Articles
Akosua Dardaine to get IWFTT’s Inspirational Emerging Leader Award
by Fayola K.J. Fraser September 2024
Akosua Dardaine Edwards is the founder of the NiNa Young Women’s Leadership programme, a role that has exemplified her dedication to serving others.This role has garnered her the Inspirational Emerging Leader Award from the International Women’s Forum of T&T (IWFTT) to be conferred in September, a recognition of her positive influence in the lives of hundreds of young women and girls in T&T.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Unlocking the Next Generation’s Potential
By United Nation Foundation #Equal Everywhere, July 2022
NiNA which means “girl” in Spanish, is the name of the organization that Akosua founded nearly 10 years ago to support at-risk girls and young women in Trinidad and Tobago. The organization provides training in leadership, life skills, and entrepreneurship — all in service of achieving gender equality and unlocking the full potential of the next generation.
How to Let Go: Redefining Lose to Letting Go
By Akosua Dardaine Edwards, MAY 18, 2021 | Guidely Magazine
There are some stressful situations that are simply in your life to show you how to shift, how to be flexible, how to grow, how to let go, and how to transform. You long for change, yet you cling so hard to what’s familiar because you are so afraid of what you think you will lose. You are even afraid to lose the things you don’t want as the familiar becomes your family, regardless of what it is. So, let us redefine “lose” to “letting go”.
NiNa Programme - Bodacious Girls Gala
By Rachael Espinet | March 14 2019 | Trinidad & Tobago's Newsday
The NiNa Programme. "That has been a great experience for me."
She said it showed her how to be self-resilient and exposed her to women who have overcome difficult circumstances.
Akosua receives the AFETT Social Entrepreneur Award
By Joan Rampersad | 13 March 2016 | Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Heading the list was feature speaker Akosua Dardaine-Edwards, founder of the Enabling Enterprise Project, who delivered a down-to-earth and extremely interesting personal story. She got an award for Social Entrepreneur.
Akosua bares her soul
By Cecily Asson Sunday, March 9 2014 | Trinidad & Tobago's Newsday interview
BROUGHT to her knees after losing everything which she believed was most important and later shocked into reality that life was more than a husband, a house, a car and academic degrees, Trinidad-born Akosua Dardaine-Edwards, 39, an internationally known advocate for the empowerment and development of women has returned home to tell her story. On Wednesday, she will launch her first book What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self Love at National Library and Information System (NALIS) in Port of Spain..
Akosua: An Activist for Entrepreneurship
By Karel Mc Intosh | April 25, 2011 | Outlish interview
At age 16, how many of us thought about being an entrepreneur? At age 16, how many of us thought that we could live off of our talent? As a matter of fact, how many of us think we can do this at 20, 26, 37 or 42? In each case, we’d say not many, right?
Advocate Akosua Edwards: A Heart for Women and Girls
By Cherisse Moe October 2024
Akosua Edwards is about to embark on a full-circle journey to Africa.A passionate advocate for women and girls, she first visited the continent ten years ago while studying for her PhD at England’s Manchester Metropolitan University. Her thesis on women’s entrepreneurial success in the Caribbean and diaspora led her to volunteer with an organisation that supported displaced women from several countries including Africa.
Lessons from a Recovering "I'm Not Good Enough Addict"
By Akosua Dardaine Edwards, MAY 29, 2018 | Harness Magazine
Many of us have a list of long term goals, which include marriage and a dream job. Losing both in one week led me on a path of exploring “enoughness.” Not-enoughness can dictate our lives if we do not truly understand our worth and purpose.
UNUM Women’s magazine features akosua dardaine edwards
2018 | UNUM Magazine New Mexico
Who are you? This would seem like a normal run-of-the-mill question, but I have learned that this is the type of question which is supposed to be answered from a place of total authenticity and awareness.
CIBC First Caribbean National Bank Supports NiNa Programme
Sun, Jun 05 2016 | Trinidad and Tobago Guardian
The NiNa Young Women's Entrepreneurship Programme and the Living Water Community's Marian House Education Project benefitted from charitable contributions from CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank. Supporting the development of young men and women continues to be a priority for CIBC, evidenced by its support of these and various other charitable programmes.
Recent Worldwide Trends in Entrepreneurship
Akosua Dardaine Edwards | April 2014
A new breed of entrepreneurs is emerging.
Akosua Dardaine Edwards, founder of the Enabling Enterprise Project, examines some of the recent trends within entrepreneurship, considering the rise in female entrepreneurs, the increasing and more innovative financing methods available, and the rise of social entrepreneurship.
Akosua speaks to award wining journalist Erline Andrews - Why are you here?
NiNa Young Women's Programme changes focus after teens attacked
Marshelle Hasely | 29th April 2021 Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
The NiNa Young Women's Leadership Programme experienced the trauma that comes with violence against women in the first week of April.
Interviews & Podcast
Podcast Interview -Chasing Dreams with Aimee J
Aimee J. | 13 March 2019
I’m featured on the Chasing Dreams Podcast, where I discuss how I chased my dream.
Blogtalkradio interview
With Andrea Garrison | October 2014
Join Andrea Garrison at online with Andrea on Blog Radio as she interviews new author of "What did I Learn Today? Lessons On the Journey to Unconditional Self Love" Akosua Dardaine Edwards. They chat about the book and Akosua's journey
Podcast - So You Have An Idea...Now What?
So you have an idea… Now What | 2018
Mindset Changes Critical to the success of your business by So you have an idea...Now what?!
Become She Podcast - She and Lessons on the Journey
Become She | 2019
Join Akosua as she and these awesome ladies out of Chicago.
Radio Interview with Andrea Garrison - Nyabo(Madam) - Why Are You Here?
Andrea Garrison | 04 October 2016
Listen to Akosua as she shares with Andrea as part of the Dynamic Women Series.
THE COMFORT KILLERS pODCAST
Akosua is featured on The Comfort Killers Podcast where she talks about recognizing the power of love, service and personal power.
Videos & News Features
Book Review - What Did I Learn Today? Lessons on the Journey to Unconditional Self Love
By Erica M.B. Ashton
Sometimes in your life, you will go on a journey. It will be the longest journey you have ever taken. It is the journey to find yourself”. Katherine Sharp.
Akosua Dardaine Edwards – a powerful, brave woman, a warrior spirit, an inspiration. Akosua’s journey to find herself, is encapsulated in this book. It may seem like a short read, but so much is captured here.
The book speaks to a journey, and a journey as we know, gives the idea of moving from one place to the next, and although there is physical movement – as the story moves through her life here in Trinidad and Tobago, in England and in Uganda – the real movement/the real journey is to a place of self-love. This journey to self-love is a painful one, one that is full of growth. A beautiful journey, one which a lot of us might choose not to do, but one which Akosua embarked on bravely and courageously. The book details this journey by identifying and speaking to different values or as I term them, guiding lights - Authenticity; Gratitude; Intuition; Balance; Letting Go; Self Confidence; Courage; Forgiveness, to name a few.
Even though it is a painful story, it is not a painful read as it is written without bitterness and with a lot of humour, love and compassion. There is no beating up on self for decisions made and actions taken. There is no regret, no wishing to change the past and in this lies the beauty.
It is a very generous book, as it shares not only the values and the lessons gained but also some of the tools that were used on the journey. And this sharing is done in a very gentle, non threatening way as if the author were saying to us, “this is what I used, it may help you on your journey”. It is here if you choose to use it. It is a self help book without being a self help book.
This is Akosua’s story. She has opened herself to us, she has freed herself from her past. She has chosen to be authentic – to show up as she is. It is also your story and my story, not in the details of Akosua’s life but in the situations and places from which we choose to live. Am I living an authentic life? Am I being true to myself? In what ways have I not honoured myself, not respected my needs, not loved myself, not accepted myself, not set boundaries with the persons in my life, not believed in myself? Am I living for me or am I living to please others? What is holding me back from being my best self? These and other questions came to the fore while reading the book, encouraging me to stop and to assess, to bravely attempt to sit with the discomfort as the answers came forth. Not an easy thing to do.
And so, it is through Akosua’s gentle, honest and compassionate writing that we are given the space to identify our own story, to come to terms with what has happened in our lives, probably share our own story. This is what the book affords us – Courage to love ourselves unconditionally.
And I will share a quote from the book:
“I have learnt that transformation is the result of discovering that you are already whole. It is the realisation of the true self. Being human means so much more than you have ever imagined. It is a divine and wonderful experience to realise that you already have everything you need inside. It is a relief to discover that you are not flawed”.