Meet Fatima: A Boss Lady leading Young Entrepreneurs to a Future of Possibilities

Fatima Muloshi, CEO GYCC

I lead by example and give my counterparts a chance to express themselves in their areas, says Fatima Muloshi, A Boss Lady and CEO of Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce, Leading Young Entrepreneurs to a Future of Possibilities.

Ms Muloshi, an Accounting and Finance Graduate from the American University, was talking to this medium during an interview held at her office on the 9th of October, 2024, on Kairaba Avenue, Kanifing Municipality in the Gambia.

Author: Tell me about yourself.

I am Fatima Muloshi, a Young dynamic leader, and a mother. I graduated from Ndows Comprehensive, that’s where I spent my whole school life in Daycare, Nursery, Primary, Junior and High School. I went to the American University where I studied Accounting and Finance. Aside from that, I run a lot of Businesses and I started doing business at the age of 17.  I am the CEO of the Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce (GYCC).

Author: what are your roles and responsibilities as CEO of Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce?

Fatima: As CEO of the Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce, I lead, guide and support young people who are in the entrepreneurship ecosystem. As we believe in the Gambia, when most of the Young people start doing Business, within two to three years, their businesses collapse because they don’t have that guidance and Support.

The youth chamber is here to guide young people for their businesses to grow and be sustainable from the startup, scale-up stage to the growth stages.

As a young leader, I have been supporting young entrepreneurs even before I became the CEO because of my Experience. In this capacity, I am helping young people for their businesses to grow in terms of ideas and steps to take for their finances so that they can know how to do their costing, savings etc.

Author: Describe your leadership style and how you lead others.

Fatima: My leadership style is a Transformative one. This style means to lead by example and give my counterparts a chance to express themselves in their areas. I always tell them that I am your leader and I would like you to look at me as your servant. I am supposed to go the extra mile so that they can also emulate me and do their best in any capacity they find themselves in. I allow them to take responsibility so that they can also identify their true capabilities.

Author: Do you have any resistance from your Male counterparts and how do you deal with that?

Fatima: Sure, I do get that because of the societal perspective about women leading. What I do is to focus on my goals and show people that Leadership is by showing examples and results, not by showing gender. Being a woman is not easy in this country, but all I do is focus and not allow distractions.

Author: How do you deal with criticisms?

Fatima: I see criticism as a pathway for me to grow. Sometimes, some critics are very constructive, and when you pay attention to it very well, it helps you find a solution so that you can grow bigger. I always look forward to criticism because it helps me to grow and makes me think outside the box.

Author: As the CEO of Modest Modeling Fashion, what ideologies do you promote?

Fatima: I believe that the dress code should not stop you from pursuing your dreams. Fashion is a way of life and it depends on how you want to live your fashion life. The clothes we wear, the food we eat, and our lifestyle are fashion. What I intend to show people is that you can dress modestly and be fashionable. Dressing modestly does not stop you from being a model, journalist, Doctor etc.

When I was young, I loved fashion and modelling, but coming from a background where my grandfather was an Imam and my people are Muslims, I would not be allowed to walk the runway unpleasantly. When I started wearing hijab after high school, I didn’t see anyone doing modest modelling fashion shows in the Gambia, and I found out that other countries were doing it.

That was how I reached out to young people; they said they don’t have any platform where they can pursue their modelling dreams while dressing modestly.

I started the Modest Fashion shows, and now, because of that, when other fashion designers are organizing fashion shows, they include modesty. Sometimes is not even about being a Christian or Muslim because I have a Christian friend whose Dad will always tell her to dress decently. We believe that as a woman, dressing decently makes you feel more comfortable.

Author: Have you undergone FGM?

Fatima: Yes, My Mother is a Mandinka and they practice FGM.

Author: What is your opinion on FGM?

Fatima: For me talking about FGM makes me feel so emotional because of what I went through. I don’t know the reason they do it, and I don’t see any point in doing it. For me, it is very painful because my family practices the sealing method, which is too painful. My experience was very bad especially when I got married and while giving birth.

Author: How do you Balance work with Motherhood?

Fatima: It is definitely not easy, but I set my priorities and also seek help. You cannot do it alone. I have my mother at home and she helps me a lot with my son because I was in the University when I had my son. It was hard, but with the support of my Family, I was able to balance it.

Author: What’s the best advice you have been given?

Fatima: The best advice I have been given is to not be afraid of failures.  These are things that make you grow and help you reach your full potential.  When I was growing up, I was afraid of failures and defeat but I realize that you have to go through certain things in life so that you can get to certain steps in life.

Author: Where is your Happy Place?

Fatima: My happy place is being around the beach and enjoying the breeze because it helps me relieve stress.

Author: What is the biggest lesson you learned in a relationship or Marriage?

Fatima: It is to have proper communication and mutual respect. Whether it is marriage or a relationship, you have to communicate so that both of you can understand each other’s values or failures so that you can be compatible.  If you don’t communicate, you will not know what the other person wants or is going through.

Author: What advice do you have for Girls who aspire to become leaders?

Fatima: What I would tell them is not to focus on societal expectations about what women should do. Leadership is not about Gender, and when you want to lead, you need to have a line of direction, be consistent and focused and not allow distractions.