112 quotes found
"Life is full of highs and lows; it’s a normal part of being alive."
"STEM is an excellent foundation. Don’t focus so much on the details at the beginning, rather about the skills you are acquiring in the process; logical thinking, critical thinking, analytical skills."
"I Don’t Say No To Help."
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail."
"Ghanaians need to ditch mediocrity. I have observed that people take on responsibilities, looking for recognition, glory and remuneration, but never think about the work or the meaning of the commitment they have made."
"In order to get to the point where you can actually contribute meaningfully to decision-making, you should have invested in yourself."
"I have to give a disclaimer to say that I have not been explicitly intimidated or discouraged; that’s probably because of my attitude, haha. I have chosen to be so focused on my work that I can’t see certain distractions."
"If you follow my path you will see that I have been a pioneer in most of things that I do. So when I start a project, I have a vision for it. And as you can imagine, I work with teams because I enjoy maximising the synergy that comes from individuals from different backgrounds. When assembling my teams, I give people chances, I give everyone the benefit of the doubt but I have unfortunately been disappointed in the past. I have worked with people who haven’t understood my vision sometimes, there are some who have worked hard to undermine my abilities. I don’t know if this has been because I was young or a woman!"
"Truthfully, I have seen certain reactions because I am female. For example, a student comes to me with these amazing compliments about my work, the way I inspire them and how they are honoured to have me as their head of department. Only problem is they can’t tell their parents that their head of department is a woman! Their father will question how serious that engineering department is!"
"There are also certain unwritten but unrealistic expectations. Like if you are a female head of department then you are expected to be motherly. So your review of whether you are doing a good job depends on your ability to be motherly in addition to doing the job described for you in your appointment letter."
"I have also had issues with my relationship! I was married, I am now divorced. Maybe part of it is about me being too focused and doing certain things which may not necessarily be healthy for a relationship."
"Overall, my idea has been to rise above all this! You know, once I know what my vision is, I tend to push all the negativity out of my way and keep moving forward. I choose to see my challenges as a normal part of life; something to learn from and make my way forward."
"The good thing is that I had been trained to be independent – one of the things I thank my parents for – so leaving home for the UK wasn’t such a challenge for me. But now adjusting to a new environment – winter time for example – was the problem. I had also been used to a certain way of teaching, you know the African way, haha! We don’t ask questions because whatever the teacher tells us is the solid truth."
"Now here I was in a class full of interactions between teachers and students. In this school critical thinking was a requirement, we were supposed to have discussions on some of the most controversial topics. I had to find ways of forming an opinion and engage in the discussions because I took the idea serious that I was representing my country! My presence there had to matter."
"I remember for the first time in a science class I had a chance to design my own experiment as opposed to following instructions from a teacher. All this was challenging to me at first but I adjusted pretty well. By the time I was leaving, my thinking was completely different from what it was when I had just joined."
"Haha, you know I recently got a chance to speak to a group of students who invited me to their session and my title was about sustainable success. I asked them what they considered successful. Winnie, I have received many awards and many people know me for the awards but all my awards have been received because of things I did for other people; I have never received an award for anything I have done for myself! So to me success is about your contribution to others; the sacrifices you make to make life better for others."
"In 2010 I received the best teacher award for sciences at my university – University of Ghana. This award was for the work I had done to help establish engineering plus the activities I do in my classes. Each of my classes has a course project because I want to change the narrative from just theoretical exposure in class to something more practical for my students. So my students know me for asking them to look for problems in their societies and come to class with them. They know that I don’t have all the solutions but I have a lot of experience; so if your solution is not feasible, I have the ability to point that out and give you suggestions on how to make it work."
"Since 2017, I have been receiving all kinds of awards every year, haha. In 2017 itself I received the Impact Africa Summit award for education in Ghana; I am the Laureate for Ghana in education. It again has to do with my attitude towards promoting education in Ghana."
"I am also the host for a science quiz program called the National Science and Math Quiz, for secondary schools in Ghana. You will be amazed at what happens in this program, haha. So this is a month-long televised Science competition where all schools come together to find out who wins for that year. The whole country comes to a stand-still, everybody is watching because everyone is affiliated in one way or another to a school. My purpose here is to make people understand that you don’t have to be a science student to enjoy sciences. The applications of science are reachable and everywhere around us."
"In 2011, I was a fellow of the International Women’s Forum Leadership program – the leadership foundation. I guess my application for this was strong because some of the activities I have done in education. This allowed me to go back to school – Harvard Business School and INSEAD, executive education programs. This was another opportunity for me to build my leadership skills and strengthen my ability to do the things I have been able to do and are still doing."
"I also love travelling. Before the pandemic, I would get a chance, maybe once a year, to visit a place I have never been to. Even my conferences were opportunities to explore, haha."
"I like reading, a lot! I read anything, and everything. I also like listening to classical music. I find joy in catching up with my friends and classmates from all over the world."
"I would also like to tell this young girl that she is not alone; sometimes we feel like we are isolated, especially on this STEM journey but no, there is support out there. There are people who have been where you are, find a mentor; someone who has been where you want to reach and can speak positively into your life."
"The opportunity to go elsewhere to see how things are done elsewhere and to apply that knowledge in our context is very, very important. It gives you a global worldview when you go abroad to study but yes they must come back to help"
"We had a lot of women’s associations from legal, security, education and from human rights. They were all there and they were all supportive and actually spoke and said they were very happy that the PPP has kept its promise."
"It’s very nice and encouraging that you are chosen from a process that you are not even aware off and that is all structured and it’s based on criteria, and that I wasn’t selected because I happen to be a woman."
"What they presented to us was that they were looking for somebody who is incorruptible, who has competence, and who is interested in job creation, quality education, quality health, somebody who has proven him or herself and somebody who can stand firm for what is right."
"But the insults must stop, if they don't stop it won't stop me, I will go ahead, I have a team with me and I think that I have Ghana with me. Because all want to develop Ghana so if people will throw mud that won't be a big deal."
"Am a mother and every mother has to deal with difficult situation so definitely in terms of stress, terms or whatever it takes I will be okay."
"I was born in Lagos, Nigeria on 6th April,1979. I spent most of my childhood in the Caribbean islands of Dominica and Grenada, amongst other places. I landed on the shores of Accra in June 1988. Since I ended up spending most of my school-going years in developing countries, without special schools for children with disabilities, I was home schooled by my mom till I was 12 when I entered mainstream school for the first time. I started out from (Junior Secondary School) JSS 1 at Cambridge JSS (Korle-Gonno) but went to JSS 2 and 3 and wrote the (Basic Education Certificate Examination) BECE in Kaneshie Awudome 1 JSS. After which I went to a Diploma in the Management of Information Systems then I started working... In 2004, I got admission into the University of Hertfordshire (UK) to read a BSc in Computer Science and I was exempted from the first two years of the course. . Talking about her and education."
"It is picking up but we still have a long way to go. We first of all have to cultivate the habit of reading, before more people would be motivated to write. . Interview question- What is your view on the literary scene in Ghana?"
"They are both very demanding 'husbands' and one usually suffers slightly when the other is being attended to - which is why it has taken me this long to answer your questions. ."
"It’s okay to be vulnerable; it’s okay to show empathy. I think this is what female leaders are able to bring to the table and I would always advise them to embrace it as a quality and a strength. The fact we’re all talking about purpose is so encouraging because it brings a human side out in all of us."
"This future is not a distant dream – it is within our grasp, waiting to be realised through bold leadership and strategic investment in digital innovation."
"If women are empowered, we will be able to improve digital and financial inclusion, contribute to society and the economy, and help secure and preserve the environment for future generations."
"The continuous lack of representation of women in political and economic decision-making constitutes a threat to women’s empowerment and gender equality."
"Both men and women must step-up their efforts for equality, build on the foundation that has already been established, make the required investments, develop partnerships with the corporate sector and civil society, and hold individuals responsible for their actions."
"we should all make that commitment, realign our thinking, and embrace the basic reality that women and men are equal and deserve equal opportunities."
"For every decision made, look at things objectively with a gender-oriented lens."
"Our fight for gender equality is on a critical path and we need more role models."
"As women, we only want to be able to use our untapped ideas, innovation, and talent for the good of society, country and the world."
"we have a duty to challenge harmful gender norms and beliefs."
"overcoming gender inequality is a victory for everyone."
"If you operate in a community, the survival of the economy and the survival of that community depends on what you do, and it’s so linked to your business and how it thrives."
"People can copy your products, but nobody can copy the way you drive emotion."
"I will say my greatest achievement has been the ability to tailor my passion to help the younger generation through STEM. That is through GIST and PM STEAM Academy."
"Africa has so much untapped human knowledge; so many people have not been able to identify the talents they have to solve challenges in society. Many young people at the early stage of life are not privy to the fact that STEM can transform society. I believe with more education, information and awareness, and by making opportunities available, we will be able to identify and help develop the amazing talent out there.Ohemaa speaking during an interview with the United nations."
"I believe I will see myself as successful when I have been able to significantly increase the percentage of women in STEM careers.Ohemaa in a interview"
"There was a time in Nigeria when I was the only lady on a rig with over 150 people. This piqued my interest to check with other fields in the STEM space and I realized it was quite common to find very few ladies in STEM careers."
"My advice to young women or girls who wish to pursue a career in STEM is to dare to be different - just do it! There are others who are doing it and therefore it is possible, and even if no one has done it yet, pave the path and always remember to shine bright while doing this."
"I’ve encountered prejudice and sexism a few times. When I resumed my offshore duties after childbirth, a male colleague questioned why I’d leave my child to come work."
"My message to the young ones is that STEM is not difficult. STEM is fun, it is the basis of our very existence. Don’t shy away from STEM subjects in school. Embrace it and apply the knowledge gained in your surroundings. Knock on doors to get opportunities and use the internet for research. There are so many opportunities out there waiting for you. Shine your light wherever you go!Ohemaa speakin during an interview with the United nations."
"What inspires me is the idea that we have the power to make things better for generations after us, to create a blue print worth following.Ohemaa speaking on her biggest inspiration"
"Ironic that the largest minority group which cuts across race, religion and sexual orientation is (one of) the most discriminated against."
"You must put in the work. Do not expect a free pass just because you have special needs. You need to be exceptionally good at what you are doing but institutions also need to put up an enabling environment that lets people with special needs be as productive as they can be."
"Nobody is perfect. We all have a part of us that doesn’t work well. Identify your disability and turn it into greatness."
"I tell myself, “You can do this, you’ve done more difficult things and survived. And even if you don’t make this deal or you can’t do this task, life goes on”. My faith has also played an important role."
"We first of all have to cultivate the habit of reading, before more people would be motivated to write."
"Representation matters, and persons with disabilities are sorely underrepresented."
"Persons with disabilities are usually portrayed as being feeble and asking for handouts, in the media. I want to change that perception. We have weaknesses and strengths like everybody else and it’s about time the focus moved from what we can’t do to what we CAN do."
"A strong female lead, gives a role model for girls to want to emulate."
"I intend to change perceptions with my story."
"I was frustrated; frustrated with societal perception of people with disabilities and frustrated with reading about a foreigner's perspective of the "African Story", which usually involves wars, famines, AIDS and child soldiers. I think it is time for us to tell our own stories.Farida speaking on the inspiration for her writing"
"I didn’t set out to impact anybody. I set out to prove to myself and to society that I could be a successful software developer despite having a neurological condition."
"If you don’t have a passion for your product and you want to become an entrepreneur because of the money, close up your business and look for a well-paying job."
"The frustrations and disappointments that come with entrepreneurship can break you, but if you are in it because you want to make a difference or you believe in what you are producing, then that spurs you on."
"There is a lot of potential for fintech in this part of the world."
"All my life I’ve been told to remove the word ‘I can’t’ from my vocabulary and replace it with ‘I’ll try’ and by grace, everything I’ve tried I’ve been successful at."
"“People with disability don’t want preferential treatment we want the playing ground to be given so we can compete as competitively as anybody else.”"
"I got into the STEM field because I started working as a secretary and fell in love with Information Technology."
"I also saw for myself whilst working as a secretary that, all the IT consultants were really being paid well."
"As a secretary i was earning only 10% of the salary of an IT Consultant, so i made used of the technology tools available and slowly with the guide of some professionals, i got equipped with the right technology skill sets and within months, I established a career in STEM."
"Being named as one of the 100 inspirational women in the world by BBC in 2015 is a great achievement."
"Being a co winner of the Reach for Change and Tigo’s Digital Change maker’s award in 2016 is another achievement."
"Empowering over 10,000 elementary school children with basic programming skills in Ghana directly or indirectly is another great achievement."
"When i started family, it was difficult to put projects together without interruptions."
"I had to work extra hours both day and night to make up."
"As a founder of an NGO, we mostly rely on support both in cash and kind to expand to many other communities."
"We lack a lot of resources that can enable us to scale and tinker a lot."
"We have learnt to overcome them by introducing more computer science unplugged activities."
"My advice is that girls must ignore pressure to pursue a different field."
"They must capitalize on technology to learn new skills or improve on their skills."
"Technology is reinventing the world."
"Kids need new skills to prepare them for a successful career in the future but the current ICT (Information Communications Technology) curriculum does not include them which is quite alarming."
"This is where Ghana Code Club comes in."
"It is a volunteer led, after-school digital fun club that equips children between the ages of 8-17 years with coding skills."
"We have piloted with five schools and are ready to be launched into the majority of schools in Ghana during the first quarter of 2016."
"I always dreamed of leading a team of IT professionals in creating cutting-edge solutions for Africa."
"This passion emerged when I worked for an IT firm in Accra back in 2000 as a secretary."
"I admired the IT consultants so much, especially the only lady among them."
"I remember I took home only about 10% of what the IT professionals earned at the time."
"I wanted to enroll on an HTML course (HTML is the standard coding language used to create webpages) but the little money I earned I used to take care of my siblings. Instead of waiting forever, I decided to teach myself any way I could."
"I got in touch with a web designer who for a small fee introduced me to the basics of HTML."
"I practiced any time I got the chance and within weeks, I was designing my own websites."
"With more confidence in my skills, I took out a classified ad promoting myself as a virtual assistant and took on four clients, including one web-based telecom company in the USA."
"In 2004 I was able to resign as a secretary, rent an office and eventually hire people to provide additional support."
"I was so grateful and so happy with my progress that I wanted to do something to empower others with the kind of skill set that got me this far."
"I registered the NGO, Healthy Career Initiative in 2007 with the objective of empowering students with the skill set they will need to thrive in the 21st century but unfortunately it remained relatively inactive due to my heavy workload."
"I got married and had children and things slowed down even further as I realized I needed to work from home and be there for my kids when they needed me."
"One day, when my boy was 5, I was searching the internet for a simple programming platform to start teaching him and came across a blog about kids learning to code in the UK and the kind of things they were building that triggered my enthusiasm for my inactive NGO."
"I wanted Ghanaian kids to create the same exciting digital stuff kids in the developed world were creating."
"Things like interactive stories, websites, games and animation."
"I put plans together and Ghana Code Club was born."
"The best part of my job is being in the classroom with the kids feeling empowered that they have created things that can be used by another person from any part of the world."
"The smiles on their faces make me feel wonderful and hopeful that these kids will go on to develop the digital footprint of Ghana and Africa and impact the world as a whole."
"Technology is the catalyst to development in every country so Ghana also needs to emphasise its importance and steer resources towards technological advancement."
"Every home should have access to a computer and the internet."
"Then if kids can get trained in the right skills, the country will breed more entrepreneurs, innovators and problem solvers who are needed in every ministry to develop logical thinking."
"We aim to launch into 20 or more schools within the first quarter of 2016 reaching not less than 20,000 children."
"We also hope to organise an inter school competition to see the impact of creativity, problem-solving and collaborative skills within our code club members."
"We then hope to establish a training centre that will assist deprived children who in one way or another wish to participate in our code clubs but are unable to."
"We are always looking for support and donations to carry out our plans successfully!"