Farida Bedwei: Defying Disability to Become an African Tech Genius
Farida Bedwei is a software engineer of remarkable standing. She is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Logiciel, a Ghanaian software company that develops technology solutions which promote financial inclusion for the unbanked. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at a young age, Farida is a well-known disability- rights advocate and has been featured widely in global media, including CNN African Voices. She has been recognised with a number of awards and was named one of the most influential women in business and finance in Ghana.
Farida was born in Lagos, Nigeria. She spent her early childhood days in Dominica, Grenada and the UK. Her family moved to Ghana when she was 9 years old.
With sheer determination and belief, the 36-year-old, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of ten from Rhesus incompatibility of her parents and was home schooled by her mother until she was 12, has risen to become one of the most influential women in financial technology in Africa. Cerebral palsy is a neurological disorder that causes physical disability, mainly in the areas of body movement. Although it does not obstruct the ability to learn, it is not curable.
Bedwei had her first job, 14 years ago, as an administrative assistant, but she did not let her disorder falter her ambition. The Chief Technology Officer of Logiciel, a Ghana-based innovative technology and services company, Bedwei, has been one of the key players in the financial inclusion initiative in Ghana, where only percent of adults over 15 years have accounts at a formal financial institution. The financial services platforms by her company boast of over 400,000 users and executes more than 500,000 transactions per month.
The software engineer has lived without being able to move her body freely all her life, yet she made the best out of utilising her skills and knowledge to make an impact.
She has a novel titled: Definition of a Miracle. She has also created a platform that allows small scale loans within Ghana. She has also received a few well deserved awards.
She was recently featured on CNN’s African Voices, where she shared five ways to get the best out of life.