spoke and I missed you so so much! I hope you missed me too. I decided to hit the pause button for a little while. But now, I am back in full force, ready to bring you all the amazing stories and incredible opportunities for Nigerian women at Sisterly HQ.
A snapshot of this week’s letter
The phenomenal alumni of Sisterly HQ.
A new way to tell your stories.
A 2 Million Naira essay contest for your little sister, and a fully funded scholarship to study at Oxford for you.
Let’s talk about female friendships.
Stories
On The Ripple Effect of Making A Change - Sisterly HQ Alums
Since Sisterly HQ kicked off in 2021, we’ve had tens of amazing women work with us as volunteers. Over time, they’ve gone on to start their own impact initiatives, passion projects and purpose-driven communities. In fact, about 1 in 5 Sisterly HQ alum have launched, founded, co-founded or joined an impactful project. It’s giving PayPal mafia but phenomenal Nigerian women who get the job done every darn time!
In this story, we spotlight three amazing alums and the incredible work they are doing: Ibukunoluwa Okusanya of Femalia, Mary-Esther Anele of InclusivelyRemote, and Treasure Okure of 20 Something.
From Our Archives
Seyi Oluyole - On Nurturing Young Dreams
In this story, our Ifeoluwa A. chats with Seyi Oluyole, founder of the famed Dream Catchers Academy on impacting the lives of young girls through dance and education. She speaks about being inspired by the young girls she nurtures and fulfilling dreams. Read Seyi’s story here.
Here’s one of the Dream Catchers’ most popular videos on YouTube. I hope it brings you a lot of joy this Saturday morning.
What’s New at Sisterly HQ
Telling Your Stories
We’ve completely removed pitches from our submission process. Now, all you have to do is fill out a short form on our website and ta-da! We’ve also added a couple of guiding questions to help you tell your story, your way. It has never been easier to use your voice and take control of your narrative!
Explore the new changes here.
New Series - Female Friendships
Women hate women is a misogynistic myth that couldn't be further from the truth. Unfortunately, instead of uplifting stories of women who show up for one another, the media is filled with the complete opposite.
Inspired by Vivian Nwajiaku, this 4-week series is a celebration of the beautiful female friendships, and sisterly love that many Nigerian women experience, share and enjoy. Share your friendship story here or follow the link: bit.ly/sisluv
We are on TikTok!
Sisterly HQ is now on the streets of TikTok, and you heard it first! TikTok is the coolest kid on the block right now, and we hope to connect with more Nigerian women through and on the platform.
Our TikTok content will prioritize the amazing opportunities and resources we curate for Nigerian women weekly. Opportunitytok is taking over! Follow us on TikTok here and don’t forget to tag us to videos you’d like us to respond to.
Opportunities
What’s New
Google Cybersecurity Certificate on Coursera for Nigerians - Earn a certification in cybersecurity for free. There are 2000 scholarships for grabs!
Academy for Women Entrepreneurs 2023 - An initiative of the US government in Nigeria, 150 entrepreneurs in agriculture, creative industries, and tech will receive free training and mentorship from experts.
Education Fund for African Students in Energy - 8 African undergraduate and postgraduate students will receive financial support ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. Female students are encouraged to apply. (duh!)
Heirs Life Essay Championship 2023 - This is for your little sister or cousin in JSS 1 - 3. She can win up to 2 million Naira for writing a 500-word essay on her dream career!
The Rhodes Scholarships for West Africa - A fully funded program to study at the prestigious Oxford University in 2024.
MTN Undergraduate Scholarships - Receive NGN 200,000 every year until you complete your undergraduate studies in Nigeria from the MTN Foundation.
PhD position in Structural Engineering at Oregon State University - The successful candidate will conduct research on infrastructure systems subjected to natural hazards.
Closing Soon!
Today: SNAMIP Media Product Fellowship
June 11: Africa Youth SDG Innovation Award - Funded to Zambia, Climate Justice Squad, Fully Funded MSc/ PhD position at the Department of Biological Sciences, Oakland University Michigan, EMEA Legal Summer Institute - Google
June 12: Intern, Emerging Markets Public Policy Fellowship (Funded by Google) - Africa Practice, One Young World - Refugee Scholarship 2023
June 13: Sydani Fellowship Program, Ocean Awareness Contest - For 11 to 18-Year-Olds
June 15: AccessAbility: A call for innovative solutions to address barriers to sexual and reproductive health and rights facing young persons with disabilities, U-Save Foundation Fellowship Program, International Essay Contest for Young People - US$740 Prize
June 16: Senior Product Manager at Big Cabal Media, SDG Coordinator (2023 - 2024 Cohort) SDG Students Program, Next Generation Foresight Partners Young Voices - $1000 Prize (for 12 - 17-year-olds)
Hot tip: Sis, no buts today. You and I know you have what it takes to get this opportunity. Oya, do fast and apply! You’ve got this!
Resource Recc
Are you into product design, product management, data science, content writing and other aspects of tech? Then, you should join ADPList. Here, you will learn and grow with help from world-class mentors for free.
Join ADPList here.
To-Do List
FindHer - Click here to get a customized opportunity for your career goals! I will curate a list of opportunities and resources for one sister every week.
Celebration Corner - Did something big happen this week? Click here to let the Sisterly HQ community know so we can celebrate with you.
Don’t Miss An Email - Move all Sisterly HQ’s emails to the Primary folder of your mailbox (from Promotions) or save our email address to your phone to avoid missing out on our stories and opportunities.
Connect - Follow us on Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
Sis, can you do me a favour? Can you kindly share this newsletter with your girls? You’re the best, seriously. Three sisterly gbosas for you!
Sis, how did you find today’s newsletter?
💁🏾♀️ It’s a vibe! OR 🤦🏾♀️ Not my vibe!
See you next week!