My Fulbright Year: From Harlem, New York to Kampala, Uganda

3rd National Market Women Entrepreneurs Symposium

Informal Sector Economy in Uganda: Celebrating the Power of Resilience of Women in Markets

It was a real hot girl Summer in July and I was taking my lunch break. The sun was sweltering against my back as I maneuvered my way from 43rd and 6th to 23rd and 7th. I covered 20 blocks in less than 15 minutes bypassing New York City tourists that seemed to come in droves, especially during the Summer months. As a native New Yorker, their slow nonchalant way of walking irritated my soul. “Excuse me!”. When I finally made it back to work, I realized I had gone an hour over my break. Taking a deep breath, I swiped into the building and beelined straight to the ladies room. I looked at the mirror and took a good look at myself; a look deeper than what my reflection offered. My eyes told stories of a young woman who was anxious and dissatisfied with certain aspects of her life. I knew it was time for a change. I knew the time was now. I pulled out my cell phone and messaged my mentor, “SOS! CZERNY, I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE!!!”.

Czerny has been my mentor and friend since my arrival at Bates in 2009. That night, our conversation spanned several hours as I vented my frustrations of my work environment and feeling stagnant. As usual, Czerny listened patiently giving me the time and space to work through my feelings. “Linda, have you ever considered applying for a Fulbright Fellowship?” And with that question began a cascade of events that eventually led me to Kampala, Uganda. 

The decision to quit my job was a difficult one. Self doubt, fear of failure, fear of judgement and societal expectations tightened its grip around my lungs making it hard for me to breathe or even think straight. I was drowning in fear. What if I applied for the scholarship and didn’t get it? What if I quit my job and couldn’t find anything better? For the past five years, I worked at a British financial publisher in NYC where I earned a decent salary, traveled across the world, and got promoted from a trainee to a senior level position where I led and collaborated with teams in Europe, Asia and the Americas. From the outside looking in, I had the perfect job. Friends and acquaintances on social media periodically made coveted comments on my perfectly curated Instagram feed. But I was far from happy. Why? Because despite the amount of time and level of effort I put into my work, I did not feel appreciated. Because I felt invisible among a senior group of men who fought more for their egos. Because I was tired of being in an environment where people rarely took responsibility for their actions. Because I felt voiceless in a space where you are encouraged to accept the bare minimum and be appreciative for what you have. Because I had to constantly prove my worth be it for a promotion, or a salary raise. Because all my life I put the needs of others before my own to the point where I lost a part of myself. Don’t get me wrong, I worked with some great people and built strong relationships. However, my work environment dimmed my light. After five years of working in financial publishing I felt it was time for a major shift in my life. I knew I had to jump or drown forever. I jumped.

Fulbright Orientation at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois

Almost a year after my conversation with Czerny, I accepted a Fulbright fellowship to Uganda. The application process was intensive but I was determined to make my way back to the Motherland. As a Ghanaian and a daughter of a market woman who operated and scaled her own business, my love for Africa’s cultures and women’s involvement in economic growth drives my determination to absorb knowledge on different African countries. The goal is to acquire the skills to effectively create policies and structures to financially empower and encourage African women entrepreneurs, especially as more people in the global market turn their attention towards Africa. Prior to working in financial publishing, I successfully developed a women’s workshop that took me to Morocco. From Morocco, I traveled to South Africa where I designed a research study to examine the dichotomies on how South African women negotiated safe sex in KawZulu Natal. Lastly, I spent a year in India to challenge myself in experiencing a culture vastly different from my own. A common thread that weaves together the framework of my travels within the African continent and beyond is that I engaged in cross-cultural and bidirectional learning and sought to understand the women, their place in society, dreams, needs and realities. When the fear of quitting my job catapulted to the forefront of my mind, I thought of all the fearless and brave women I’ve met in my travels. I thought of my mom and how she ran her market stand in Accra even when times were hard. Living life from a place of fear was not an option. Turning inward, I drew upon the strength of the women around me and reached for my next destination, Kampala, Uganda.

I applied to do my Fulbright Fellowship in Uganda to learn about Ugandan women entrepreneurs’ access to investment opportunities. Over the years, women in Uganda have made great strides and served as a catalyst for economic growth in East Africa, and the continent at large. When I deplaned in Kampala, a sense of renewal washed over me and I knew I made the right decision. There is a magic and a sense of purpose that seeps into my body when I walk on African soil. This is home for the next year. I look forward to forming genuine relationships with my newfound friends while once again engaging in cross-cultural learning about the nuances of being a female entrepreneur in East Africa. I invite you to come on this journey with me. I will keep this blog updated to the best of my abilities. You may subscribe to my newsletters so you get a notification whenever I post a new blog.

Until next time, remember, great things happen when you step out of your comfort zone. I’m definitely stepping out of mine.

Linda Emefa

Taking a moment to toast to the start of my Fulbright Fellowship in Uganda. Drinking Nile Beer, a locally brewed Ugandan beer.

Me and a woman entrepreneur at Owino market

Woman weaves carpets for small business in Kampala