We are often quick to shun away our past experiences but what if those very experiences would be what you need to perform better in your leading position? This is what we learnt from Muna Mohamed our recent guest on the OVAReact Podcast, who experienced period poverty challenges when growing up, as she was not able to purchase the menstrual health products she needed when experiencing menstruation.
Many years later, Muna now has a leading role as a Regional Business & Partnership Representative at AFRIpads Limited which is an organisation that creates safe reusable menstrual health products. Her experience with period poverty proves critical when working to create products that are suitable and accessible to those in marginalised communities, and in addition, there is a real passion for change and wants a better outcome for girls and women.
“I take full responsibility for my work and I have everything I need to create my opportunities in any environment.”
Muna Mohamed
Muna’s journey into leadership brings to light that at times our career paths are about identifying what changes you want to create in the world, they are about creating the necessary research that can lead others and organisations to make better products and provide better services and best of all that those challenging experiences will lead you to be the voice for the voiceless and give you the ability to design a solution that is ideal for the problem that you’re trying to fix.
Here are three things Muna’s journey will inspire:
1. Courage over the mind
We must be braver at sharing our stories but that comes from accepting what happened to us and defeating thoughts in our mind that would rather we ignore the pivotal role our past experiences play in the present we enjoy and the bright future that awaits us. Once you accept your journey and how important it is in the makings of you then you will be braver in going for things and putting yourself out there.
2. Passion is a key ingredient in one’s purpose
If you are not passionate about your role then your purpose doesn’t reside there. When you are passionate you will be willing to do anything possible to ensure your purpose is complete, you will create campaigns, you will research, and you will collaborate with others aiming for the same goal because overall what is important is fulfilling your God-given purpose.
3. Take time to discover you
Muna quit Medicine, changed her education focus and took a year off to discover where her interests lay, in that time she discovered what she is good at and as a result she saw the opportunity offered at AFRIpads and applied for it. Most of us might be doing things that are influenced by other people rather than what has been put within us to do, so if you have the chance to do so take time to discover who you are because in doing so you will be clear about where you want to go and what you want to do.
Leaders Bleed Too!
Listen to the full OVAReact episode with Muna via any of the following links shared below and be sure to subscribe too. You can listen to each new episode LIVE on Capital FM Kenya on Mondays from 10.30 pm.
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