My name is Jemima Afia Yartey and my journey on the Star Alternative Access Program has been nothing but a great opportunity for me. Last year, I applied for the Star Alternative Access Program and received an email saying I have been chosen to be part of the first cohort. I must confess that I was very excited because I was bored with staying home and doing nothing. I really didn’t know what my next steps after high school will be and I was getting frustrated due to the uncertainty surrounding my education and career. So at the orientation, I was very expectant that this opportunity will help me and the nine other ladies who were selected for this program to find our paths.

I remember that when the CEO of STAR Women took us through what the program entails, I said to myself that honestly speaking, this program is more like we have enrolled in a tertiary institution. When the program started, it was an intensive one. The core skills training aspect helped me build leadership, entrepreneurship and digital literacy skills. I also enjoyed the career clinics and and book digests. The training was tough but it was worth it. I have seen many changes in my life since I started the program. For example now, I am able to create my own CV, I can operate the computer on my own and I created my own vision board. I have become better at managing my time and stress levels. I have also become more emotionally intelligent and this is really helping me in my relationship with others.

The entrepreneurship module also encouraged me to think about starting a business. My most transformative part during the training was when Mama Jacqui reached out to me to talk to me about what I really wanted to do. She wanted to help me find a place for my apprenticeship but I told her I wanted to become a teacher and she did not hesitate to help me out by contacting some people who could connect me to a training center. After pulling a few strings, she informed about a training school for Montessori teachers and she motivated me to quickly go and pick up the forms at the school premises.

I was so happy when I heard that so I quickly did everything as required and finally I was enrolled in the school. Who would have thought that I will be in a Montessori training school that quick? Well, I am now a student doing my diploma course and looking forward to building a beautiful career in the field of education just like these flowers I made from one of our sessions. I have enjoyed the training so far and I do my assignments with so much joy and passion. I will always be grateful to STAR Women because they are a big part of my story and where I have reached so far.