Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin
Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin, 2018
Born19 May 1985 (36 years)
Ondo State, Nigeria
EducationHarvard University
Occupation(s)women's rights activist, entrepreneur
WebsitePearls Africa.org

Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin (born Abisoye Abosede Ajayi, 19 May 1985) is a social impact entrepreneur and human development expert.

She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Pearls Africa Youth Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on educating young girls and women in underserved communities through providing access to technology proficiency and mentoring for the overarching purpose of economic independence. In the year 2018, in November, Ajayi-Akinfolarin was named one of the top ten CNN Heroes. She was listed as one of BBC 100 Women in Tech in the same month.

Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin is a shrewd professional with years of experience in Information Technology, Computer Programming, Data Analysis, and sustaining devotion to creating a difference.

Early life and education

Abisoye was born into the family of late Chief James Olaniyi Ajayi and Christina Titilayo Ajayi in Akure, Ondo State in Nigeria. She attended the Nigerian Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), she further attended the University of Lagos where she earned her bachelor's degree in Business Administration, a course based on core business functions that accentuate the application of information technology, teamwork, and problem-solving. Abisoye is a Mason fellow with a Mid-Career Masters of Public Administration, an alumnus of the Harvard Kennedy School. She is also an Adrian Cheng Fellow, a fellowship for change-makers committed to addressing pressing social problems in new and creative ways.[1]

Professional career

Ajayi-Akinfolarin started her career in EDP Audit and Security Associates as a trainee consultant, 3 years later she worked as a full-time Associate Consultant and Data Analyst for 5 years.

Ajayi-Akinfolarin founded Pearls Africa Youth Foundation in 2015, an NGO that is focused on stimulating the cause and advancement of susceptible young girls and women.

Ajayi-Akinfolarin's organization organized GirlsCoding, a flagship program of Pearls Africa.[1] Wanting to help close that gap and encourage more women in her field, Ajayi-Akinfolarin established her own non-profit organization.[2]

In 2012, Ajayi-Akinfolarin founded Pearls Africa Youth Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization that assists girls in developing technology skills through various programs including; GirlsCoding, G.C Mentors, GirlsInSTEM and Empowered Hands.[3] Since 2012, the organization has trained over 10,000 young women to code.[4]

Awards and recognition

  • CNN Heroes honoree, 2018
  • BBC 100 Women, 2018[5]
  • ONE's 2018 Women of the Year Awards [6]

References

  1. 1 2 Agbo, Njideka. "Abisoye Ajayi-Akinfolarin: The Coding Hero". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  2. ↑ "Disadvantaged Girls Change their Communities by Learning to Code". CNN. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  3. ↑ "Pearls Africa". Viva Naija.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2019.
  4. ↑ "Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2018 revealed". CNN. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  5. ↑ "BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list?". 19 November 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2019.
  6. ↑ "ONE's 2018 Women of the Year Awards". ONE. 19 December 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
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