RG x RACI_EmpoweringtheFutureofSTEM_singlepages300dpi - Book - Page 16
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F A R i D A B E DW E i ●
SOFTWARE ENGi NEER
F
arida was a clever, curious child. She invented scenarios for her Barbies,
raced remote-controlled cars, and never left the house without a book.
Farida was born in Nigeria. Her family moved around a bit before settling in
Ghana when she was nine. When her mum tried to register Farida for school
though, she hit a wall. Farida has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects balance
and body movement, and none of the schools in the area would admit her.
After a few years of home-schooling, they tried again. Her junior high was not
accessible, but her friends helped her walk from the car to her classroom. Senior
high was much less accessible. So Farida forged a different path. She enrolled in
a computer course at a nearby technology centre. She was the youngest student
there, but she was determined to earn the highest scores.
With an IT diploma in hand, she went to a local software company. “I don’t
have any experience,” she said, “but if you give me a chance, I promise you’ll
never regret it.” While working part-time, she earned a second diploma. Then she
completed her computer science degree at a university in the UK.
Later, she cofounded a company and developed a cloud software platform
that helped finance companies provide micro loans. At Microsoft, she worked on
a metaverse project, helping to build features, such as the ability to teleport and
appear in a room full of avatars. Now she uses her top-notch computer skills to
help young people – especially young women – thrive in a rapidly changing
digital world.
Farida has also created a comic starring Karmzah, a superheroine with cerebral
palsy who gets her powers from her crutches. She wants all children with
disabilities, especially those who use assistive devices, to feel powerful and be
proud of their accomplishments.
BORN 1979
Ni GERi A AND GHANA
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