Page 2
Angela Fordjour
Editor-in-Chief - Phadria Prendergast
The Compassion Issue
Welcome to WOTC magazine and the compassion issue! WOTC is your unparalleled access to female CEO’s, founders, momagers, philanthropists and powerful women making an impact all over the world from doctors and teachers to fashion designers and bankers. We wanted to make known, all the leading women that are just on your doorstep – literally. During this time especially, we wanted to create a platform that would inspire and encourage women all around the world.
To be honest, we couldn’t decide on who best to feature on our first issue. Undecided, we featured three women with the biggest hearts in the city. One being, philanthropist and model, Noella Coursaris Musunka and her 5000 students in the DRC. Another, being the NHS doctor who is currently working at the forefront of the Coronavirus pandemic and is also a doctor in Ghana, providing medicare and education for an entire village! Krisztina Tardos, founder of The Merit Club, is an advocate for women and sparks excitement in us for the next event (when COVID season is over.)
How we miss connecting with our community! We launched Women of the City at the Four Seasons, celebrated at China Tang, took 10 Global CEOs and the women in their team to dinner at Hakkasan, then did it all over again over breakfast at The Dorchester the next day! In this short time, we have connected with thousands of women of whom we have hugged, cried with and championed through wins (all the touching seems like a taboo now). As we can’t gather physically, we will be coming together for the WOTC Digital Summit on the 29th April 2020, so stay tuned for inspiration galore.
I’m currently working from my tiny East London desk (at home) and reminiscing on the call I recently had with Noella where she had asked how I got here. I had always had a keen interest in writing. Even as I went on to study Business in college and a Bachelor of Science in Criminology and Law - in the back of my mind, I always just wanted to write. Despite knowing this, I still wasn’t sure how to pursue this dream. I ended up in fashion and sales for about 6 years working for names such as NET-A-PORTER and MATCHESFASHION.COM. Whilst I did enjoy this time, I couldn’t shake that feeling that always eventually came after that ‘new job excitement’ wore away. The feeling that told me that this wasn’t what I was supposed to be doing. It wasn’t until 2019 that I was given the opportunity to join Women of the City. So, as we sit in our homes not knowing what to do or what is to come, I want you to know that this is the ideal time to take control of your life. All it takes is an opportunity and though it may not seem like it, this is the perfect one. So, as we work from home or at the very least try to, evolve your mind. Sharpen yourself. Learn something new; the Open University has made numerous courses free so why not learn a new skill or 3? Elevate yourself past what society says or thinks you should be doing right now. Get to know yourself. Really get to know yourself. What is that thing you’ve always been good at? Figure it out!
I’m so incredibly lucky to have been given such an opportunity right before many lost their jobs due to the current pandemic. One of the key things that was laid on my heart was to have a recruitment section on our website in order to help women get back into work. At the moment ‘fancy’ roles are quite scarce and you may only find supermarket based roles but let’s all just get back into work if we can and not ponder on what others may think.
I’d like to thank Sarah, the teaching assistant that first showed me what punctuation marks were and who carried me through my journey in primary from year 4 - even when I was no longer in her class. My secondary school teacher Miss Trapp, who inspired me greatly through her passion for English. I’d also like to thank my mentor who gave me this opportunity, because opportunity is the only thing that differentiates one person’s life from another.
I would of course also like to thank my team for their dedication and hard work so far. I can honestly say that they have forgotten what sleep is. We have had numerous late nights where we have been up until 5am working and eating left over Cally Munchy. Delicious at any hour!
Love Phadria