06 Jul 2014

Nicole Senuku, She is young vibrant and full of zest. Besides having Radio as her major passion Nicole is a volunteer – both at heart and in practice. She believes in personal development, mentorship and giving back to the community.

Nicole will join other 1 260 young women from 26 African countries for the Moremi Initiative for Leadership and Empowerment Development (MILEAD) programme.

The leadership development programme identifies young African women with potential and passion for transformational leadership roles and prepares them through rigorous training to take such roles.

Each year the initiative identifies a cadre of 25 extraordinary young African women between the ages of 19-25. Candidates are drawn from every region in Africa and the Diaspora through a highly competitive processes and criteria that includes demonstrated leadership potential, service to the community and commitment to women’s empowerment.

As such, the resulting team of fellows come with diverse social and professional backgrounds Following selection.

Fellows take part in a year-long training and mentoring programme designed to build skills, strengthen networks, and give them knowledge of external supporting systems. BOPA’s Amolemo Nkwe caught up with her.

AMO: Hi Nicole, first congratulations for being chosen to represent Botswana at MILEAD.

NIKKI: Hello Amo, thank you girl.

AMO: Please tell us about yourself?

NIKKI: I am a proactive young lady, a self-starter and excellent team player. I value integration of expertise in order to have a common goal. I have given birth to two brain children: Nikki Fix It Show on YaronaFM (She hosts youth talk show) and founded a youth empowerment and development NGO - Future Junction Botswana.

AMO: Tell us more about MILEAD

NIKKI: Being a MILEAD fellow will boost my personal development aspiration that will allow me to expand more as an advocate for social development, women and girl children’s empowerment; that is their full participation in the economic and political environment of the society. Furthermore, being a MILEAD fellow will assist me more in reaching out to young people in rural areas and impart knowledge and expertise towards social change and personal development. The MILEAD training and conference exposes me to cultural exchange and sharing of experience/knowledge in order to make change happen in my home country and community thus extending my international mindset and network.

AMO: That is quite interesting girl, besides being a MILEAD ambassador what else do you do?

NIKKI: I am a peer counsellor. I have been ever since my primary school days… Also as I mentioned, I host a Youth Live Radio Talk show at Yarona FM. My roles include receiving calls and messages on a specified topic of the day, read the messages live on air and address them, interacting with listeners on different life issues, on youth development and empowerment. The programme is also about offering counselling on social and career development.

AMO: So being a peer educator has been your dream?

NIKKI: Yes darling I would say that because I am a firm believer in that. I have about six years’ experience working directly with my community focusing on self-development, career development and empowerment of young people. As a peer counsellor at the University of Botswana for three years, I often go to various high schools conducting motivational talks, assisting in the guidance and counselling department, offering peer mentorship, counselling and educating. It was through this voluntary exercise that I realised that young people are my passion and that they needed counselling, mentorship and guidance from their early teens in order for them to academically excel as well as refrain from social ills.

AMO: That is quiet commendable for a young woman like you. Where do you get all this inspiration?

NIKKI: Thank you Amo, I believe in life one has to give back to the community hence my motivation. But I would say my inspiration and role models include Dr Odirile who is the University of Botswana Career and Counselling Centre director. She taught me to “seize every opportunity that comes my way and soar where eagles fly.” I also had the opportunity to meet Michelle Obama, the first Lady of the United States of America in 2011 who said, “Let not your social background determine your future.” I have cherished thewords.

AMO: Wow that is very inspiring indeed. Thank you Nicole; it was a pleasure meeting you. Good luck with being MILEAD ambassador as well as in your future endeavours.

NIKKI: Thank you Amo, I will do my best and you are welcome. ENDS