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It all started with a trip. Three friends showed up, and what began that day became the blueprint for a life-giving friendship five years later.

In this episode, Angella sits down with two of her closest friends, Dorcus Nakachwa and Margaret Odero, to reflect on the friendship they’ve nurtured over the past five years. The spontaneous trip unexpectedly bonded the three women to be each other’s anchors through heartbreaks, career struggles, and life transitions. The group talks about the intentionality, accountability, and safe space that keep their friendship alive across countries and time zones.

The group shares stories of supporting one another, learning together (including how money and investing became a group conversation), and how the qualities of your friends ultimately shape the kind of person you become. This is a raw, honest, and joy-filled conversation about the beauty of women’s friendships, the work it takes to sustain them, and why they can become a blueprint for love, trust, and growth in every area of life.

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Reverse Culture Shock: Coming Home After 10 Years Away

What happens when home doesn’t quite feel like home anymore?

In this episode, Angella sits down with Njoki Mburu, a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni from University of British Columbia, to explore the complex realities of reverse culture shock after more than 10 years abroad. Njoki shares why she chose to return to Kenya, craving wholeness, family, and a sense of belonging, and the joys of rediscovering home, from familiar food to speaking her language again.

But the return hasn’t been easy. From friendships lost to building new ones from scratch, navigating political tensions on the ground, being treated differently because of her accent, and redefining her sense of purpose and rest, Njoki opens up about both the challenges and the healing of coming back.

This is an honest and heartfelt conversation about belonging, identity, and what it truly means to come home after years away.

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In this episode, Angella sits down with Sabelo Dube, a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni from Ashesi University, to have a raw and much-needed conversation about mental health from the perspective of an African man.

Sabelo shares his deeply personal journey with depression, which led him to leave university and return home to Zimbabwe before he was later clinically diagnosed. We talk about the challenges of navigating mental health in environments where stigma is high, the silence men are often conditioned to keep, and why bottling things up can be devastating.

Through his story, Sabelo highlights the power of therapy, the importance of daily self-check-ins, and why male friendships need to go beyond surface-level connections. His message is clear: men must talk, open up, and support each other if we’re going to break the stigma around mental health.

This is an honest, courageous, and eye-opening conversation that sheds light on what it means to take care of yourself as a man, especially in the African context.

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In this special October episode, Baobab’s birthday month, we sit down with Bethany Weigele, Chief Innovation Officer at EdPlus and the “Queen Mother” of Mastercard Foundation's Baobab platform, to revisit the platform’s inspiring origin story. From its humble beginnings with just 35 members to today’s thriving community of more than 80,000 scholars and alumni, Bethany reflects on the values and vision that fueled Baobab’s growth. We talk about humility and human-centered design, the role of mentorship in shaping meaningful careers, and why our paths are rarely linear, from her own journey in the sciences to leading tech innovation for global impact. With wisdom on taking baby steps, focusing less on yourself and more on the people you serve, and keeping the big picture in view, this conversation is both a celebration of Baobab’s roots and a guide for navigating our own journeys with courage and purpose.

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In this episode, Angella sits down with Lindiwe Mutungamiri, a Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program Alumni from Ashesi University and Arizona State University, who recently completed her master’s in Computer Science. Lindiwe opens up about navigating the in-between stage of life after graduation, balancing the reality of paying bills in the U.S. while holding onto her bold dream of building a multi-billion-dollar company in Africa that creates jobs and impact.

We talk about the power of community, how friendships shift after school, and the grounding affirmations from her mother that continue to fuel her confidence and authenticity. Lindiwe also shares her refreshing take on success, why she’s not pressured by external timelines, and why internal motivation guides her every step. It’s an honest, inspiring conversation about ambition, resilience, and defining success on your own terms.

You can also watch the video here: https://youtu.be/gje5RFmzDSI

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Welcome to Turning Points: Stories of Change and Growth, a podcast by Mastercard Foundation’s Baobab Platform for young African leaders.

Angella Nantambi, an alumnus of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Ashesi University in Ghana, is your host. She is also a graduate of Thunderbird School of Global Management, where she pursued a Master's in Global Digital Transformation.

In each episode, we’ll dive into real, unfiltered conversations with young African leaders who have navigated defining moments like finding your first job, building community, caring for your mental health, juggling work, and those lighter, laugh-out-loud moments we don’t always talk about.

Today's episode is an introduction to the podcast. Remember to like, comment, and share with your friends who would enjoy listening to this podcast.

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Tales of Strength and Resilience podcast explores the boundless dimensions of strength and resilience. Join the host, Muthoni Waigwa, on a transformative journey as we delve into the very essence of these profound qualities. We will unveil the multifaceted nature of strength and resilience in heartfelt conversations with extraordinary individuals.

Episode Twelve
The Tales of Strength and Resilience Podcast has been an insightful journey to understand strength and resilience. During these six months, Muthoni Waigwa, the host, shared different conversations with resilient leaders who opened up about their life experiences. As the season draws to a close, Muthoni unveils a powerful revelation in the final episode—highlighting the pivotal role of imagination. Discover how this invaluable tool not only crafts a roadmap through life but empowers us to sculpt new and inspiring realities.

Muthoni Waigwa is a remarkable individual—a visionary leader, an inspiring speaker, and a beacon of motivation. She is the co-founder of Niftyworks Plus Ltd, a dynamic graphic design and audio-visual production company that passionately creates captivating digital content from the unique African perspective. With her unparalleled creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, she also wears the hat of a compassionate host. Through her podcast, "Moments with Nderru," she shares a plethora of captivating stories that uplift and empower her listeners.

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Join the Baobab Platform today.

Send us a text

Tales of Strength and Resilience podcast explores the boundless dimensions of strength and resilience. Join the host, Muthoni Waigwa, on a transformative journey as we delve into the very essence of these profound qualities. We will unveil the multifaceted nature of strength and resilience in heartfelt conversations with extraordinary individuals.

Brian Mukeswe who resides in Canada, serves as a Lead Data Scientist at Mastercard and is a proud two-time recipient of the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship. Passionate about nurturing the potential of African youth, Brian has harnessed his diverse career experiences to train over 1,000 African youth with data analytics skills over the past two years through initiatives like Hibreed Inc and AfroFem Coders. Additionally, Brian is co-founding a startup to pioneer an online marketplace that promotes gig-based opportunities within the African continent.

Join the Baobab Platform today.