Honoring Eight Women from Sierra Leone on International Women's Day

In commemoration of International Women's Day, I would like to introduce you to eight amazing, beautiful, pioneers from Sierra Leone. These women were selected after contemplating one very important question: Who are the young women in Sierra Leone who have made an impact on the lives of those living back at home and are pioneers of industry? While every woman who deserves to be celebrated is not listed, the following ladies have made a mark in Sierra Leone and will continue to do so. Following are eight women from Sierra Leone you need to know.

Ami Dumbuya - Managing Director/PR Consultant, Pinnacle and BSI - When IPTel needed a face to launch their services in Sierra Leone, Ami was it. When SierraTel was looking to rebrand and relaunch nationally, Ami was it. As managing director of Pinnacle, a company she founded a couple of years ago, Ami is the go-to woman for brand promotions in Sierra Leone. Before she said goodbye to her locks, she single-handedly pioneered a natural hair revolution. Ami now runs Business Services International (BSI), providing fully furnished serviced offices and meeting rooms for short and long-term business users.

WOMEN OF THE WORLD: Anki King

Announcing a new, recurring Her Blueprint feature: Women of the World, where we'll introduce readers to I.M.O.W. community members from around the globe! For our inaugural Women of the World column, we asked Anki King, an artist and illustrator from Norway (whose work has been featured in I.M.O.W.'s "Imagining Ourselves" and "Exhibiting You" exhibition) five questions about being an artist, a woman, and a part of I.M.O.W. Here's what she had to say:

You're a pretty prolific artist. What's been inspiring you lately?
I primarily work from images that appear in my inner mind. Like dreams, they are results of what I see around me, memories, feelings, emotions and thoughts. So I guess everything is part of what inspires me! I also do some space specific work as I often get inspired by a place or a room. When that happens I just see the work right there in the space and then try to find ways of creating it.