Lois Shaw

Interview with Lois Shaw, Founder & Executive Director of Africa by Design Safaris; Missionary African International University; Kenya / United States

Lois Shaw, Founder & Executive Director of Africa by Design Safaris; Missionary African International University; Kenya / United States

Lois Shaw came to Africa for two years and 30 years later is still trying to figure out this enigmatic and exhilarating continent.  Her passion is networking successful North American professional women who have skills and expertise, with significant African women leaders who are creating  meaningful solutions to Africa’s problems.Together these women, spanning two continents, help ignite individuals and communities toward sustainability.

Africa by Design Safaris, (africabydesignsafaris.com)  a boutique voluntourism travel service, is the vehicle for the networking.  Each year, tour groups come to Kenya and work in volunteer projects.   They also experience the glorious Masai Mara game reserve, and other highlights of East Africa.

Lois is married to Dr. Mark Shaw, who teaches at Africa International University in Nairobi, Kenya, where they live.  They have two children and three grandchildren.

Africa by Design Safaris website: www.africabydesignsafaris.com

Lois Shaw, Founder & Executive Director of Africa by Design Safaris; Missionary African International University; Kenya / United States

Note: The key messages in the interview have been transcribed and slightly altered for legibility and succinctness. More information is provided in the audio and video version above. Please comment on the site, we want to hear your wisdom!

Leadership Lessons Learned

1. Do what you love, as that will give you momentum for a long time
2. Laugh a lot, don’t take yourself too seriously
3. Don’t get so ahead of your followers that they don’t know if you are a friend or foe
4. Don’t just talk about ‘thinking outside the box,’ hang out with people who live outside the box.
5. Never stop learning

Edgeness Insight (An enhanced version of you when you push the edge of your comfort zone).

Q. What did you do that makes you  very uncomfortable but by continuing to do it you achieved your objective and meet a more enhanced version of you?

• “I continue to raise funds so we can provide more scholarships for women, no one likes asking for money.”

Personal Lessons Learned

• Through conducting WOW Safaris Lois continues grow
• Lois’s goal is to hand over the project over to an African woman who will confidently host Western Women on a journey of discovery, of themselves and of the African culture.
• When Lois brings women from the West to experience Africa and work alongside African women, her goal is to ensure that she is giving African women what they need to succeed.
• Even with all my experience in Africa, remembering before bringing Western concepts to Africa, continue to do due diligence ensure that all the elements are in place prior to execution. Not enforcing Western pace and ideals on Africa when implementing projects.
• When implementing Micro-Finance initiatives acknowledge that the greatest component is trust, and without it, the accountability will suffer.
• Measurement and feedback has been key to continue learning and success.

Biggest Accomplishment

• Raising funds for Women leadership scholarships

Leadership Insights

• You are never too old to try something new
• Do what excites you, now what you think you ‘should do.’

Reflective Realizations

Q. What advice would you give a daughter of 10yrs?
“Follow your dream; be a life learner; and have faith.”

Q. What do you wish someone told you when you were a child?
“I wish my mother told me how proud she was of me, not just told everyone else.”

Q. What would you change if you could go back?
“I wish I had started pursuing my dream sooner”
“That I wasn’t so serious when I was younger. I was a mother that wanted to do everything perfect, and in order, now I am a lot more fun.”

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