Dolly Sagwe Onyoni’s work as finance director at Oracle is matched only by her deep commitment to mentoring the next generation. She explains how she is creating programmes that equip young people and professionals with the skills to lead themselves and others.
Through partnerships and corporate initiatives, Oracle finance director Dolly Sagwe Onyoni has devoted years to equipping young people and professionals with the skills to lead themselves and others. Her approach combines structured training and the belief that leadership must be cultivated early in life. This conviction has shaped programmes that reach both the corporate world and the wider community.
“The LifeSMART vision is for parents to recognise the value of exposing their teen and emerging adult children to learning experiences focused on critical skills beyond traditional academics. I've seen firsthand how capable and eager young minds are to learn and grow in different ways and how this transforms young minds. This belief is what drives our mission to nurture self-leadership and lifelong curiosity in young people,” she says.
Within Oracle, Dolly has channelled her passion into the Oracle Women in Leadership programme, which she leads for Africa. The initiative works to prepare women within the company for senior roles, while also partnering with external organisations to advance women in their own sectors. The initiative’s scope has grown to include outreach to young women considering careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to create opportunities for them to connect with role models.
“Through the years, we have developed and built a lot of capacity with the ladies at Oracle. We have done that with girls in our ecosystem in the country, who are maybe even doubting their Stem careers. We have sent ladies out to talk to them, and for this year, we have launched a programme with Safaricom Women in Technology. It takes middle-level managers from both organisations through a nine-month acceleration programme into senior leadership,” she reveals.
Teaching practical skills
In 2024 alone, Dolly worked directly with hundreds through partnerships with entities across the private and public sectors. The sessions are held in small groups where participants learn self-leadership through principles Dolly has refined as a certified John Maxwell coach. She is keen to ensure they gain practical skills and the confidence to apply them.
“I think I have trained directly about 900 young people aged between 15 and 20 this year. I have worked with Safaricom, the government, and churches, and my typical day starts at seven in the morning with between 15 and 25 young people in their 20s. I believe our wealth is with these people and I want them to have the tools to lead themselves well,” she says.
Her drive to mentor is tied to a personal need to see tangible impact. For Dolly, fulfilment comes when the results of her efforts are visible and immediate. She manages her schedule to create space for this work alongside the demands of her finance leadership role. By planning around Oracle’s intense budget and reporting cycles, she ensures there is time for giving back in ways that keep her energised throughout the year.
Inner fulfilment
“Fulfilment comes in when you can see the impact of what you do. For me, when I see it almost directly, then it starts building a fire in me. That is why, once or twice, I’ve said I need to sit back and do this. At Oracle, I anticipate those busy finance periods and before or after them, I focus on giving to others, because it energises me for the rest of the year,” she says.
Over time, Dolly’s work with both youth and professionals has sharpened her understanding of what people seek from mentorship.While the desire for knowledge is widespread, so too is the need for mentors who are prepared and equipped to deliver it effectively.
“People are hungry for knowledge and to know how to position themselves for success. The leader or mentor needs to train themselves to be able to deliver, because lifelong learning is for real. The young people are very clear that the formula their parents gave for success is not working for them, and the parents are trying to figure out how to shift. My realisation is that there is a gap to bridge between what young people want and what their parents know,” she explains.
