My biggest achievement is having reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa. If you’ll excuse the pun, how can I top that? The opportunity came to me when I was juggling work as an auditor with my ACCA studies – a mountain of another sort.
The experience taught me that having true resilience and eyes on the prize helps you to keep going no matter how tough the going gets. I applied this to my ACCA journey, and when I got to that summit, the feeling was just as magical as getting to the peak of Mt Kilimanjaro.
I started my career as an audit intern at a small firm. I then moved to IFFCO, a fast-moving consumer goods company, as an analyst, where I specialised in managing information systems and data analysis before taking on my current role at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The UN’s peacekeeping mission is also applied within the organisation, making it one of the best environments to work in
I definitely think accountants should consider a career in the NGO sector. The more people who are involved in humanitarian work, the better. If your profession allows you to give back to the community then it is worth all the hard work you put into achieving the qualification. It is also satisfying to know that you are making a difference.
What I enjoy about my job most, alongside serving the community, is the fact that I have amazing colleagues. The UN’s peacekeeping mission is not only applied in its work around the world, but within the organisation too. This makes it one of the best work environments.
Too often, those who choose to stay at home and raise their children face the fear of rejection
If I had law-making, or perhaps magical, powers, I would end wars, but I realise this is wishful thinking. More realistically, I would like to tackle the problems facing professional women who wish to return to work after taking time off to have children. Too often they are discouraged by fears of rejection, a lower salary or having to start off a s a junior all over again just because they have an incomplete employment record. This is something I would change as many women are well qualified and have years of experience that organisations could benefit from.
If I hadn’t opted for a finance career I would have been interested to work in interior design. My love for design and creativity just oozes out when I come across an empty room.
When I’m not working I’m often to be found in my little nook where I sit and paint landscapes. I also like to cook and hike, and I enjoy long walks on the beach and watching sunsets. But above all I have a wanderlust for travel.
