Did you know that Rwanda is known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills” because of its mountains and hills everywhere and towns and cities located at substantial elevations? Did you also know that Rwanda is birdwatcher’s paradise? Of the 23 bird species in the world, Rwanda is home to seven of them (including many rare species).
In this episode, we sit down with another Rwandan boss babe Diana Mpyisi to explore her entrepreneurial journey and experiences on the continent. Diana is the founder, managing director and ceo of Blue Oceans, a consultancy firm that specializes in media, communication and creative arts services to both the private and public sector in Rwanda. The company’s underlying philosophy involves utilizing creative thinking, from conceptualizing ideas to implementing them in the field of media. And on brand with "A Series of Ands" dynamic trailblazing Leaders, Diana is a woman who wears many hats. In addition to running her own company, she’s also the co-founder of Spoken Word Rwanda which is an initiative that seeks to promote performance poetry, literature, and creative writing in Rwanda. She’s also the founding curator of ‘Global Shapers’ in Rwanda which is an offshoot of The World Economic Forum. Diana is also a prolific writer and a former staff member within the Office of Rwanda First Lady.
Like many of the episodes, we dive deeper to learn more about her upbringing in Rwanda, growing up with parents who were quite hands on in molding her into the inspiring Queen that she is. We discussed what sparked her passion for writing and creative arts, which led to her spearheading many initiatives within this space. We also teased out her company Blue Oceans, what inspired her to take on this entrepreneurial journey and her long-term vision for her company. And it wouldn’t be "A Series of Ands: episode if we didn’t discuss the role gender plays across various industries on the continent. Diana shared with us her commitments to women’s empowerment and her previous experience working for the First Lady of Rwanda, Jeannette Kagame, wife of Rwandan President Paul Kagame.
This episode definitely drops many gems and reiterates how African women from all walks of life are doing the damn thing on the continent. From being pillars of change in their countries to taking on the global stage in amplifying not only their experiences but the voices of other African women!