au revoir I4G: hello new adventure

Dear you,

Throughout my journey, I have always been driven by a deep desire to build brands people aspire to work for - the kind of brands that leave a lasting impact and need no introduction. That's why I've never shied away from starting from scratch, pouring my heart and soul into projects that resonate with me, and collaborating with incredible teams to make magic happen. Simply put, I love building and catalyzing growth in companies. This passion has been evident in my work, whether it was serving almost a hundred clients at my Agency, building the Startup Grind Lagos community, or co-founding Disha (which eventually got acquired by Flutterwave), and Ingressive for Good (I4G).

On Day 1 at Ingressive For Good , all we had were just dreams. We definitely started from ground 0. I remember crafting the mission, the brand strategy, the pillars, the values, and what we wanted the nonprofit to be with Maya Horgan Famodu , Sean Burrowes , and Uwem U. .

I remember figuring out a way to show that we were part of the Ingressive family, but we had our own voice (and this was reflected in the brand identity Bolatito Akanbi and I created). I remember speaking with Haneefah Abdurrahman Lekki and being super clear on what our community was and what it was not, how we would serve them, the kind of programs we would offer, and the types of partnerships we would be part of. We knew what kind of transformation we wanted to be part of. We were clear on how we will communicate and never share "poverty porn" stories, only transformation stories. I remember being in a constant dance with Sean on what we would accept and what we would not. Every single second I spent on this "dream" since 2020 has been worth it.

We went from 0 to building a community of over 250,000 people organically (actually, the number is closer to 300,000), 53% of which are women. At the end of 2022, we had received 364,486 applications and trained 132,479 youths in tech, with participation from citizens of every single African country. 2,123 community members self-reported that they now have jobs and have experienced increased capacity and earning power. We provided access to tools, people, and opportunities that have helped our community members grow and even thrive.?

Our goal was to democratize access by leveraging tech as a tool, and I look back and can say that we've definitely made a huge stride in that regard. The mission was simple - increase the earning power of African youths by empowering them with tech skills, resources, and opportunities. We have done and will continue to do that. We have partnered with Global Organizations like Coursera, Meta, DataCamp, EntryLevel, MasterClass, Geneza, Zuri, Money Africa, and more to provide access to training for Africans. Google's Alphabet supported our mission by donating a six-figure sum to I4G. I am so humbled to have led and facilitated these global partnerships. We also figured out a way to help the ecosystem grow by connecting startups to our community, and it is so impressive how it all worked out with high-flying brands like Moniepoint, Mono, Mainstack, Prembly, Propel, SeamFix, CareerBuddy, and a host of others collaborating in symbiotic ways. What started as a dream with no record now has a track record:

1. Impact Report 2022
2. Impact Report 2020/2021
3. Beneficiary Impact Stories
4. Ingressive for Good Documentary
5. Highlights from I4G Documentary Premiere with US Consulate
6. Coursera's Feature on I4G + page 6 on Coursera’s Global Skills report
7. World Bank IFC Report on Women and Online Learning Featuring I4G
8. Highlights from I4G Annual Conference - HACKFEST 2022
9. DataCamp spotlight on I4G
10. I4G Abuja Hangout

I4G challenged me to explore new skills and challenge myself to do new things: Bola and I redesigned a whole website... I mean, I produced a whole documentary (with a lot of help, of course), but I can now add producer to my bio ??. We premiered that documentary with the US Consulate , which has opened doors for some of our beneficiaries. If you haven't seen the documentary, you absolutely should. You can watch it here . Super grateful to DeVaris Brown and Kenise Hill for making this happen. The stories were beautiful, giving color, faces, voices, and names to prove that lives can change and transformation is possible with democratized access. Thank you to every media platform that has told or amplified the I4G impact stories: BBC, TechCabal, Techpoint, Benjamin Dada, Ventures Africa, and every single platform… thank you.

I am truly humbled by the awards and recognition I have received for my work in Branding, Communications, and I4G; I have been recognized as one of the UN's Most Influential People of African Descent, YNaija 100 Most Powerful Youths in Nigeria, Forbes 30 Under 30, African Achievers Awards, Selar Top 100 Creators, Herconomy's Woman of the Year - Branding, UN Women Delegate, the list goes on... but the most significant award I have received is every single story from individuals whose lives have changed based on an encounter with companies I have been part of building and me.

Life is a constant balancing act, and it is essential to take time for self-care, share my learnings, and help others build. After much contemplation and self-reflection, I have decided to take a sabbatical from work. This sabbatical will allow me to step back, recharge, and explore new perspectives. Most importantly, it would give me a chance to share a lot that I have learned in the last couple of years I have worked. I have amassed so much knowledge in my career journey, and it would be a shame not to pass it all on. I want to die empty, and the only way I know how to do that is by passionately sharing all my work secrets with those interested in building too. During my time away, I plan to immerse myself in meaningful experiences, spend time with loved ones, and delve into personal passions that have taken a backseat. It's an exciting chapter in my life that will allow me to focus on my well-being, passions, and areas of personal development that I have neglected due to the demands of work.

I am truly humbled by the friendships I have formed and the relationships that will endure beyond my time at I4G. The memories we created, challenges we conquered, and milestones we celebrated will forever hold a special place in my heart. I want to express my gratitude to each and every one of you who has been a part of this incredible journey. Your unwavering support, encouragement, kindness, trust, and dedication have been instrumental in our success. Whether you were a team member, investor, partner, volunteer, beneficiary, community member, or friend, you played a vital role in shaping the fabric of I4G and its culture. I am immensely grateful for the connections we have formed and the amazing community we have built together for the African tech ecosystem. Thank you for mentioning our name in rooms we are not present and for fighting for us and the members of our community. Please don't stop. I may no longer be at Ingressive for Good, but the foundations and structures built over the last three years are strong enough to keep it running. While I will be stepping away from my professional responsibilities, please know that I have confidence in the incredible teams and individuals I have had the privilege to work with. They will continue to uphold the mission and ensure the continued success of the organization.

Change is inevitable, and it is through change that we grow, evolve, and discover our true potential. My personal mission to leave people, spaces, and environments better than I meet them has not changed in any way, but this sabbatical is an experiment, and as I always say, the goal of an experiment is not to be right but to discover. As such, I will spend some time discovering. My plan is simple: rest, travel, explore, and share. That's all I intend to do for the next 90 days. I don't believe we came to life to spend a huge chunk of it studying to prepare for the workforce and then working until our body is weak. I think life is also for living, and balance is important. I will enjoy life in my youth. I will live as hard as I work. It is possible. I know this because it is the life I want, and the life I want is possible.

So when you see me, please don't ask me “what's next?” you and I know that that's not the question. Whatever I do always has a genius touch and makes an impact. No matter what's next, I will thrive! I'm badass like that, and any organization or thing I choose to be part of building, you'll hear about it and see the results. So, what is a better question?

"Blessing, I know you are in rest mode; how can I contribute to it?"

Here are some tips to help guide your answer: buy me gifts, take me out to experiences, take me out for lunch, dinners, brunch, whatever involves food and drinks really. I am available for a limited number of paid speaking engagements and consultations. Share and register for my online courses and workshops when I finally release them. Collaborate with me on fun things. Brag about me when my name comes up in rooms I am not in. Invite me to parties, trips, concerts, experiences, and things that involve enjoyment.

Na where enjoyment dey you go dey see me now.

In the spirit of new experiences, I'm laying in bed on a work day, playing Lady Kay ?????? 's new poetry EP on repeat, and sending you all love. Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while you might miss it. This is how I have chosen to sign out this letter.

With Love,

Blessing Abeng