Skoll World Forum Emerging Leaders Interview: Video with Dorcas Amoh Mensah

Curious about why Africa is still wallowing in poverty and under-development, I decided to pursue a Masters’ degree in Africa and International Development to uncover the puzzle and figure out how I can contribute to the change I want to see on the continent as a child of the land. I am a Ghanaian with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration obtained from Ashesi University College. My time at Ashesi, liberal arts college, unlocked unparalleled opportunities for me which helped me build enormous passion for Africa and its development as well as heightened my interest in social impact. Over the past four years, I have been involved in innovative activities aimed at improving rural education (Starfish Aid) and eradicating child poverty and streetism in Ghana (Future of Africa). With exposure to the business and impact worlds through internships with Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Camfed Ghana respectively, I seek a career which would combine business with impact to create sustainable solutions for societal problems. I am also very interested in the economic transformation of Africa, transformational education as well as creating integrity-driven and gender-equal societies. Additionally, I would love a career that provides an opportunity for traveling all over the world as a medium of learning how various societies are internally solving global challenges. My time here in Edinburgh has made me realize I am a foodie and has exposed me to the essence of celebrating diversity in the midst of the world’s uproar against immigration and migration. Here, I co-run a mini food-tasting and fund-raising event aimed at introducing the university community to foods from different cultures and various countries each month. It’s my dream that this would enhance collaboration, mutual-respect and love across all cultures and nations. I love arts and craft and have a special attraction to origami.