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ABOUT SOPHIA
Sophia Mohammed is the country director for Light for the World International in South Sudan. A 45-year-old Ethiopian, she is a disability inclusion specialist and play therapist with 15 years of experience in the field. Sophia is passionate about enabling women with disabilities to assume leadership positions and strives for gender balance within her organization. Her leadership journey, starting from community-level work to her current role, has instilled in her the values of empathy, flexibility, and creativity.
TRUE LEADERSHIP COMES FROM UNDERSTANDING AND CARING FOR YOUR TEAM.
Sophia Mohammed
SOPHIA IN A NUTSHELL
Country Director
Light for the world International
area of expertise
Education / Training Community Building / Management Medical / Health / Pharma South Sudan ๐ธ๐ธ
companies Sophia has worked for
SOPHIA AS A LEADER
Success is about creating environments where diverse voices are not only heard but are also empowered to lead.
Leadership is not about popularity or seniority.
Great leaders lead by example.
The future leadership is all about embrace change and inspire others by being creative leaders.
When I think of a leader I think of being a role model and enabler.
LEADERSHIP IS ABOUT BEING A ROLE MODEL AND ENABLER, LEADING BY EXAMPLE WITH EMPATHY AND PASSION.
Sophia Mohammed
SOPHIA ON MENTAL HEALTH
Sophia emphasizes the importance of flexibility in maintaining a healthy work-life balance. She schedules her work to allow for breaks and delegates tasks when her calendar becomes overwhelming. "I check my calendar regularly and if I feel that it is too much to handle, I delegate some tasks to colleagues." Sophia also ensures that her team has regular social interactions and encourages them to take leave to create a supportive and conducive work environment. In a volatile area like South Sudan, she underscores the necessity of quality time with friends and family to maintain mental health.
SOPHIA ON LEADERSHIP CHALLENGES
Sophia faced significant challenges as a female leader in South Sudan, where taking instructions from a woman, especially one from another African country, was initially met with resistance. By embracing feminist leadership principles, she gained respect and trust through transparency, accountability, and empathy. "When my team sees me being transparent, capable of managing the country program, and accountable for my actions, they begin to trust and respect me." Her approach to feminist leadership included accepting mistakes and delegating tasks to empower her team, ultimately gaining their trust and respect over four years.
EMBRACE EACH CHALLENGE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW.
Sophia on becoming a better leader
INTERVIEW
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