Today marks the official date for the book release ‘Braving The Odds,’ a memoir on perseverance, finance and faith. One of Africa’s best Chief Executive Officers and seasoned bankers, Mizinga Melu has released a book that details hurdles she has faced in her life journey to the top. Many know her as a pusher, especially in the banking sector where she continues to drive performance harder yet have little knowledge of her background and her deepest experiences which the book exposes. The memoir aggregates attributes of a thinker, strategist, mother, a believer in the faith and a fighter rolled in one.
“I believe many young professionals, youth and women go through similar issues and this book is for them. In life one will have challenges but all they need is to persevere and brave the odds,” Mizinga Melu.
The book delves into the life of a young girl that loses her mother at a tender age making life unbearable yet she still earns a place in nursing school which she falls out of to find herself working in the restaurants of London to raise money for a business school qualification for her first banking encounter. This is the initial impetus that leaps her through the ranks to executive management all the way up to chief executive level in the worlds global brands such as Standard Chartered and Barclays (now Absa bank) both at regional and local level.
Prima facie, Mizinga Melu to many is an accomplished Managing Director with an MBA from Henley Business School in Oxford yet the book reveals the hurdles she navigates not only at the genesis of a successful career but at senior management level. A christian by faith, working in a male opposed dominated East Africa at some point yet none of this slowed her momentum to date. She is a mother of two and married to a property and real estate mogul who has been supportive all her life. She is founder of When Females Lead which is a non profit organization mandated to empower and raise African female leaders.
Mizingamelu morphed into a brand years before the book launch because many female professionals and upcoming talent, look to her as a benchmark and hallmark of success. She has won countless accolades by many international magazines recently of which she bagged the 2020 Southern Africa Women in Leadership trailblazer award. This will be in addition to many other trophies including the All Africa Business Awards organized by CNBC Africa.
“At this point Mizinga can be whatever she wants to be; she could make finance minister, commerce minister, central bank governor or even thrive in the private sector as a succesful entrepreneur because of her strong brand name,” Miyanda Oscar Lifestyle Editor of the Business Telegraph said.
“Mizinga Melu inspires many of us, through this book she shares her life experiences and lessons, all valuable to each and everyone of us, but most importantly for the young females aspiring to be confident female leaders,” When Females Lead Linkedin page.
“This is a timely book not only for young women but all of us navigating tough situations and limiting social – economic circumstances to rise to the top,” Bridges Managing Consultant Chibamba Kanyama.
Barely three days after release on January 17, on Amazon, the book has already made best seller and hot release in many jurisdictions. Braving the Odds is available on both Amazon and Takealot.
The Kwacha Arbitrageur