Young lady who sold popcorn at night to pay school fees now works with Microsoft

A young Ghanaian digital entrepreneur identified as Ivy Barley, has shared an inspiring story of how she achieved success through hard work.

She was hired by tech giant, Microsoft in 2020 as the programmes manager, combining that with her role as the co-founder and CEO of Developers in Vogue, an organisation helping and motivating women to pursue careers in the tech industry.

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) alumna recounted how she struggled throughout her studies at her alma mater.

She narrated that she had to work in the nights selling popcorn to help pay her school expenses, which made her situation really complicated.

She added that little did she know that she had a bright future ahead.

Sharing her story in an Instagram post, she wrote; ”I wish the 19-year-old me in University knew everything will be okay

“Before the opportunities, I’m grateful to experience today, I significantly struggled while a student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Amid a turbulent chapter in my life, I went from academic excellence to failing some of my courses. My mental health was in disarray and my life fell apart.

”Working in the nights selling popcorn to help pay my school expenses complicated things further.

“Little did I know that the girl that people laughed at for aspiring to be a mathematician will one day return to her alma mater as the Commencement Speaker of the College of Science. That she will even be one of the youngest speakers to ever do so”.