Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Featured on Kono's Premier Radio Stations

Hello world!!!

I hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing fantastic, and loving my time in Sierra Leone. On Friday, August 2nd, I was featured as a guest on Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Kono's 90.2 FM and Eastern Radio Kono's 96.5 FM. As some of you may know from my previous blog posts, I am currently in Kono, Sierra Leone doing an internship with Koidu Limited (Part of Octea Mining); due to the fact that I am primarily here for this work experience, I have very little time to do extracurricular activities, but I am trying my best to perform some of my duties as Miss Sierra Leone USA. If you follow me on facebook, you are aware that I've been documenting my life in Kono through pictures and sharing interesting facts and things about this wonderful district and the town of Koidu. View the many photos of my time so far on my facebook page.

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson at Koidu Community Field during the training session for Diamond Stars Football Club of Kono

On Friday morning, I was featured on SLBC Kono 90.2 FM's Good Morning Kono, which comes on at 7am-8am. After my usual workout in Koidu Ltd's gym facility till 6am, I was very energetic and ready to head to the SLBC studio. This was the first radio interview I've ever done; performing on a live broadcast is nothing new to me anymore since my debut 3 months ago on SLBC TV during my Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 Official Homecoming. I was very excited and eager to formally introduce myself to the people of Kono. This news program is hosted by the intelligent and beautiful, Ms. Mariama Suma, who co-hosted with other news presenters during the broadcast. The program is usually done in english, but I requested from Ms. Suma and the show's producer that I do my interview in Krio. I wanted to do so because I felt that I could reach to greater masses if I spoke in a Salone language and give respect to our elders and other members of society that may not understand and/or speak english. A link to an excerpt from my interview is provided below.

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Good Morning Kono on SLBC Kono 90.2 FM

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Good Morning Kono on SLBC Kono 90.2FM

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Good Morning Kono on SLBC Kono 90.2FM

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Topics discussed involved: my experience so far as Miss Sierra Leone USA; time and place the MSLUSA Pageant was held; my duties as an intern at Koidu Limited and working in the Mining department; my thoughts and experiences so far in the town of Koidu and the people of Kono; my decision to study Mining and Minerals Engineering and my coursework at Virginia Tech; my intentions for Sierra Leone in the near future as a working Mining Engineer; my reason of participating in the Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012 Pageant; my personal platforms which are Advocating for SHERO and Advocating for the recruitment and retention of girls and women in STEM fields; my worst experience so far during my time of service as Miss SLUSA; my advice for girls that aspire to be models or get into pageantry in Sierra Leone; breaking stereotypes about pageantry and roles of women in society; and many more. Special thanks to the SLBC Kono 90.2 FM crew and production team. They were such wonderful hosts! Hope to see you all in the near future, especially Ms. Suma. I'm also thankful to the amazing people I get to work with at Koidu Ltd., who tuned in to listen to the show while on their way to work that morning. They gave me so much positive feedback and thought I was a great representative for the company!

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Ms. Mariama Suma (Host of Good Morning Kono) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with Hosts and Production Members of SLBC Kono 90.2 FM
Left-Right:Mr. Abu B. Sillah, Mr. Francis Gbendeque, Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012-2014, Mr. Abass Foday Kallon (Producer), Mr. Sylvester Aruna, and Ms. Stanley Jimmy.

Later in the evening after getting off work at 5pm, I had some errands to do in town, and then headed to Eastern Radio Kono's 96.5 FM's studio for my interview on The Bundle at 6pm. For the entirety of this 1-hour program, I was the featured guest and was asked a range of questions. On this show, I talked about: my internship at Koidu Limited and responsibilities as an intern; my vision for girls and women in Kono ad Sierra Leone as a whole; the history of the Miss Sierra Leone in DC organization (MSLDC Inc.) and its vision for its contestants and titleholders; requirements of Miss SLUSA contestants and the final night presentation, my adventures so far as Miss SLUSA so far; my purpose of founding When You Believe Foundation, Inc. and its programs so far; my advocacy for autism research and raising awareness; and many more!

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Eastern Radio Kono 96.5FM's The Bundle

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Eastern Radio Kono 96.5FM's The Bundle

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Eastern Radio Kono 96.5FM's The Bundle

Besides getting to speak lengthily about various topics with Mr. Mbayoh, I received text messages and calls from the community during the broadcast. I love that the show creates an opportunity for their guests and listeners to interact with each other during the live shows. It was such a humbling and gratifying feeling to receive a multitude of warm and welcoming messages via text messages and phone calls. There were a couple of questions involving criticism about mining practices and company conflicts regarding Octea Mining and the mining industry in Sierra Leone, however, I thought I handled those hot-button questions accordingly. Rather than reacting negatively, it made me realize that being in a public position makes me an individual of praise, but also an individual vulnerable to criticism. While preparing for the Miss SLUSA 2012 Pageant I focused a lot on the Question-and-Answer segment and practiced with my family and friends, and one thing I learned to do was to always listen to and understand the question, do not hastily give a response, and give the accurate response to the question and nothing less. Now that I've won the title/crown/sash, I continue to practice this segment in my daily life while representing the MSLDC Inc. organization and myself in moments such as this interview.

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Eastern Radio Kono 96.5FM's The Bundle

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson featured on Eastern Radio 96.5FM's The Bundle

One of the highlights of my time of service as Miss Sierra Leone USA is getting feedback from the people I represent and serve, and the moments I received these awesome comments fits exactly into that highlight. Hearing statements such as: "you're an inspiration to our girls;" "we're proud of you;" "keep it up;" "you're a patriotic Sierra Leonean;" "thank you for not forgetting your home and coming back;" "we need more girls and women doing what you do;" "continue to proudly wave the green, white, and blue flag;" and many more made me very proud to be a Sierra Leonean woman and to have the blessings of wearing the Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012-2014 sash in that studio. I am grateful for the people of Kono to have taken their time to not only tune in to the show, listen to what I had to say, but also share their opinion in form of text messages and phone calls. Very grateful.

Mr. Samuel Mbayoh (Host of The Bundle) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Watch my interview on Good Morning Kono on my youtube channel.

Fambul den, this is Salone!!!

Ruby B. Johnson,

Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.

Like my Facebook Page & Follow me on Twitter (@MissSaloneUSA)

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013 on Education, Experience, and Empowerment

Hello world!!!

Hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing well also, thanks be to God. As most of you may know already, my personal platform as Miss Sierra Leone USA is advocating for SHERO. Each of the five pillars in my platform are things I believe and live for, hence the reason why I choose to stress on their importance during my time of service as Miss Sierra Leone USA. As previously mentioned, E is for Education. But, E also stands for the advocacy of experience and empowerment. In addition to my SHERO platform, I am advocating for the recruitment and retention of girls and women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.

Safety first - ALWAYS!!!
Mining & Minerals Engineering Student and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson rocking the safety glasses

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson at an underground limestone mine

Before I elaborate on that pillar of my platform, I'll give you an insight about my daily life. I am currently a student at Virginia Tech with a major in Mining and Minerals Engineering, and a Minor in Women's and Gender Studies. In 2012 and beginning of 2013, I did a co-op to gain knowledge from a wonderful company (Polydeck Screen Corporation) involved with national and international mining companies. If you don't know what a co-op is, I simply define it as an extended form of an internship but one gets to take an academic semester or year off school and work for a company. Usually, the student gets to work with a company that does something related to their Major and career goal, for the purpose of acquiring knowledge and some experience. As you all may know from my previous blog post and if you are connected with me on facebook, I am currently doing an internship in Kono District, Sierra Leone with Koidu Limited - Part of Octea Mining.

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Polydeck Screen Corporation

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Polydeck Screen Corporation 

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Polydeck Screen Corporation

Doing a co-op is not something I had on my to-do list while in college, rather I had internships in it. I came across the opportunity of this co-op when I had initially interviewed for an internship. The company let me know that they are aware that the interview is to hire a summer intern, but ideally they will like to have a co-op instead so that the student can stay longer with them and gain lots of work experience. Few months later, I received an interview offer for a co-op, interviewed again with the same company, and later on received a co-op offer. Initially, I was nervous about the delay this change will make on my graduation period but then I also realized that I cannot give up such a great opportunity. After lots of prayers and seeking advice, I accepted the offer and was set to temporarily move to another state for half a year and start my professional life. Fast forward to August 2013, I'm doing an internship in my homeland, Sierra Leone. Most of the time when people ask me "why mining?" my usual response is that I'm a Sierra Leonean and I have ambitions of working in the nation's mining industry. However, I never envisioned that dream to come so quickly such as having an internship now and not a full-time job in the future. Doing a co-op and internships related to mining reminds me everyday that I made a great decision for a future career that's challenging but also engaging and adventurous.

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Polydeck Screen Corporation

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student & Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Koidu Limited - Octea Diamond Group

The purpose of sharing this with you all is because it directly correlates with E (education, experience, empowerment). I truly believe in the power of education, and I am forever grateful to the Almighty for having the opportunity to be formally educated, as well as receiving knowledge from people I cross paths with in life. However, I am also aware that education without experience is worthless. It's not all about theory but also practicality, and putting the knowledge into action. The companies I've worked for and working for so far have provided me with lots of knowledge about the mining, aggregates, and coal industries; in addition, I am learning about what it means to be a professional in an 8am-5pm, 5 days a week job (5 and half days in the case of Koidu Ltd). I am learning about the importance of turning in a perfect project, being accountable for one's work, being a great representative for one's department and the company as a whole, and many more great things. In addition, being a responsible intern and reigning Miss Sierra Leone USA requires fantastic time management, and I have learned to appropriately perform for each role. Though I still struggle certain times, I have become confident in setting my priorities straight and knowing when to say 'yes' and 'no.'

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student & Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Koidu Limited - Octea Diamond Group

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student & Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Koidu Limited - Octea Diamond Group

After the completion of these internships, co-op, and my undergraduate degree, I am confident that I will be well prepared for the real world as a working Mining and Minerals Engineer in the near future. In my opinion, I believe that education and experience are synonymous to each other. In addition, I believe that with knowledge received through education and work experience, this will create an empowered professional in the work field! To be empowered means to be confident in one's potential and abilities, and I believe that an educated and experienced individual embodies this fantastic quality. In conclusion, I highly recommend you to keep persevering in whatever path of education you are in. Never give up a great opportunity for experience. Remember that you will mentally gain from an experience, and your experience will also look great on your resume (gotta love a resume booster). For as long as we live, we will learn and keep learning. So be confident in your theoretical and practical knowledge, be empowered, and be an expertise in your chosen work field!

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student & Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Koidu Limited - Octea Mining

Mining & Minerals Engineering Student & Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson
Life at Koidu Limited - Octea Mining

Have a productive week. Do something wonderful for yourself and someone else!!!

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA

Like my Facebook Page & Follow me on Twitter (@MissSaloneUSA)

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Where in the world is Miss Sierra Leone USA Ruby B. Johnson???

Hello world!!!

Hope you and yours are doing well. I've been doing fantastic, and grateful to the Almighty for all the blessings and lessons. So...where in the world is your Miss Salone USA??? Well, she's been living and working in Sierra Leone!!! I am currently doing an internship with Koidu Limited (part of Octea Mining), working in Koidu, Kono. Read more about my internship in this news article that was published couple weeks ago.

Due to my busy schedule with this internship, I am currently unable to actively blog. However, I've been trying my best in updating everyone about my time in Sierra Leone on my facebook page. I've been taking pictures showcasing the beauty of Sierra Leone's landscape, culture, and her people; there's a story for every picture that I post, so check them out on the page. As Miss Sierra Leone USA, promoting tourism and showcasing the greatness of Salone is part of my job description. Therefore, I encourage you to Like the page and keep up with your Miss Salone USA while she's in Salone. Here are some pictures below of my time so far:

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with new friends at Kroo Town Road Market in Freetown

Vendor and her beautiful setup at Kroo Town Road Market in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Kroo Town Road Market in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Mr. Amadu Bah, Butcher at Kroo Town Road Market in Freetown, Sierra Leone

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson at Lakka Beach

Little Mr. Sierra Leone Ralph and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Salone Cuisine: Kasada bred, fray fish, en grevi (cassave bread, fried fish, and gravy)

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson eating kasada bred in Waterloo

Beauties of Sierra Leone: Rokel River under Rogbere Bridge

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson in Makeni, Bombali District, Sierra Leone

Ruby B. Johnson - Mining & Minerals Engineer, and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014

Beauties of Sierra Leone: Mountain View of Five Mile

Fambul den, this is Salone!!!

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.

Like my Facebook Page & Follow me on Twitter (@MissSaloneUSA)

Miss Sierra Leone USA Attends 2013 Fullah Progressive Union Cultural Picnic

 Hello world!!!

Hope you and yours are doing well. I'm doing awesome, and feeling grateful for all the opportunities the Almighty has been blessing me with lately. This past Saturday, I attended the Annual Cultural Picnic by the Fullah Progressive Union - The Fottal-Et-Pottal; there was a picnic during the day, and Awards ceremony in the evening. The purpose of this event was to celebrate the culture of the Fullahs/Fulanis/Peuls/Fulbeh in West, Central, and North Africa regions such as the Fullahs of Sierra Leone, Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria, Phottal Fi Mantal (Guinea), Harlepular (Senegal and Mauritania), Sagatta Group (Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger), etc. In addition, there was a soccer tournament between Sierra Leone and Guinea (winner), and awards were presented to the FPU 2013 Student Graduates with their parents/guardians/spouses going to college/university and professional life.

Left-Right:
Miss Binta, Miss Isha, Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson, and Miss Assatou

In the photo above, I'm pictured with the ladies that asked me the most questions, and I did my very best to answer them all; these intelligent and beautiful girls are very proud Sierra Leonean Fula women. They asked me how I became Miss Sierra Leone USA, what I do as Miss SLUSA, if I have a crown, if I get to wear heels, they requested seeing pictures of me during my reign so far as Miss SLUSA on my camera, they expressed their desire to one day visit Sierra Leone and asked what Salone is like, and the list of questions and comments goes on! Assatou stated that she now wants to become Miss Sierra Leone USA and I told her that she should definitely go for that dream when she becomes 18 years old, her immediate question was "you're 18?" and I responded telling her that I am past 18 and actually 22; her mouth dropped and she said she thought I was much younger than that. After speaking with them for a while I moved on to talk with other people at the event, and then Binta walked towards me and pulled me closer and said "I like you, I will vote for you!" and I responded saying thank you. I wish there was a voting process to become Miss Sierra Leone USA again, because I know I've already secured one vote from Miss Binta!

Mr. Mohamed Lamrana Bah (President of the Fullah Progressive Union)
and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Left-Right:
Ms. Assiatou Jalloh Kamara (Vice President of Fullah Progressive Union),
Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson, and FPU Member

The Fullah Progressive Union organization was formed in 1967 in Sierra Leone, and founded in  1972 in the United States. This cultural picnic is an annual event hosted by the FPU and according to FPU President, Mr. Mohamed Lamrana Bah, it is a time to celebrate culture and acknowledge the accomplishments of its members. One of his key advice to all was "loving yourself is not hating someone else" and each individual must be proud of their heritage and culture. Mr. Ben Jalloh, FPU Founding Member and former President from New Jersey, stated that the purpose of an event such as this is "starting a culture of reunification" of the Fullah/Fulani/Peul/Fulbeh people, and although they have been separated by artificial boundaries (now known as nations) created during the invasion of Europeans on the African continent, it is time for all to unite. An advice that was given specifically to the FPU graduates but I believe should be acted upon by all of us is to never forget religion and culture; the FPU school started in 1987.

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson with Zainab and Bella with nephew

Mr. Mohamed L. Bah (President of FPU) and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

The High Table during the Awards Ceremony
Left-Right: Mr. Mohamed Lamrana Bah, Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson, and Mr. Ben Jalloh

I had a great time mingling with my fellow Africans, and getting to know more about the Fullah/Fulani/Peul/Fulbeh culture. FPU is a fantastic organization that is doing so much for its community, and for Sierra Leone as a whole.

Ramadan Mubarak to all my Muslim sisters and brothers. I wish you peace, courage, and many blessings!

Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.

Like my Facebook Page & Follow me on Twitter (@MissSaloneUSA)

Miss Sierra Leone USA Attends 2013 Yengema Descendants Association Fundraiser

Hello world!!!

Hope you and yours are doing well. I've been busy and happy, thanks to the Almighty. This past Friday, I attended the inaugural Annual Fundraising Dance by the Yengema Town Descendants Association - USA. According to the President of YDA-USA, Alhaji Sheku Kakay, the purpose of this event was to raise funds that will be used to "support children of Yengema" in getting better education. Besides raising funds for such a great cause, the event was full of laughs, food, and dancing; I was warmly welcomed by the YDA-USA members and humbled by the love they showed me; thank you  YDA-USA for the VIP treatment you gave to your Miss Salone!

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Alhaji Sheku Kakay (President of Yengema Town Descendants Association - USA)
and Miss Sierra Leone USA 2012-2014 Ruby B. Johnson

Fact: Yengema is a town in Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The major industry in and around Yengema is diamond mining. The town is home to Yengema Airport, the main airport serving Kono District. During the civil war (1991-2002) in Sierra Leone, Yengema was heavily destroyed and constantly fought over due to the rich diamond reserves in the town. This forced many of the residents to flee. Yengema has several primary schools and the town is home to the Yengema Secondary School (widely known as 'YSS'), which is one of the most widely known secondary schools in Sierra Leone.

Left-Right:
YDA-USA member, Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson,
Ms. Nyama Deen (YDA-USA member & Event MC), and Mr. Deen (YDA-USA member)

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and
Miss Joanna Arku (Designer and Fashion Expert)

The former civil war in Sierra Leone and its effects in Yengema Town is the primary reason this event was held. Primary and secondary schools were destabilized during this time, and the effects are still visible in the community. Being that my platform as Miss Sierra Leone USA is Advocating for SHERO and one of the pillars is Education, I found this event to be very relevant. During the event, Ms. Nyama Deen recognized me (one of the best introductions I've ever heard - thank you Ms. Deen), and I had an opportunity to speak to the crowd about my platforms (Advocating for SHERO, Advocating for the recruitment and retention of girls/women in STEM fields), the importance of education, my recent Salone Homecoming Trip, importance of culture, my experience in mining and minerals engineering, and many more.

Beautiful Sierra Leonean women in elegant afrikanas on the dance floor!

The dance floor!

Miss Sierra Leone USA 2013-2014 Ruby B. Johnson and
Mrs. Mariatu Kakay (Wife of YDA-USA President)

The YDA-USA Annual Fundraiser was a great time to celebrate the culture and lives of the people of Yengema Town, and Sierra Leone heritage. Although I am unsure of the total amount that was raised at the end of the event, I am happy to say that there were exorbitant amount of monetary donations made throughout the night by individuals and other ethnic group organizations.


Ruby B. Johnson,
Your Miss Sierra Leone USA.

Like my Facebook Page & Follow me on Twitter (@MissSaloneUSA)