The 6th Edition of the Dare To Inspire mentoring session was an exhilarating and empowering event as in previous sessions. On Saturday, April 9, 2022, young women and youth across different continents gathered via a live webinar to observe, interact and learn from outstanding women leaders, industry experts and role models in the health and wellness industry.

Dare to Inspire is a leading not-for-profit organisation focused on inspiring and empowering young (Muslim) women in Nigeria and youth across the globe. The theme for the 6th Edition, “Health, Happiness and Holistic Wellness”, highlighted the tremendous need for individuals to bring back their awareness of these very important aspects of life while the speakers share their knowledge, strategies, practical ideas and experiences on living a healthy, happy and holistic life with special significance to taking care of the body and overall wellbeing.

As an annual knowledge-exchange and mentorship event between present and emerging leaders, the event had in attendance accomplished personalities such as Dr Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, multiple award-winning mental health physician and advocate in Nigeria, Summayyah Sadiq-Ojibara, Psychotherapist, Counsellor, Life Coach and Writer in Australia, Hafsah Olufunmilola Ameen-Ikoyi, Certified Health Coach and Clinical Pharmacist, and Dr Bilikis Jumoke Oladimeji, Physician and Senior Director Healthcare Informatics (USA) amongst others.

The convener of the event Bunmi Ghiazat Adebimpe, who is also a professional coach, holistic counselling therapist and visual creative, while giving her passionate opening speech charged the attendees to pay special attention to maintaining a balanced lifestyle which is a continuous lifelong process as well as taking individual personal responsibility for the multiple aspects of their mental health, bodily functions and overall wellness. She explained the various aspects of wellness and the importance of pursuing a fulfilling existence in a world filled with systemic and behavioural failures coupled with the constant and unpredictable fast-paced changes.

The first speaker, Summayyah Sadiq-Ojibara, speaking on the topic, “Life Skills and Strategies for Holistic Wellness”, encouraged the audience to renew set intentions, reflect on individual existence and open their hearts to truly feel the impact of the experience. She made profound statements on life events and set beliefs with conditioned scripts that people live by in framing their view of the world. Additionally, revealing the fact that self-awareness is a major driver of thoughts, behaviours, emotions, actions and choices which are the fundamental aspects of embarking on a journey of overall wellness. She also spoke about the strategies required for reflection, regulation and redirection and took the
audience through an amazing interactive mindfulness exercise.

Dr Bilikis Jumoke Oladimeji in delivering her topic titled “Role of Technology in Improving Personal Health and Wellness” notably pointed out that technology is not a replacement for care and the fact that without good health, the human potential could be lost whilst also encouraging the audience to safeguard health and wellbeing with regular health checks.

She further emphasised the deep connection of the three main aspects of the theme of the event and stated that this has reinforced the interconnectedness of health systems beyond conventional boundaries. Dr Bilikis cited the various advances of technology in driving vaccines production, easing diagnosis of health conditions and delivering optimal healthcare applications that monitor individual bodily activities that are available to us in today’s world.

Hafsah Olufunmilola Ameen-Ikoyi’s speech was titled “Promoting Self-care with Wholesome Nutrition and Fitness”. She stressed the significance of being physically active and the ultimate form of self-care is to live a healthy lifestyle with the absence of chronic diseases. In addition, she enumerated practical action steps for holistic health and wellbeing and enjoined the audience to consider what goes into their bodies, what they do with their bodies and to eat the good things in the world in other to be hale and hearty.

She urged everyone to be intentional about self-care, pace themselves in all they do, reflect on harmful habits, focus on being consistent and resist the burden of reaching the breaking point before taking utmost control of health and overall wellbeing.

The final speaker of the day, Dr Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri, dedicated her speech to the topic “Enhanced Wellbeing as Means to Finding True Happiness”, the multiple award-winning speaker, in her speech emphatically stated the impact of optimal health, happiness and holistic wellness. She analysed the current challenges bedevilling the country and the world at large from the various economic, financial, social and environmental factors negatively impacting personal wellbeing.

She advised the audience on the various action steps that may enhance well-being and in the long run lead to true happiness. In concluding her session, Dr Maymunah, instructs the audience to take bold steps in caring for personal health and wellness by identifying stress triggers, having unconditional self-love and the immense value of asking for help when needed as a sign of strength, not weakness. It was also packed with lots of motivational and inspirational moments for the audience.

The event is in partnership with Superheads International Limited, Laroche Foundation, VPcube Studios, The Accubin, Impreme Studios, Fesoda Integrated Services, The MPower Circle, Mustaeina TV, Bedouin, Four23 Photography, Rubbin Minds, The Umm Fariha Network, Waqhill Associates, HalTV, KYBevents, DeenTalks Nigeria, Hadiya Home&Lifestyle and ARABEL Exclusive Islamic Materials Ltd.

Official media partners include YNaija, Expoze Nigeria and Dotts Media House.

The official hashtag for the 6th edition is #DTI2022.