ABOUT ME
Hi, I am Glory. I am a young founder, nonprofit leader, and speaker passionate about helping young people recognize their potential and become intentional about who they are becoming, how they lead, and what they can build. With a background in teaching and a passion for working with young people, I began working with students during college, helping them think bigger about their futures, take ownership of their growth, and turn their ideas into action.
I founded Educate Young Girls during my first year at Smith College and grew it into an organization with 8+ full-time staff and 60 volunteers, reaching 2,000+ girls each year across various communities.
I graduated cum laude from Smith College with a B.A. in Computer Science and Psychology before beginning my professional career in a global professional services firm.
My Story: I was 18 when I decided to start.
What happens when an 18-year-old girl, with nothing but a dream and determination, decides to change the future for girls in her community?
I was 10 years old when I met Omu. One day, I went to fetch water at a neighbor’s house and met a girl named Omu. She was 12 years old. I thought she was there for school, but I soon learned that she was not in school and could not read or write.
The next day, I was told that Omu was the new wife of our 45-year-old neighbor.
I was only 10. She was 12.
I remember wondering how two girls so close in age could have such different lives. And I remember realizing something that has stayed with me ever since: that could have been me. I could not stop thinking about what made our paths different.
Years later, during my first year at Smith College, that memory was still with me. I was 18, and I decided I wanted to do something about it. I founded Educate Young Girls to help girls in Cameroon stay in school and have opportunities to build a different future.
I did not have everything figured out. I had an idea, a willingness to learn, and a deep conviction that other girls deserved the opportunities that had changed the direction of my own life.
EYG was legally registered in Cameroon in 2022 and became a 501c3 fiscally sponsored organization in the United States in 2024. What began with one idea now supports 2000+ girls and young mothers every year through scholarships, advocacy, mentorship, vocational training, and community engagement.
WHY I SPEAK
My goal is to help young people become more intentional about who they are becoming, how they lead, and what they build. I want more young people to believe that they can be part of solving the problems they see around them, even before they have a title, experience, or all the answers. I want them to believe they can take ideas seriously, turn them into action, and contribute now, while developing the skills and character to carry those ideas forward. Because every time we build something, we are building ourselves too.
Before the Stages: One of My First Talks
One of my early public speaking presentations on failure, success, and dealing with rejection.
From building organizations to building ourselves
Building EYG taught me something that has shaped much of what I do today: you do not always have to know exactly how something will work before you begin.
I was 18 when I started. I was learning as I went. There were things I did not know, problems I had never encountered, and moments when I had to figure things out along the way. But starting gave me the opportunity to learn, become more capable, and keep going.
That experience changed the way I think about young people and what we are capable of doing.
I want young people to see themselves not only as people preparing for the future, but as people who can contribute now. You can notice a problem, have an idea, try something, learn from what happens, and make something better. You do not need to have all the answers before you begin.
And in the process of building something outside yourself, you begin to build yourself too.
What I speak about
My work with young people centers on leadership, character, confidence, initiative, problem-solving, and the courage to begin.
In my talks and workshops, I want students to leave with more than motivation. I want them to look differently at their own capacity to act, lead, and grow.
My keynote “Who Are You Becoming?” explores the connection between what we pursue and the kind of person we become along the way. Other talks focus on leadership without a title, Character development, taking initiative, building confidence, and having the courage to start before you feel completely ready.
More to Build - Close to their World
I am part of the generation I speak to. I am close in age to many of the students and young people I work with, and I understand the questions, pressures, and possibilities that come with being at the beginning of your journey. That closeness allows me to speak with young people, not simply to them.
I bring a perspective that is both current and earned. I know what it means to be a student today, to make decisions about your future, and to begin stepping into new opportunities and responsibilities. But I also bring experience. At 18, I founded Educate Young Girls and grew it while in college into an organization reaching thousands of girls each year. Today, I bring those experiences into rooms with young people asking many of the same questions I have asked myself.
I am not speaking from far ahead. I am close enough to understand where they are, and experienced enough to help them see where they can go.