Apparently, you can be in a group chat with people you barely know, barely talk to, and still somehow end up feeling like you belong there. Who knew? That has probably been one of Precious Aboje’s favourite surprises from her time with the Inspire Her Afrika Mentorship Program. When she first joined Tribe Adese, she expected little more than a WhatsApp group for sharing information and keeping up with deadlines. Instead, the experience introduced her to the unexpected ways community can shape you: through collaboration, different perspectives, and little moments that push you beyond what you thought you could do.
What was your first impression of Tribe Adese?
When I first joined Tribe Adese, I wasn’t expecting much. In my head, it was just another WhatsApp group for sharing information and keeping up with deadlines. And, to be fair, the group chat did a very good job of being quiet. Sometimes, you could drop a message and hear absolutely nothing. But once a deadline started breathing down our necks, everybody would magically appear. It became funny after a while because you already knew the pattern. Someone would finally say something, another person would join in, and before long, we were all contributing. We might take our sweet time getting there, but somehow, we always got the work done.
What did working with your tribe teach you about differences?
One of the surprises that came with working with my tribe was realising how different we all were. We had different careers, personalities, countries, and completely different ways of looking at things. I remember one of our time-management tasks where we were putting the final document together. The way the group designed and arranged everything was so different from what I had pictured in my head. But it worked. And that was the funny part: my way wasn’t the only way.
Was there a moment when your tribe pushed you outside your comfort zone?
I became a co-host for one of our caucus meetings with Oreva. I volunteered just a few minutes before the meeting, which was probably not the best time to discover that I was going to be nervous. We didn’t even have a proper plan, but we figured it out and got through it. Afterwards, Oreva called me, excited about how well we had done. She told me I was a good co-host and said we were going to be partners for life. I was smiling like, “Wait, I actually did that?”
How did your tribe help you discover leadership in yourself?
A few weeks after the mentorship program started, our group leader left the programme, and nobody volunteered to take over. Then our coordinator messaged me and said she thought I would be a good fit. Me? Group leader? I was nervous, but I said yes. Looking back, I think that is what I will carry with me from Tribe Adese. Not some big, dramatic moment, but all these little moments where I found myself doing things I probably wouldn’t have done on my own.
What has Tribe Adese taught you about community?
I went into IHA thinking community was simply people coming together to share information. Now, I think it is people bringing different experiences, ideas, and strengths into the same space and somehow making something work. Even when everyone takes their time to reply. And maybe that’s the beauty of it. We don’t have to be the same, or even always be in sync, to still move in the same direction.
Things We Wish Someone Had Told Us Earlier
There are some lessons we only learn with time, and sometimes, we wish someone had given us the heads-up sooner. In the latest episode of the Inspire Her Afrika Podcast, members of Tribe Thando and Tribe Adese come together for an honest, relatable conversation about the things they wish someone had told them earlier. The conversation explores life, career decisions, self-discovery, expectations, growth, and the realities of navigating your 20s as a young African woman.
Watch the full episode on YouTube: Watch the full episode on YouTube
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