MEET PEAGIE WOOBAY-FODAY – ‘AN INSPIRATION TO ALL GIRLS’

Peagie Woobay-Foday is a girls champion and self- appointed ambassador for Sierra Leone. It’s amazing how Peagie, pregnant at 15 has progressively turned victim hood into triumph.

Back then, her family support was strong enough to spur her own inner determination into pushing the boundaries of shame, guilt and neglect that shroud teenagers who fall pregnant in School.

At 48, she is living and working in Sweden pursuing her passion of re-branding how Sierra Leone- her home country is perceived by the world.

She is married with three children. Peagie loves travelling, dancing, reading and writing. In 2018, she released her auto-biography – ‘Thursday’s Child- My Journey So Far’ – Her memoir.

Her life-long dream was to support girls in Sierra Leone. She launched into action in 2013 by founding the Peagie Woobay Scholarship Fund which is to educate as many girls in Sierra Leone as possible especially teenage mothers who drop out of school. She longs to see as many girls in high positions in Sierra Leone as possible, in the future. The three words that have defined her career as its progressed are consistency, action and hard work.

What do you value most in life, achievement or purpose? How do you see that at play in your decision making?

Purpose:  When I know the purpose of what I am doing, my determination becomes stronger to achieve it and this plays a very important part in the decisions I make as a leader so to have a positive outcome

What is the one behavior or trait that you have seen derail more female executives? How do you discourage that behavior in your team?

Inconsistency in our work is a key trait that prevents great achievements.  Female executives tend to give up quickly due to the difficulties that deter progress in the male- dominated work spaces. We have to be consistent in all we do despite the challenges. I encourage my team to keep on pushing and giving the best of themselves in all they do and do correctly with honesty.

“On the highest throne in the world, we still sit only on our own bottom.”
― Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays

Name two African Women or of African descent leading in the business world that inspire you?

1. Mrs Lucilda Hunter (Lessons on humility)

2. Mrs Michelle Obama (Being you- Lessons on authenticity)

The world is information driven, what resources guide you in terms of professional development and growth?

Books…. I read a lot, all types of books and believe in networking to share and learn new ideas.

List your top three (3) – must read/ have motivational or self-help books of all time?

1. Joy comes in the Morning by Yema Lucilda Hunter

2.Hybrid Eyes by Professor Mallam O Sankoh

3. Becoming by Michelle Obama

Peagie Woobay Scholarship Fund will be hosting its annual charity walk in Sierra Leone on 28^th September 2019; to create awareness on the importance of education for children. You can contact them on +23279075240 or Email: peagiewoobay@pwoobayscholarshipawards.org