By Oluwaseun Sonde
In our quest to showcase success stories and achievement recorded by individuals and cooperate bodies in line with our commitment across the globe, Media Bypass News presents well-cultured Asian American Pharmacist, Financial Professional with Doctorate and an Executive MBA background.
Introduction: Meet Dr Eileen C. Zuberi, who her unspeakable love for Africa made her to be adopted as Tanzanian, the founder of African Youth Diaspora Organization, Nation Builder, Serial Social Entrepreneur, which when asked where her passion for African continent empowerment comes from since she is not ethnically African.
She said, she believe a shared experience living a colonialism when growing up, which helped her understand the struggles of an African people better than most. "I remember what it was like to be punished for speaking my mother tongue, not to be told history of my people, to be mind-engineered into believing the superiority of the colonial cultures".
Biography: Dr Eileen was born in Hong Kong (when it was still a British colony) and raised in Taiwan but lived in the United States longer than anywhere else, she is an Asian American, a mother, a sister, and a friend to mostly Nigerians and Ghanaians, she started as a teacher with a monthly salary of $3500. Her Passion for Africa made her felt pity, compared the salary to that of the continent.
According to her, "Same teacher in Tanzania makes $200, in Uganda $100, and in Zimbabwe $50. I remember back in 2019 when Zimbabwe had electricity between midnight and 4:30 in the early morning every day. I started to question how a continent with rich resources, outstanding intellectual talents of young ambassadors, people with so much emotional intelligence and spiritual faith could be exploited".
Dr Eileen explained how she read Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom which made her started to understand what it took South Africa and the continent as a whole to gain independence. "Later a Tanzanian family adopted me and I started to learn the language, the culture, and the customs on a deep level.
"During my work with a Model United Nations held in Johannesburg, I met Ambassador of the State of African Diaspora (SOAD). Subsequently, through him, I met the Dean of Ambassadors of SOAD, His Majesty King Francis Kelechi Nwaneri III. We put together the Royal African Heritage Commemoration celebrated on the 25th of September of each year. As a result, I became the first East Asian member of SOAD, as a Roving Ambassador, and in addition, HRM King Francis appointed me as the Prime Chancellor of the Embo Kingdom.
"On January 20th, Martin Luther King Jr. Day of 2020, I was invited by the SOAD Ambassador to start the African Youth Diaspora Organization (AYDO). The main mission of AYDO has been focusing on bridge-building efforts between African and African Diaspora as well as telling the authentic stories of Africa but away from that single story perspective. As of today, we've about 100 elite advisory members, 300 community members. Though the number of members is not high, each Advisory member was strategically selected and personally invited.
"Due to our strategic approach and a desire to unite the four powerful pillars of the African descent communities, namely the Governments, the regional trade blocs, the community leaders, and the African Diaspora community; we have secured partnerships with the like of the State of African Diaspora, the AfCFTA Youth Advisory Council, the South West and Africa Federation, YALDA-Ghana, Inside Nollywood, and TAFFDS among others to collectively attain this shared vision", Dr Eileen added.
Achievement: Dr. Eileen is also an expert in building social enterprises and NGOs from the ground up with proven records in areas of outreach, brand marketing, and solution based strategic development. She is the founder, African Youth Diaspora Organization (AYDO) for Youth Empowerment and Capacity Building. Deputy Director of the Partnership and Diaspora Engagement, AfCFTA Youth Advisory Council (ICOYACA) for AfCFTA Youth Inclusion. Technical Advisor for Business Development and Partnership Acquisition, YouLead Africa. Member of the Parliament, the State of African Diaspora (SOAD). Director of Business Enterprise Engagement Center, the University of the State of African Diaspora (USOAD). Executive Liaison, Office of the CEO, Group Shumba. Head of Global Outreach, Africa Startup Ecosystem Builders. Founder, Lens of Africa and Publications, and Lens of Africa Media and Film Festival. Vice Chairwoman, International Media Advisory Council, National Council of News and Broadcasting, India.
Co- Founded: Inside Nollywood International Film Festival and Awards. African Language Institute. Professional and Business Affiliations: Financial Consultant, Series 7 & 66, Life, Accident & Health, World System Builder (USA).Owner, ShopAfrica. Club. Licensed Pharmacist, 340B consultant (USA). Patent Specialist, Power PC. International Partner, World Business Angel Investment Forum (WBAF USA)
Social Impact Projects: Civic Leadership Training Agenda (Partners- International Youth Diplomacy Conference & Change Africa). Financial Literacy Education (Partner- Desert Dew Services & Consultancy). Pan Africa University Incubator Expo (Partner- Climate KIC/ Shine Go Global/ Africa Startup Ecosystem Builders Summit). Royal African Heritage Commemoration (Partner- South West & African Federation). Community-Centered Model United Nations (Partner- YALDA Ghana). Community-Centered Model African Union (ASCIR). Diaspora XChange (African Doc). Integrative Center for Africans and African Diaspora, ICAD (Partner SOAD, SWAF, AYC, AYDO).
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