…. or something equally convoluted…
In thinking back on the last 2 decades of my professional life, one thing that has characterised it so far is that it’s truly been all about the journey.
We frequently think of particular goals we have in sight and how we will feel when we get there. So often though, our goals change or we change or we achieve the goals and then realise that the best part of the journey was not in arriving but in the traveling.
I started off on the road to a specific destination and ended-up somewhere completely different. Once I figured out that I wanted to work in development or the nonprofit space, like many others in this field, I imagined ending up in what I considered to be the apex of this field: the World Bank, UNICEF or some other equally renowned international non-governmental organisation.
The salaries would be high, the travel opportunities ridiculous and the lifestyle incredibly glamourous.
My actual starting salary was not great, although I was informed that for a nonprofit first salary, it was decent. Perhaps if I was living in a sleepy town in the middle of nowhere, it might have been okay, but living in the expensive city of Boston like I did, I found myself constantly devising creative ways of living within my austere budget.
The joy I got from my work made-up for it though. At the time, I knew so many people who absolutely hated their jobs and dreaded each Monday. I, on the other hand, skipped to my office and got fulfillment from each day’s work.
Moving to Nigeria and volunteering with girls in the community on technology projects gave me the opportunity to create impact in new ways.
Taking the step to apply for the grant that catalysed the birth of the Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre (W.TEC) required me to dig deep into my wells of faith and courage.
I learnt a type of “faking it till you make it” i.e. showing up with a smile and a hello even when I was quivering with fear inside. I learnt to keep going, to keep showing up and taking those teensy weensy steps even though I was completely uncertain at times if I knew enough to do all I wanted to do.
I believe that one learns more from the experience of doing than from research done from the safe and cosy position of an observer. So, I took opportunities as they arose and followed them where they led.
Thankfully, many of these choices worked out. And where they didn’t, I figured out what to do better and what not to do next time and I kept it moving.
My work with W.TEC has indeed brought me opportunities too many to count. I have had the opportunity to do interesting and impactful work. I have travelled to numerous cities across the world and my network has been richly expanded.
Now, I am looking forward to the next 20 and beyond with curiousity. I have a feeling it will involve a shift in direction – and I am excited for the new adventures that this will bring. I am certain that whatever it is, I will still be impacting legions of young people the world over.
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