My favourite quote comes from the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: ‘Heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight.’ I strongly believe that people at the top did not get there overnight, but through hard work. I am striving to do the same.
My route into accounting took many twists and turns. After dropping out of secondary school, I attended a vocational institute aiming for a career in hotel and catering, but then switched to commercial studies as I could not afford the cost of the catering practical. At various times I also aspired to be a medical doctor or a teacher.
By the time I graduated, however, I had realised that my purpose in life was to become an accountant. My choice has been vindicated and I now have 26 years of experience, working in the public and private sectors in Sierra Leone. This includes finance manager roles at Handicap International – Humanity & Inclusion, vulnerable children’s charity World Vision, and Seli Hydropower, the company responsible for implementation of the second phase of the country's Bambuna hydroelectric project, which is a key part of Sierra Leone’s energy strategy. My current role at EducAid allows me to make a real difference to people’s lives through improvements to education, social inclusion, gender equality and community resilience.
My qualifications have helped me compete in Sierra Leone’s male-dominated society
My ACCA qualification has made a big difference to my career progression. Before I started my ACCA training, I had already gained an undergraduate degree in accounting, but had been turned down for a finance officer’s position at World Vision Sierra Leone. After completing my ACCA studies, I applied for a more senior position (finance manager) at the same NGO and was successful. Since then, I've completed two master's degrees – in accounting and business administration – and think my combined qualifications have helped me to successfully compete with men and expats in Sierra Leone’s male-dominated society.
Sierra Leone’s economy has still not recovered following its brutal 11-year civil war. Even though the war ended in 2002, the country is still one of the poorest in the world. The challenges are many and include rising inflation and adverse macroeconomic conditions, a lack of skilled labour and the rapid depreciation of local currency. There is also limited infrastructure to support businesses. Despite these challenges, the mining sector has emerged as a place for investment, due to expanding iron ore production and exports. Fishing is also a lucrative area due to the country’s huge waters and there are also opportunities for energy investment, especially in renewable and affordable energy.
Sierra Leone needs to develop a lasting independent energy sector. Given our vast water resources and many hours of sunshine, I believe hydroelectric energy is the best option, along with other green initiatives such as solar energy. By making use of our abundant natural resources and developing a good energy strategy, Sierra Leone could produce an energy surplus that could then be exported.
Through my work I have been able to contribute to the economic development of Sierra Leone
The thing I most enjoy about my job is using my talents, skills and expertise to develop robust financial systems for organisations. Through this work I have been able to contribute to the economic development of Sierra Leone.
If I had law-making powers, I would change the law relating to the qualification of candidates who want to contest a parliamentary seat. Currently, a person only needs a senior school certificate, but I believe that to be able to deliberate and make effective laws, they should be educated to a higher standard.
If I wasn’t in finance, I would like to be an engineer managing complex infrastructure projects. It would be fulfilling to be able to see the physical evidence of such work.
Outside work, I spend a lot of time with my daughter. I also like reading novels, watching movies and travelling to different countries for holidays.
