Ingressive for Good partnered with Geneza School of Design to help 1000 women build skills and careers in design. During the training, we realized the need and benefits of study buddies to better help the women learn and complete their courses. So we created study groups. At the end of the program, we recorded over 70% completions. Folayan Mercy tells us about her experience leading a study group, the impact she made and the impact it had on her.
“My name is Folayan Mercy. I am a student of the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Lagos. I am a graphic and brand Designer. Ever since I got into the design industry, brand design has always intrigued me. The 1000 Women in Design was an opportunity for me to learn about what I wanted to finally and I applied for it.
I felt amazing when I was selected. Initially, I was on the waitlist and was later given a spot and it felt so good. I was extremely excited about the program that I carried my mom along all through the process.
I love to volunteer and participate wherever I find myself so I applied to lead a team. It wasn’t easy. Nothing good comes easy. The major challenge I faced was non- responsive team members so I had to keep on reaching out. Another challenge was finding solutions to problems my team members encounter ( even if they were not taking the same course as I) and at the same time tracking their progress on their courses.
Although leading my team was quite challenging, it also had its benefits. I was able to network and meet amazing people. I learnt a lot from what was shared, both resources and challenges. I also got hands- on experience in leading a team. One thing leading my team taught me is that I can’t give up as a leader. I just have to keep trying. I have to keep pushing and putting my team together.
Learning under this program has been a blessing to me as my design skills have improved. I have learnt a whole lot of things. Overall it was a fantastic experience and I am grateful to Ingressive for Good for giving me an opportunity to learn and also serve as a team lead.”
You can reach Mercy here-
LinkedIn- http://linkedin.com/in/mercy-folayan
Twitter-https://mobile.twitter.com/___bolanle
Instagram- https://instagram.com/mercy_designs_