SHE BEAT CELEBRAL PALSY TO BECOME CELEBRATED SOFTWARE ENGINEER- FARIDA BEDWEI
“ I have to prove to the world and prove to myself that despite my challenges, I can still be successful”.
At the very core of a society which has a history of rejecting children with a condition as hers, Farida survived. Her survival is a remarkable story of optimism, endurance, and success, and she has not only grown to become an inspiration to the often marginalized group of disabled people in Ghana, but to the young Ghanaian women seeking to thrive in the ever growing technological industry.
Diagnosed with Celebral Palsy at ten days old, Farida Nana Efua Badwei is the software engineer who is transforming Ghana’s micro-finance sector with her company Logiciel Ghana Limited. Her condition which is a neurological disorder permanently affects body movement, muscle coordination and balance, and affects the part of the brain that controls muscles movements. This condition is one which usually hinders chances of a breakthrough for its patients, but Farida, who has lived with the condition all her life has refused the limitations, defied the odds and fought through the stigma to become Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government (Financial Sector) in 2013, with many more accolades to her name.
With two diplomas and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science,her ability to start her own IT company in response to a gap in the market of micro-finance software is one I draw so much inspiration from. Working as Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Logiciel, she is revolutionizing the use of technology among micro-finance companies in the country by providing suitable software to help improve efficiency.
Miss Bedwei is an inspiration not only to me, but to many young Ghanaian women disabled or not, who have a strong desire to change the status of women in technology. As a child, she saw opportunity in her weaknesses. Celebral palsy patients are out of control of their own body movements, and Farida is not left out. Her handwriting as a child was not legible so she started using computers at a very early age unlike most children in Ghana at the time. Starting with a manual typewriter, she was introduced to an electric typewriter and then later to computers. According to her, her profession was carved out of her limitation to learning with machines in the early days but luckily, she discovered her passion for computers in the process. Farida, who wrote her first program at age 8 has not relented in her quest to leave her mark as one who contributed to technological advancement in the world.
Unlike most students in Ghana, she created her own educational route by skipping Senior High School to enroll in a one year computer course. This was when she discovered her real passion for computer programming. This decision can be said to be one of the best decisions in her life since her career has earned her many awards including the Young Global Leader Award at the World Economic Forum in March, Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and Government (Financial Sector), Danaa Excellence Awards for Persons with Disabilities-Leadership and Technology Sector by the Ghana National Council of Persons with Disabilities, National Youth Achievers Award (Special Award) by the Government of Ghana and the Legacy and Legacy Ideas Award.
Her story is a real inspirational footpath for success beyond barriers and I am mostly moved by her quest to achieve and change the face of women in society which is identical to my desire to advocate for the protection and empowerment of the feminine sect using technology.
A software developer with about 20 years experience, her love for technology keeps growing and she encourages more women to venture into IT and innovate to solve local problems. Farida worked as a software programmer at Soft Company for three years, after which she landed a role as Senior Software Architect at Rancard Solutions where she worked for nine years before moving to work as Head of IT at G-Life Financial Services where she also worked as an IT consultant before starting Logiciel with her partner Derrick Dankyi.
My admiration for Farida Nana Efua Badwei heightens considering her courage to write her book, “Definition of a Miracle” which addresses the misleading perceptions people have about disabled people. Farida believes that the only limitation any individual can have is in their mind and if the barriers of containment are broken, nothing can stop anybody from achieving what they desire. Another important thing which I salute is when she stated that every human being has a strength and a weakness, the only difference is, the weaknesses of disabled people are visible.
Miss Farida Nana Efua Bedwei is simply an exceptional women with exceptional qualities. She is a software engineer who doubles as a human rights advocate. She advocates for equal opportunities for all and believes that people with disability do not want preferential treatment, but want the opportunity to achieve competitively as anyone else.
She is one out of the many female IT experts who inspire me, but she stands out owing to her zeal to move the world with IT in the midst of her condition. She inspires me and I always celebrate her.
