Graduate making a difference in her home country of Cameroon

“Your hardest times often lead to the greatest moments of your life. Keep going. Tough situations build strong people in the end.” 
  ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart 

The above quote is the perfect embodiment to describe the life journey of University of Wolverhampton Business Information Technology degree graduate Dr Yaa Vicky Ngamsha.   

It has not been all plain sailing for Dr Yaa Vicky. However, this is a story of a woman who never gave up and has made a difference to improve the lives of those living in Cameroon.  

Raised by her mother in the city of Kumbo in Cameroon, Vicky spent much of her childhood living in poverty, overcoming trauma and at this point could only dream of a formal education.  

No one in her family had ever completed primary or secondary school. Despite her challenging personal circumstances, Vicky completed her primary school education and went onto secondary school.  

The secondary school Vicky attended was a private school run by nuns and the impact this had on her led to Vicky becoming a nun herself in later life.  

In 2000, Vicky married her childhood friend in Cameroon and soon after, they moved to Southampton to embark on a new life.   

Having given birth to three children in Southampton, the family moved to the West Midlands in 2007. A year later, Vicky’s journey at the University of Wolverhampton began as she joined the Business Information Technology course.  

Vicky’s early days at University were a challenge and a far cry from her old life in a poor African village, where education was a luxury, and computers and a reliable internet service were a scarcity. 

It may have been a daunting feeling but that did not stop her from being determined to succeed. With regular support from her lecturers, Vicky went onto learn valuable IT skills and graduated in 2012 with a 2:1 Upper. Vicky ranks her graduation as one of the proudest moments of her life.  

Her journey with the University of Wolverhampton did not end as she worked in the Careers Department and later engaged with the SPEED business start-up programme, pursuing a newfound passion to become a motivational speaker having been encouraged by colleagues. She then went onto to win awards including Best Entrepreneur of the Year and best Volunteer of the Year. This was just the beginning of Vicky’s future success.  

It was also in 2016, Vicky found her voice as a singer and as a result of her success, she was invited by the English Speaking Music Association to teach social media music broadcasting, for which she was later certified for by the Cameroon Ministry of Art & Culture. 

Two years later in 2014, Vicky’s philanthropic pursuits gained momentum when she opened a library in her home city of Kumbo. At the time, Cameroon was embroiled in a civil war, but this did not stop Vicky and her quest to nourish a community’s appetite for learning, as she turned an abandoned building into a new library, filling it with books donated and shipped from the UK.  

In 2015, Vicky opened a second library in the city, resulting in the donation of thousands of books becoming available to those in need.  

Vicky’s charitable work in Cameroon did not stop there. She pioneered the establishment of a regional women’s football tournament, empowering women in sport. She oversaw the funding of the tournament and trophies, and in a testament to her success, the tournament is still a calendar fixture thriving to this day. 

For Vicky, music was always a gift, but one she did not truly express on a grand platform up until recent years. Through choir performances, online videos, and guest appearances, her reputation grew, along with demand for her voice. She has released numerous music videos, been listed on Spotify, and travelled extensively, singing in Canada, California, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Cameroon, and of course, in the UK.  

In 2022, Vicky was recognised by her community for both her philanthropic dedication and her musical prowess. The King of Nso (her community), knighted her as Yaah Wo Europe, which translates to Queen of Europe. This title appoints her as an ambassador of her King to all his people in Europe and sees her dedicate considerable time to support the communities.   

In September last year (2023), she was awarded a PhD in Humanitarian Works by the University of Florida in recognition for her contribution to the community.  

Sadly, Vicky was diagnosed with kidney failure in recent years and told she needed a kidney transplant to survive. However, Vicky was able to find a kidney donor and having also had dialysis treatment, she has gone onto make a full recovery.  

Vicky’s gratitude for the University, the NHS and the UK has been featured in her music videos and vlogs, citing thanks for her education, opportunities and happiness. 

This is the remarkable journey of an African girl who was never expected to complete primary school.  

Dr Yaa Vicky is a true champion of taking opportunities when they come.  

To find out more about graduate success, check out the Every Story Has a Start web page which showcases our exceptional alumni across the globe doing incredible things. High achievers from the worlds of literature, business, sport, film and the arts feature, sharing how their lives and careers have developed since their days studying with us.  

Anyone interested in courses at the University should register for one of our Open Days.