Team Daily Fresh Food or Team Freeze Your Meals?
One day you’re eating your way through a carton of noodles as a single lady living alone, and the next day - BOOM! You’re engaged to marry the love of your life who is used to eating freshly made food daily. What do you do in this situation? Wake up every morning at 4am to prepare breakfast, lunch and dinner for him? Set up a system for daily fresh food delivery? Or stick to your carton of noodles and takeout? Let me tell you what I would do. Just like in this email, I would probably just do whatever I’m in the mood for, be it a home cooked meal or takeout from my favorite restaurant.
September has been an exciting month for us at Her Story Nigeria! From powerful debates to our community members speaking on global stages, we have continued to push the boundaries on gender equality. Here's a recap of what we've been up to and how you can stay involved in our mission.
Community Spotlight
This month, we are shining a spotlight on the remarkable Phebe Ilesanmi, a true force of nature who leads our Speaking Club at Her Story Nigeria and is also the co-founder of TrashCoin, an innovative startup with a mission to turn waste into wealth. Phebe continues to make waves both locally and internationally with her recent achievement as a Note Taker at the Summit of the Future, held at the prestigious United Nations Headquarters. This global summit brought together thought leaders, changemakers, and policy influencers to discuss critical issues shaping our shared future. Phebe’s involvement in this historic event highlights her dedication to amplifying youth voices and ensuring that young people are represented in the conversations that will define tomorrow. Her role at the Summit reflects her belief that the future is not something to simply discuss, but to actively shape. As Phebe so eloquently stated: "The future isn’t just something to discuss; it is something we must shape."
Congratulations, Phebe! The world is watching, and we can’t wait to see what you achieve next!
Na Fat I Fat, I No Kill Person
One of the most pervasive and harmful women’s rights issues globally is the enforcement of unrealistic beauty standards, particularly the pressure to achieve extreme thinness. From Western countries like the United States and France to parts of Asia such as South Korea and Japan, women are constantly bombarded with societal expectations to maintain impossibly slim bodies, often at the cost of their physical and mental health.
These forced beauty standards are deeply rooted in patriarchal systems that define a woman's value based on her appearance, rather than her abilities, intelligence, or character. The demand for extreme thinness has not only fueled industries like fashion, beauty, and diet products but has also contributed to widespread fat shaming. Women who do not conform to these narrow beauty ideals are often ridiculed, marginalized, and made to feel as though their bodies are not worthy of respect or admiration.
This harmful culture has led to a rise in eating disorders, body dysmorphia, and mental health struggles, as women strive to meet these unattainable standards. The issue is compounded by media representation, where thinness is glorified and diverse body types are often erased from advertisements, films, and magazines.
What can we do about it?
To combat these oppressive beauty standards, we need to:
Promote body positivity, celebrating women of all shapes and sizes.
Challenge media representations that glorify thinness and demand more diverse and inclusive portrayals of beauty.
Push back against fat shaming, both in personal interactions and in broader societal systems, recognizing that a woman's worth is not determined by her size.
At Her Story Nigeria, we are committed to advocating for a world where women are free from the pressures of forced beauty standards and can embrace their bodies without fear of judgment or discrimination. It’s time to break free from patriarchal beauty norms and redefine beauty on our own terms.
In Case You Missed It
Over the past three months, we’ve had the privilege of guiding an incredible group of young women through our first-ever Speaking Club cohort, and what an amazing journey it has been! 17 passionate ladies embarked on this transformative experience, learning to refine their public speaking skills, embrace their voices, and confidently take on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Now, after three months of growth, challenges, and powerful conversations, we are proud to announce that 10 of these remarkable women have graduated from the program!
The final event was the Debate Competition, which also doubled as the graduation ceremony. 6 of these ladies fiercely debated timely topics, demonstrating just how far they’ve come since starting the program. A special congratulations to Group Two (A), who emerged victorious in the competition, successfully arguing FOR the topic: "The Effects of Climate Change Affect Women More Than Men." Their well-researched, eloquent arguments left a lasting impression on the judges and audience alike.
As this first cohort comes to a close, we couldn’t be prouder of these talented young women and the incredible strides they’ve made. But don’t worry, if you missed out on this round, you can join the waitlist for the next cohort and be part of this empowering journey! Stay tuned for more details and get ready to make your voice heard.
Opportunities For You
African Union (AU) Internship Program 2024 for African Students
Cherie Blair Foundation Mentoring Women in Business Program 2025
Nigeria Climate Innovation Center (NCIC) Internship Program 2024
Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Cambridge
Article Feature of The Month
Otherhood: Why Some Nigerian Women Are Choosing to Live Child Free Lives by Agnes E. Ekanem
The pressure to have children can be subtle, or in some cases, not so subtle. I remember a recent incident when I slipped in the bathroom and let out a scream. My mother, who was staying with me for the weekend, rushed in. The first thing she said was, “Don’t break anything before giving me a grandchild.” At that moment, I found it funny and joked back, “Mummy, would you really choose a hypothetical grandchild over me?” But beneath the humor lies a deeper truth. Click for more.
We Want To Know
Annnnnnnnd, it’s a wrap!
Till next month, we stay having impactful conversations in our community. Join us!
Written and Edited by Oreoluwa Ojo
