Growing up, I always knew I wanted to live an impactful life. I had big dreams! Dreams that my poor background and environment couldn’t take from me. I am from a polygamous home with over 10 siblings so, anything that wasn’t a basic need like food, cloths and shelter was considered a luxury. However, my father made sure to pay our school fees. The first time I heard of a computer was in school but unfortunately, my school didn’t have any so we had to use our imaginations. I finally got the chance to use a computer when I got a scholarship in secondary school. I learnt to type and use Microsoft word. I fell in love with computers and technology at that point. When I gained admission to study computer science at the university, my father couldn’t afford to get me a laptop so he bought a desktop. It was really difficult using a desktop, I couldn’t carry it around to study and practice during lectures. Data was always a problem for me too because of the cost. To make it worse, the UPS of my desktop got spoilt and I couldn’t fix it.
In 2013, ASUU went on strike and that meant I was out of school indefinitely. I asked my father for a laptop because my desktop was faulty but he told me he couldn’t afford one so, I started working on a farm to raise money. I would process and sell garri everyday! It wasn’t the easiest thing to do but I knew the value of having a laptop. I worked hard and saved to get a new laptop. When I graduated from the University, I got a scholarship for my masters program in Nigeria then I applied for MEST (Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology) program in Ghana. I got selected and was trained for a year to become an entrepreneur in tech. We had a project to create an MVP, I didn’t know how to do it so I started looking for opportunities to learn then I found I4G!
At the time, applications for the #I4GEntryLevel program was on so I applied to learn product management. Everything I learnt helped me carry out my project successfully! I was able to lead my team in building the MVP and we got funding for our product! I felt like I was living my dreams. I have always wanted to make an impact in Africa and I4G came into the picture and gave me the extra support to achieve that dream. Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t have been able to build the MVP and get the funds I needed for my project.
I am currently using my skills as a product manager to build a platform that uses tech to provide healthcare services for women. We are creating a product that would give women a safe space to talk about the health challenges they face such as endometriosis, cervical cancer, breast cancer amongst others.
I’m finally living my dream of doing something impactful, this wouldn’t have been possible without I4G. I’m eternally grateful!