You think opportunities don't exist........
Last year, as a stay-at-home mom, my pregnancy complications severely affected my beauty business. I was doing well, but as I couldn’t be physically available, things started to fall apart. After delivery, I also battled postpartum depression. It was a strange season—on one side, the joy of having a baby, and on the other, the darkness of depression.
I had my first degree in Computer Engineering, and I’ve always had a passion for tech. Even as a student, I learned basic programming, but I never had access to the kind of mentorship and opportunity available today through programs like 3MTT Nigeria - which is arguably the largest technical Talent accelerator in the world aimed to address both local and global demands for skilled technical tech professionals and no better place to have the program than the nation with the youngest population - with median age at 18.1 years.
One morning i sat down and I had to think critically “What can I do to keep moving?” My husband, a product manager, suggested I explore product design as I like designs and have also used that to create fliers, and materials for the community here in Akwa Ibom State when i joined the communityas a volunteer.
I thought about 3MTT Nigeria Program, at first as one of those Government thing like another poverty alleviation scheme. I wanted more than that and I later discovered it was not even close to that but something to empower people like me to change our communities and the world.
Then again I wondered—could a program like this really benefit someone like me? I missed Cohort I, but seeing the incredible feedback, the success stories, the hackthons and the community events I attended, I couldn’t wait for Cohort II to start and I'm glad it finally started.
From the moment it began, I knew this was my chance to rebuild. I ensured I never missed class, every resource and I have since then been discovering some very interesting things like the concept of design thinking—how to research, empathize, and solve real problems. These lessons weren’t just about tech alone for me; they were about life, and they brought a new sense of purpose.
In just 8 weeks into the program, I’ve created wireframes, completed assignments, and been supported every step of the way by my amazing instructors at Roothub - Best ALC by the way. The sense of community and the intentional learning environment have been a lifeline for me.
I'll be forever grateful for the opportunity to be a beneficiary of the program - one from the Nigeria Government - you get it I guess. Many thanks to the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani for this vision, and to the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. for the enabling environment.
3MTT Nigeria has truly been a gift. It’s given me the tools to rebuild and reconnect with my passion for tech, and I couldn’t be more grateful for this journey and what lies ahead.