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Thelma Ahamba

2,165

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Nominee

Bio

Growing up as a refugee in Ghana, I had a very difficult but interesting life experience. At the age of 9, I was an unpaid sales girl for my mom's pastry business so we could make a living. Like other women at the refugee camp, my mom was a single mother who struggled to fend for our all-female family. We had barely enough food to eat daily less to talk of school fees. So, the little money made from the pastry business was used to feed our home and rationed amongst my sisters and me as school fees ( If it does not cover everyone, some would stay home for a semester and allow others to go to school). This experience made me study hard because I knew, education was my best bet for a better life. Each time my mum defaulted in paying for our fees, a good Samaritan would step up to help me; since I was academically bright. This made me become a first-generation graduate in my family, which extended to my college sponsorship. I always admired my mom's resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. But sadly, her pastry business had no visibility as we did not have enough resources to structure it as an actual business should be. Like my mom, many businesses at the camp had similar issues with their brand visibility. After college, when moved to Liberia, I had the opportunity to work with an NGO and help local partners who struggled with similar visibility issues as they did not know how to leverage the digital space to boost their brand growth. I chose Marketing as a career to help female business owners grow their businesses and impact their communities.

Education

University of New Haven

Master's degree program
2022 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Marketing
  • Minors:
    • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

Drake University

Bachelor's degree program
2019 - 2019
  • Majors:
    • Marketing

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

    Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

    • Marketing
    • Radio, Television, and Digital Communication
    • Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Marketing and Advertising

    • Dream career goals:

      Company Founder

    • Content Creator/ Podcaster

      Lemonade Chat with Themmy
      2021 – Present4 years
    • Founder

      Colorful Lemonade Academy
      2022 – Present3 years
    • Marketer

      Comax Advanced Technology Academy
      2016 – 2016
    • Prestige Customer Office Assistance

      Liberia Bank of Development & Investment
      2015 – 20161 year
    • Communications and Business Advisor

      Grow Liberia
      2018 – 20202 years
    • Data & Device Specialist

      Lonestar Cell MTN
      2020 – Present5 years
    • Co-Founder

      Ahamba Klothing
      2013 – Present12 years

    Sports

    Track & Field

    Club
    2007 – 20081 year

    Awards

    • No

    Research

    • Product Design

      Ahamba Klothing — Co-Founder
      2020 – 2021
    • Agricultural and Food Products Processing

      Grow Liberia — Communications and Agribusiness Advisor
      2018 – 2020
    • Marketing

      Grow Liberia — Communications and Business Advisor
      2018 – 2020

    Arts

    • Independent

      Photography
      Outdoor event, Products, etc
      2020 – Present
    • Ahamba Klothing

      Design
      bags, footwears, hand beads
      2014 – 2019
    • Ghana Association of Writers

      Acting
      Drama, poetry
      2017 – 2017

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Youth Empowerment for Progress — Female Chairperson/Secretary
      2013 – 2015
    • Public Service (Politics)

      Cummings Africa Foundation — Office Assistant
      2017 – 2017
    • Volunteering

      DAFI Ghana — Vice President
      2015 – 2016
    • Advocacy

      Idea Africa — Marketing Officer/ Coordinator
      2017 – 2017
    • Volunteering

      Drake University — Harvest vegetables
      2019 – 2019

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Jameela Jamil x I Weigh Scholarship
    The issue of rape and sexual exploitation is becoming more of culture in my country. Sadly, the punishment of such crime depends on who the victims or perpetrators are. I live in n environment where there exit no safe haven for women n girl who re constantly assaulted n abused sexually. Couple of weeks ago, my nanny came to work as he usually would. The motorcyclist we usually hire had come to drop her off as usual, only to make an attempt to kiss her. When he pulled back swiftly, he grabbed her from behind n squeezed her in an inappropriate manner. On my return from work that evening, I was informed of the incident that happened earlier in the day. I called her n apologized for the embarrassment that she faced and told her that she should have reacted to put the guy in check. However, I called the motorcyclist the following day if I wanted him to take me to town as usual. When he arrive at my home that morning, he was taken aback that I wasn't dressed up to go out like I had told him. When I asked him why he had touched my nanny inappropriately, he responded, " I was only joking with her." I told him he had disrespected and assaulted her n he should be ashamed of himself. He w as in shock and said, "I have never disrespected her before, I was only playing with her." Unfortunately, just like the motorcyclist, lot of men and boys in our society do not only abuse women and girls, they do not see it as an offense. It has become o much of norm to handle ladies inappropriately that they see nothing wrong with it. Then I realized that, his action wasn't the only thing that was wrong, his mindset was too. So I took the opportunity not only to stand up for my nanny but to school the motorcyclist on what is and isn't appropriate when it comes to women. The incident made my nanny confidence in me grew stronger, change the mindset of not only the motorcyclist but the people that were also in the compound during the discussion. And the experience taught me that, change start with just one person. We can all make difference in the world if we are deliberate about our actions and how we handle negative situations around us. From that time, I have learned to processed things differently before reacting. I now think about what change i will make if i choose to react to certain things or people.
    Thelma Ahamba Student Profile | Bold.org