It is not uncommon to hear people talk about making every effort in our own little way to make a difference in the lives of others. The call is even more imminent during commencement exercises when speaker after speaker ask graduates to give back generously of their God-given talents. They say so because of the belief that it is in giving and caring genuinely about others that together, we make our communities better places for all.
At the University of California where first lady, Michelle Obama, debuted as commencement speaker, she called on members of the graduating class to give back to their communities. “Remember that you are blessed -- remember that in exchange for those blessings you must give something back. You must reach back and pull someone up. You must bend down and let someone else stand on your shoulders so that they can see a brighter future” she emphasized.
As they go about doing whatever little they can, their only hope is to be like the sun that burns brightly, bringing light and warmth to all whom they come in contact with. That brings me to Gemina Archer-Davies, a proud Sierra Leonean and an employee of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC.
While she is regarded by many as a truly remarkable woman and a shining example to many, the adage “home is where the heart is” holds true for Gemina. With her infectious smile, poise and elegance, “living in Sierra Leone was really the most exciting part of my life and I still keep many pleasant memories that I hope to enjoy when I retire and finally return home” she proudly tells me. Ask her colleagues at the fund and they will tell you about her passion for her native, Sierra Leone. In her office, she proudly displays the beautiful green, white and blue colours of the Sierra Leonean flag.
An alumna of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls (FSSG), she departed the shores of Freetown at age fifteen spending three years in England and about twelve years in Sierra Leone; first at Bo, her birth place, when her father taught at Bo Government School, then to Magburaka where her father was principal of Magburaka Government (Boys) Secondary School and finally at the Murray Town suburbs of Freetown. While her goals were common to kids her age as she grew up in Murray Town, it was always her desire to do very well in school. She attributes her success to her role models, her parents.
Her late dad, Frederick Magaji Henry, was an educator turned diplomat who went to great lengths to instill discipline and gravitas not only in her but in her siblings and those around her. “Dad was strong yet modest... two attributes which normally do not go together but he was masterful in portraying both” she recalls. Her father was her rock and instilled in her the importance of education, discipline and giving back. Pausing for a few seconds, she answered my question about her mom; “my mother taught me about the importance of making God the anchor in my life, which resulted in my strong faith.” With God on her side, she has been able to confront many of life’s storms. Her late mother, Megan Henry’s constant refrain “I can do anything through Jesus Christ who strengthens me” has found a place in her heart.
As a young 15 year-old girl arriving in the United States for the first time to join her father who was on diplomatic assignment with the Sierra Leone Embassy, her educational desire was to secure a doctorate of philosophy (PhD) in Psychology and become a trained psychologist. “My goal was to return to Sierra Leone, contribute to nation building, give back to my community and introduce the importance of behavioural therapy for which I had a lot of passion” said she when asked why she wanted to pursue psychology. Obviously, it seems God had other plans for her. Today, her educational background includes two Master of Science degrees in Human Resource and Organizational Development and Library and Information Science from American University and the Catholic University of America respectively. She holds a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from George Washington University and an Associate in Liberal Arts from Immaculata College of Washington.
For Gemina, it is important that young people know the importance of education, discipline and giving back because ”God has given each one of us the gift of life and what we make of it, is our gift back to him as our heavenly father” she admonished. It is clear because of her strong and purposeful mindset, she has been able to balance her gift with modesty and humility. A woman of deep and abiding faith, she smiles as she admonishes me and every young person out there to not only find a spiritual base and be strong in faith with God but to also constantly seek to improve ourselves by forming a vision and working hard to achieving it; values which her heroes, her parents, taught her and she still lives by to this day.
In her quest to always find favour with God, she has also had to deal with adversities. Yes! Her faith has been tested several times and she tells me quietly that “adversity hits us from all angles when we least expect it.” One of her struggles was confronting the death of her daughter, Tricia, in 1999; “I was shaken to the core but I believe that there is a reason for everything...perhaps God was testing me and he wanted to see whether I would lament endlessly, or choose to go it alone, or trust in him as my rock,” she explained. As I sat there listening quietly to her and observing her emotions, “I have used my faith to handle adversity and to help others do the same...and that’s what is most meaningful to me” she continued.
Having worked at the IMF for close to thirty-five years, it is clear she joined the fund at a very young age and at a junior or entry level. However, her unparalleled work ethic has not only enabled her to enjoy an exemplary career but one that lead her to join the managerial ranks of the fund. In an organization where the average staff member manages to achieve two or three promotions, Gemina has achieved about ten, her colleagues tell me. Despite all her success, she has continued to make herself accessible, providing support and guidance to all who come in contact with her. She has stayed grounded and connected despite her busy lifestyle as a successful wife, mother and a youthful grandmother of one.
What her colleagues are most proud of are her leadership and communication qualities. An inspiration to all who work with her, she displays a high degree of integrity in everything she does. Her courage and concern for the wellbeing of those around her, as well as her empowering leadership style has enabled her to gain the respect of her superiors, colleagues, and subordinates who also see her as a role model that they can emulate. “Her optimistic approach to everything in life and her firm religious base is one that also stands out about Gemina” a fund employee tells me.
In conveying to me what life has been for her as an African and a woman at the fund, she referred me to her faith which is the common thread that runs in her life. Despite her challenges, she tells me she has enjoyed working at the IMF, which she describes as a wonderful organization in the sense of how effectively business is conducted and how meticulously it is run.
About her incredible success at the fund, she told me “the most important things I learnt to do at a very early stage were to work hard and link up with mentors within the organization. These mentors tell you the unknown, the unspoken, the unseen, which in turn, enable you to effectively follow the rules of engagement.” While she credits much of her success to her mentors, who had a deep understanding of her nationality, race and gender, it is clear her hard work and her unending drive for excellence have set her apart. Of course, her success is a combination of what she calls “the three P’s” i.e. focus on the personal, professional and public aspects of life which have played a major role in helping her become who she is today. Having been able to effectively balance her three P’s as well as her unique ability to balance the written and the unwritten rules at the fund, success has not eluded her.
Personally, the peace and tranquility which she enjoys at home with the support of her family, friends and her spiritual base has accorded her the opportunity to meet what she considers her basic needs, from where she finds enough strength to focus and concentrate on her professional obligations, an area where she has truly excelled. All of this would not have been possible without her strongest support system, her husband, Samuel Archer-Davies, of over thirty-four years.
Asked to describe his wife, he underscored “dignity, elegance, courage, faith-filled and strength” as the words that befit Gemina whose “fortitude, strength and calmness” have enabled him to stand up “amid the ordeals and tensions surrounding the numerous adversities” that he has encountered. For him and family, Gemina always brings the light of hope in life’s darkest moments. “When you get to know her, you will discover that she is “an ordinary person that has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences” he maintained. They have two daughters, Samantha and Amira.
Her friends and relatives adore her. In fact, I am told by a close friend that, under the auspices of family friends working at IFAD, over forty friends and relatives converged in Rome to celebrate her 50th birthday. Asked why in Rome and not in Maryland, her friend tells me “you have no clue how we admire and respect her. She is an extraordinary person and sometimes, people like her deserve nothing but the best. She is very special in our lives and that was the least we could do for her. We have begun planning for her 55th birthday which we hope to celebrate in Tunisia, God willing.”
In her role as a professional, she has always positioned herself to use the tools afforded her to succeed whether in a formal or informal setting. As a strong believer in sharpening one’s skills, she has constantly immersed herself in learning new things, keeping herself up to date just so she stays relevant with the times. She clearly seems to understand the need to always “Be Prepared.”
Her empowering and team player skills were at play when the fund like many other businesses or organizations had to downsize. Realizing that her division was being looked upon by management and understanding the worries that her team may have, she gathered all and assured them of her desire to do all she could to make sure they all ended up being fine. She was there when they needed her most and she never disappointed them!
Having been the first African female to hold a division chief title in the history of the Fund over the last 33 years, and having held progressively responsible managerial positions in other departments at the IMF, including the Human Resources Department and the Joint World Bank/IMF Library, she has undoubtedly raised the bar for her African colleagues whilst she continues to earn respect and credibility at the Fund. Many who have followed her steady rise are not only proud that she is representing Sierra Leone very well. Some have even compared her to America’s first lady Michelle Obama.
Asked those who made the comparison and one common message runs through: she is source of fascination and very authentic. Like a jewel known to have many facets, Gemina uses all her strength and God-given gifts to bring the best in all that come her way whilst she positively influence all to make the world a beautiful place. Her natural disposition and radiant leadership style and her firmness of purpose cannot be underestimated. Her independence and success are often talked about within the community.
In her public engagements, she is a member of the Mother’s Union, a worldwide Christian organization in seventy-eight countries. She truly believes in the organization’s vision of creating a world where God’s love is shown through loving, respectful and flourishing family relationships. Having being married for over thirty-four years, and having sponsored many marriages, she has used her years of marital experience to become an unpaid marriage counsellor to many couples, young and old. As her daughter gets ready to approach the altar, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, she has a perfect example to follow.
She is a former President of the Sierra Leone Association of University Women (SLAUW-USA Branch) and an active member of the Freetown Secondary School for Girls Ex-Pupil’s Association (Washington Branch). She is Senior Advisor to the World Bank/IMF African Society, Advisor to the Sierra Leone American Business Association (SLABA), and a former member of the IMF Diversity Council.
She is a competent toastmaster. Her colleagues at the fund are not at all surprised. They all speak highly of her excellent communication skills. As one puts it, “you have to see her speak in public. You will not want her to stop talking.” She has earned many awards for her involvement in public and professional organizations in the Washington Metropolitan area.
As she prepares to retire from the fund, she tells me she was looking forward to going back to Sierra Leone especially after President Koroma’s call for all in the Diaspora to return home and contribute to nation building. She was excited at the prospects of using her HR skills and experience in recruiting and training, appraising and developing, negotiating and influencing, management development, business continuity planning, and restructuring and downsizing. However, God had bigger plans for her to serve the entire African continent before she heads home to offer her own contributions. That was why when the African Development Bank (AfDB) offered her the position of Human Resources Divisional Manager she could not turn it down.
As she prepares to move to Tunisia to take up her new appointment, after leaving her current position of Division Chief at the IMF Institute, it is clear she is happy to go but sad to leave; very happy to confront new and exciting adventures, and a bit sad to leave so many wonderful friends behind. However, it is definitely time for her to set sail on the high seas of the African continent beginning in Tunis and ultimately, to her native, Sierra Leone.
In her farewell remarks at the Fund to members of the Sub-Saharan African Group, she delivered the following remarks: “make a conscious effort to work and pray hard, perform well, and most importantly, engage in networking and mentoring; demonstrate that you are smart and be serious, but do not take yourself too seriously as this can stifle creativity and innovativeness; remember to always read between the lines to find the truth; and do not take anything for granted; find ways to always remain relevant; make yourself visible because visibility assignments do not often come our way; learn from mistakes, but avoid repeating the same ones because this environment can be quite unforgiving.”
Hillary Hart once said “If women themselves take the next step to live who they really are, then they can contribute to the changes taking place around us." Without a doubt, Gemina Archer-Davies has made her mark at the IMF and has made Sierra Leone very proud As she takes her skills and experience to the African continent, she will not only represent Sierra Leone well but will contribute to Africa’s continued development by mobilizing human resources for Africa’s economic and social development.
In her own words:
On people who have helped with personal and professional life: Personally, I have been blessed with a very supportive family (a wonderful husband and daughters), together with a strong support system of sisters, in-laws, other extended family, and excellent friends, who have positively and constructively impacted my personal life.
Professionally, I have had many mentors, too numerous to mention in my thirty-four year career, who have played significant roles in providing much needed guidance and coaching towards my career. Most importantly, I have had a strong spiritual anchor, with which I try to balance three facets of my life: the personal, professional, and public in order to use God-given talents to fulfill my own mission.
Defining moment in life: Rick Warren’s book: A purpose driven life, presented me with a teachable moment in terms of discovering my purpose in life and doing something constructive with it. The world is a stage, in which we come and go, but I believe that we all have assignments to do with our time and talents here on earth; we must determine these assignments and do our best to perform them.
What people don’t know: I have a tremendous passion for Sierra Leone and I can’t wait to eventually return home to contribute more so that Sierra Leone can reach her potential. My husband and I have several investments in Freetown; I am finalizing a scholarship fund and we still want to establish a micro-credit scheme for women. All of these illustrate our passion for and confidence in our homeland.
Advice to young people: Ships are safe in the harbour but they were built to sail! Get out of your comfort zone, determine what you want to do with your life; then develop a strategic plan with action steps to achieve your goals; be tenacious and stick to your goals; adjust the plan if you need to, but never give up, and you will see how easy it is to have a fulfilled life. A spiritual base is always the key (mine is my faith and belief in God), but you must always start with a vision. There is a saying that if you do not know where you want to go, any road will take you there.
Professional challenge: I am looking forward to tackling my upcoming position at the African Development Bank which starts in mid-August. I look forward to this wonderful opportunity to polish my French (since I will be relocating to a French-speaking country) and to help people help themselves through my human resources and organizational development work.
What sets you apart from others? My tremendous optimism about life especially in the face of adversity... I refuse to abandon the view of the cup being half full, not empty. Again, this is rooted in my deep faith and belief, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
What others say:
She has physically, financially, and morally promoted conditions in communities which have resulted in stable family life and the protection of children. She stays united with her fellow Mother’s Union members through prayer, worship and service. She participates in midday prayer which is a wave of prayer that maintains a constant chain of intercessions across the global membership. She has helped several families whose lives have met adversities by providing food, shelter and clothing and has made a difference in the lives of battered women in shelters. Gemina is a great icon that many of us are proud of.
Hilda Macauley – ex-president and current secretary, Mother’s Union USA Province.
Gemina is the sort of person that you will never hesitate to turn to for advice, help or guidance. Personally, she has been an invaluable source of inspiration and motivation. Her charm, poise and her remarkable ability to devote her energy and time to so many people and causes simultaneously always stand out.
Denise Macfoy – Colleague
Gemina is smart and articulate and very helpful in promoting valuable causes. She stands ready to help and does so in a timely manner. She has made Freetown Secondary School for Girls (FSSG) and us proud. Her warm and loving smile shows a genuine interest and acceptance to all who come her way. Above all she is a God –fearing person.
Anne Beckley – President Mother’s Union
She is an inspiration and has the highest degree of integrity. Whatever she says she is, she truly is, that is to say she is the same inside as she claims to be outside and there is no difficulty in sensing that because it is always visible. She manages her fears so well that it ultimately brings out her strengths.
Pearl Acquaah Smith-Mensah – Colleague
Gemina is a very exceptional person with an amazing life story. She is a shining example to many and is kind and generous and makes herself accessible to all who seek her for her wisdom and guidance. She is a well-rounded person.
Ruby Randall – Colleague
She has been of great service to the fund and to her colleagues. Having worked with her in different capacities for almost eighteen years, I can tell you she is a very hardworking individual who can be counted upon to be at her office before the door opens and works through the day and long into the evening. She goes the extra mile in making sure that her work is always of superb quality. She has done this over and again because of her diligence and industrious approach to whatever she does. Her departure from the fund is a big loss but gain to the African Development Bank, for the entire continent of Africa and for all new colleagues that she will be working with.
Alieu Demba – Colleague
Gemina Archer-Davies is a quiet storm and appears to be full of charisma. Who would not want to be her friend, I wonder. The first thing that strikes you about her is a semblance of genuineness and integrity, at least that's how I see her, and it is refreshing to feel like that about someone Sierra Leonean.
Amadu Massally – 2009 Noslina Diamond Award winner
She is faithful, kind, generous, accommodating, patient, authentic, sincere and has a remarkable predisposition. If she ever has a bad day, I don't see it. She radiates a beautiful smile each time we meet and her words are always encouraging and supportive.
In spite of the position she holds vocationally, she is extremely humble and seldom reveals anything about what she does unless someone asks.
She is always searching for ways to enhance her understanding of her faith and explores ways such guidance could enhance the quality of her life. Thus, spiritual growth is one of her highest priorities and values. While many others plateau in their growth, Gemina stretches to new levels spiritually, emotionally and intellectually.
Pastor Dick Stetler – St. Matthews United Methodist Church, Bowie, MD
I have known Gemina Archer-Davies (nee Henry) for most of my life. Our fathers worked together in the Sierra Leone embassy here in the U.S., in the 70s. In fact, she may not remember or even know this, but I remember Gemina in her FSSG uniform in Sierra Leone (our homes were not too far apart) and would sometimes watch her and her friends going to and from school. Even then, as a child, I admired her.
Gemina is, and has always been, someone worthy of respect and emulation. She is not only truly refined, she also is an accomplished professional who is well grounded in WHO SHE IS. As we say in Krio, ee know ehin sef.
With all of her professional and indeed personal accomplishments, I sincerely believe that if asked what she is most proud of, I suspect that Gemina would say her faith in God, her family, and her commitment and involvement in her community. She is one cool cookie!
Suna Nallo – Executive Director – NOSLINA
Courtesy of Anthony Kamara, Acting Deputy Editor and USA Bureau Chief for The Patriotic Vanguard.
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