This book tells the true stories of amazing African women who have carved a niche for themselves and exemplified leadership, through their actions, their refusal to take no for an answer and their ability to transcend colossal obstacles. Having witnessed firsthand the challenges and opportunities that women face in leadership positions; drawing on research and her international experience, Meriem has written her debut book “Humble Dreams, Pragmatic Leadership Lessons from African Women.” In this thought-provoking and empowering work, Meriem draws on the successes of incredible African women who shared their insights and strategies for a world that favors men. Ranging from South Africa to Algeria, Gambia to Ethiopia, travelling through Chad and Cameroon and much more, these are captivating tales of women in the fields of arts, fashion, sports, aviation, mining, tech and more that initially simply set out to create a better future for themselves. Whether they are school drop-outs or PHDs holders, whether they stumbled upon their leadership journey early on or later in life, their drive to end harmful practices and empower women and girls is uplifiting. Contextualized in data, the inspirational stories within show how by following tradition or breaking from it they ended up shaping a path for themselves embodying leadership. Not in a loud way, not by standing on their soapbox, just by doing what they believed in, what they dreamt of for themselves or for their communities, demonstrating what can only be recognized as “pragmatic leadership.”