Barely a year after graduating from Ashesi, Isatou Cham ‘11 is already helping lead a technology revolution in her home country, Gambia. Here, we share her story.
Isatou Cham grew up in Serrekunda, in The Gambia. After having been convinced by her head teacher to attend Ashesi after high school, Isatou dropped her initial plan of schooling in Senegal and headed to Ghana. “I had never wanted to come school in Ghana, but my head teacher was very persuasive. She had a daughter at Ashesi, and appreciated how much Ashesi was helping (her daughter). After I entered Ashesi, it was not too long before I started appreciating the university also.”
Almost a year out of Ashesi, Isatou now works as a Business Development Officer at Unique Solutions in Banjul, Gambia. Unique Solutions is an IT firm that provides and manages Internet services, software solutions, and hardware solutions to all sectors of the Gambian economy, both public and private. Gambia’s WAMZ-CBG project for example, which is aimed at upgrading and reconfiguring the nation’s payment system networks, is under the care of Unique Solutions Gambia.
“It’s exciting work,” says Isatou. “I am heavily engaged in a lot of work with the organization, and I get to work a lot with management. I love my job and my workplace because it reminds me of Ashesi – the energy, the people, and the commitment.”
In addition to her role as Business Development Officer, Isatou is also helping coordinate phase 2 of rLG’s mobile phone training program in The Gambia; rLG and Unique Solutions are partners. One part of the program she is heavily engaged in is a mentorship drive under which she counsels students and helps them learn basic skills in business. At the end of the program, the students are assisted to find work or start their own businesses.
“I truly appreciate what Ashesi has done for me. Dr. Esi Ansah and other faculty, as well as my friends, gave me a lot of support and encouragement during my stay in Ghana. I am a lot stronger and confident compared to four years ago.”