Exactly one week ago (Friday April 1, 2016), I had the opportunity to speak with a group of sophomore students from Brookline High School in Massachusetts. Just in case you are thinking I was in the U.S. last week, I wasn’t! I wish I was though given the hardships “on ground” here at the moment. How did this connection with Brookline High School happen? I’m glad you asked J. A few weeks back, I had logged in to Facebook and much to my surprise discovered a number of messages

A BIG “Thank You” from grateful hearts and hands at MitiMeth. In more ways than said you supported our small but growing business in 2015. It was a year of great publicity, innovation, partnerships and sales for us at MitiMeth. On Air! We began the year in the limelight on CNN’s African Start-Up program. A few months later we were on the TED stage in Monterey, California and shortly thereafter featured on CNBC Africa. In December our handmade coasters were featured in the “L

I remember the incident in Idah (Kogi state) about 5 years prior as if it was yesterday. MitiMeth was in the process of being birthed and I was in the "R&D" phase for water hyacinth transformation. My cousin and I had gone to Ofiayi, one of the tributaries of the river Niger, to look for water hyacinth. He didn’t quite know what I was referring to but he went with me anyway. I spotted a few water hyacinth weeds floating by the edge of the river and told him that was what I wa

We came across a MultiMedia competition on the Aliiance for Enterprise website back in July 2015 and decided to go for it by submitting entries for the competition. Entries narrating and illustrating the MitiMeth story. We are thrilled one of our entries was selected for an Honourable mention in the global campaign for Artisan Enterprise launched on September 10, 2015 in Washington DC. We at MitiMeth chooseartisan today. How about YOU? #allicanceforartisanenterprise #choosear

On July 9, 2015, representatives from the ENACTUS University of Lagos team and Makoko came to the MitiMeth facility in Ibadan for a 1-day Skills Upgrade training. It was great having them join the MitiMeth team for a very busy day which comprised of shadowing and hands-on exercises . We look forward to providing a distribution platform for more Water Hyacinth crafts from the Makoko weavers. Thanks to Dr. Ntekim-Rex for bringing the team to Ibadan. #MITIMETH #ENACTUS #Makoko #

In November 2013, I had the opportunity to speak at the Annual WiMBIZ Conference about the Blue Ocean Strategy in relation to MitiMeth, my Social Enterprise. In preparing for my talk, I had to research and find out what the strategy was all about. I smiled as I conducted my research. The truth be told, when I started out on the MitiMeth journey, all I wanted to see was my "Green" ocean (that's the color of the Atlantic Ocean in Lagos!). Unfortunately I couldn't see my Green

Two months ago I had a unique privilege and the opportunity to give the opening Talk at TEDWomen 2015. That's right the 1st speaker at the 2015 Conference. Incredible......my Idea was found worth spreading. How did that happen, many have asked. This is my story. Back in November 2014, I received an email from Betsy (I didn't know her prior to receiving her email!) via the MitiMeth website. The email went like this "Hi Achenyo, I work for the TED Conferences (ted.com). We are

Back in 2014, I received a request from Mrs. Ajibola's office, the Executive Director of the Advancement Office at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. My Alma Mater, GREAT IFE, where I had completed my Undergraduate degree 26 years prior. WOW how time flies! The request was to speak to the graduating students at the Pre-Alumni Workshop about Life Beyond Road 1. Road 1 being the main road leading to and from the beautiful University campus. I felt honored. And so on March

What do TAI, Industree and NEDFi have in common? INDIA and I! My journey to Bengaluru (aka Bangalore) and Khetri (Assam) started with email correspondence in January 2015 from me to Gouthami, Founder of “Travel Another India” and 2010 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards Laureate for Asia Pacific. The power of the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards Community! I had remembered reading Gou’s profile sometime last year and thinking that when next I travelled to India, I would consul

On January 24, 2015 MitiMeth’s Achenyo Idachaba was nominated the Emerging Female Entrepreneur of the Year by the Creative Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria. The Awards ceremony was held at the British Council Garden in Ikoyi. We want to say a VERY BIG Thank You to our friends, family, friends of friends and friends of family for your votes. Like they say “every vote counts” and it did for her. #CEAN #BritishCouncil #CreativeEntrepreneursAssociationofNigeria #YemisiMafe #M

When I sought out to find a workable solution to the pesky waterways menace back in 2010, I had no inkling that CNN would find what were doing newsworthy four years later. The good news is that they did! Early in November 2014, the MitiMeth team welcomed the CNN crew from Kenya to the MitiMeth workshop in Ibadan, Nigeria. And on December 31, 2014 the feature was aired worldwide on CNN's African Start-Up Programme. We are ever so grateful for this opportunity to showcase how w

MitiMeth was 1 out of 100 YouWIN Awardees selected to exhibit during the Presidential Launch of YouWIN4 and the SME Venture Capital Fund at the State House on November 17, 2014. It was such a unique opportunity to showcase MitiMeth and share our story with His Excellency, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and the Honourable Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. WOW!!! We were also mentioned during the Honorable Minister's speech as one of the YouWIN Awardees who has r

On September 26, 2014 MitiMeth welcomed the Lagos based The Heart of the Matter TV crew to its humble office and workshop in Ibadan. We were honored to be the subject of one of their TV features this month which featured on Silverbird TV on October 2. A big "Thank You" to Omilola Oshikoya for finding the MitiMeth story TV worthy. We had a brief but interesting exchange during the 2013 WIMBIZ Conference last November. Little did I realize that the brief exchange of almost a y

MitiMeth is thrilled beyond words to share with you that we are among the 18 finalists (1 of 3 from Sub-Sahara Africa) of the 2014 Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards. MitiMeth’s selection was from a pool of nearly 1900 applicants worldwide. The 18 finalists come from 15 different countries and are leading companies that span sectors ranging from high technology to healthcare, education, fashion and protection of the environment. MitiMeth is VERY excited to be joining the Carti

MitiMeth in the news! MitiMeth was featured in a two part series in BusinessDay Sunday. The first feature appeared in the May 18, 2014 edition and the second part in the June 1, 2014 BusinessDay Sunday. A big thanks to Ms. Mabel Dimma for covering MitiMeth and our activities as a social enterprise. Happy reading. #BusinessDay #NigerianNewspaper #SocialEnterprise #MitiMeth

My sense of adventure and quest for knowledge took me to Kano on February 24, 2014. What exactly was I looking for in Kano? Information on their vibrant Handicrafts sector. A few weeks prior, I had done some research on the internet and started with the National Council of Arts and Culture (NCAC), a government Council. Much to my utmost surprise there was a functional website with information and current contact details of the Directors of the Zone and State Councils. I prom

Early February, MitiMeth and FACE Initiative trained 40 women in Ogbia town, Bayelsa State on how to make handicrafts from water hyacinth popularly known as "Abiola". It was an eye opening experience for the women whom all this while considered the water weed to be an absolutely useless and destructive plant. By the end of the 4 day training workshop the women had made tangible products (vases, fans, pens etc) to showcase. Our gratitude goes to our project partners at MIND an

During the 3rd week of June, the MitiMeth team travelled to Owahwa, Delta State to train youth on Water Hyacinth Crafts. The training was sponsored by the Wetland Institute for Training Services and TreasureLakes Ltd. We quickly learned that the various waterbodies in Owahwa and Esaba were infested with other types of invasive aquatic weeds apart from Water Hyacinth! The training was held in the Community Centre and on the first day we had close to 50 people show up! The numb