Many African women are today, breaking man-made boundaries to pursue their dreams. Gone are the days, when the realm of business and entrepreneurship was the exclusive preserves of men. In many instances, the women actually out-perform and grow multi-million Naira businesses that offer critical and exceptional services to their communities, and nations. One of such women is Nnenna Kalu Makanjuola.
Nnenna Kalu Makonjuola, is an exceptional expert in the health service sector. Before founding popular health focused magazine, ‘Radiant Health Magazine’, Nnenna have cut her teeth in the health care service delivery, by working as an intern in World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland, where she helped to develop data for WHO Global Infobase, a country-level database of non-communicable diseases risk factors.
Nnenna also served as a Global Health Fellow, at the United States Centre for Disease Control and prevention (CDC). During her work with US CDC, she spent about a year working in Tanzania, to strengthen the laboratory system for HID/AIDS diagnosis and treatment monitoring. She later worked as an Advocate for Youths, before launching her now popular and revered magazine, ‘Radiant Health’.
‘Radiant Health’ Magazine’, is Nigeria’s first women’s health magazine that offers tips and counsels health and wellness, fitness, healthy eating, beauty and style. A visit to the magazine’s website, reveals a resource-rich magazine that offers qualitative advice, on all things women’s health and wellbeing. The magazine is a favourite place, where women of all age group could get life-saving tips and advice, on how to take good care of their bodies.
Nnenna did a brief study at University of Nsukka, where she studied Pharmacy before moving to the United States, where she eventually earned her Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D) from Texas Tech University. She also earned a Master’s degree in Public Health, from Columbia University.
According to a report in ‘Radiant Health Magazine’, her legacy health-focused magazine, it has always been her lifelong devotion to enhancing the healthcare of Africans, that inspired her choice of career due to her desire to make impact in the lives of the African, in the healthcare industry.
Indeed, the need for the African woman to find safe ways to healthy living, is an important one considering the many health issues experienced by them. Reports after reports reveal frightening cases of maternal mortality, poor dieting and medications, overweight and poor nutritional choices, are just a few of health- related issues, African women are faced with in today’s world. Also, the pressures experienced by many women at work and home, often lead to negligent of health. The rising cases of life-threatening issues such as cancer, fibroid, HIV/AIDS, stress and the crucial need to find a work-life balance, in the modern pressure- riddled society of today makes Radiant Health Magazine, a most ideal place for women to get answers to critical issues about their health and general welfare.
Nnenna’s works also inspired many organizations to feature her as one of the leading African Entrepreneurs, who are making tremendous impact in the lives of Africans. Reputable media organizations such as ‘How We Made in Africa’; YNaija Leading Ladies Africa, She Leads Africa Voice of America among others.
Recently, Nnenna was named one of the 41 Nigerian Women Entrepreneurs, putting Nigeria on the Global Business Map, by Lioness of Africa magazine. She also was once a panel speaker at the Annual Wharton Africa Business Forum, at The Wharton School.
In an article, written on She Leads Africa, Nnnenna explained that it was during her search for her own healthy living needs as an African woman that led her into setting up Radiant Health magazine. She mentioned that she was surprised at the dearth of quality health content, focused specifically on the healthcare of African women, that kick started her journey into the world of quality health care delivery through her now globally acclaimed magazine. Instead, she was confronted with a plethora of information, that appears to tell her that her culture (African culture in this case), that are incompatible with healthy living especially when it comes to African food. She saw a need to counteract such narratives while at same time, guiding the African woman on a safe path to healthy living.
