Chasing Possibility: My Path from Crisis to Cambridge | Elishamah Nyaba Ghany

I typically use the word Ecosystem when I talk about Open Dreams. It is, to me, this self-sustaining bubble of excellence: one that maintains its self-sufficiency and excellence because of the mutualistic relationship among its members.

My journey at Open Dreams has always been fueled by one more person who made me know “it’s possible”, even the wildest of dreams. 25 points in the Arts? Not a myth. Students at Stanford, Harvard, and Oxford? All easily found. You name the feat, and there is someone you can draw inspiration from. Like those who have inspired my journey, I now stand in those similar shoes at the University of Cambridge for my Master’s in Development Studies, as a Mastercard Foundation scholar, being the first Cameroonian to join the scholars program at Cambridge. I hope this could be your sign.

My academic path hasn’t been the smoothest. Like many students in the English-speaking part of the country, there was a point where I knew my dreams had to take a halt for my own safety. I was preparing for my GCE O-Levels when we were all told not to attend school anymore because systems in the country had to be fixed. Quickly, that morphed into kidnapping, dismemberment, and even killings. Risky, but I stayed and braved this to write my GCE O-Levels before moving to Yaoundé to continue my education. Sadly, not everyone back in my community had this opportunity, and many are still living with the consequences of these dark times.

After my GCE A-Level, I had never felt more overwhelmed. IRIC, EMIA, ENAM - you name them, I tried them. In that strive toward attaining my goals, I had to learn that you keep fighting to get what you want, even what you think you deserve. This is the value of resilience and tenacity that Open Dreams taught me. I launched into scholarship applications, got dozens of "Nos," and, like it is always said, got that one "Yes" that changed everything. I was now headed to the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, on a fully funded Mastercard Foundation Scholarship: one of the most transformative experiences of my life.

Lebanon is a really beautiful and unique country, but with its own complexities. No one really prepares you for how to study within such a context. I was blessed with a world-class education at the American University of Beirut; found a community within the Mastercard Foundation program; and enjoyed the culture, food, and picturesque nature this country had to offer. But against that backdrop, I also saw the reality of a debilitating economic crisis and burgeoning political tensions. Yet the OD ecosystem had shown me the right attitude to adopt in such a context. I learned what it actually means to show up each time and give back. It was, to me, an opportunity to find problems to solve and be part of the bright picture.

I had the opportunity to intern at the Center for Civic Engagement at AUB, managing volunteering and community projects for students on campus, ranging from education to nutrition and health. I had the privilege to collaborate on designing and delivering year-long college mentorship programs for underserved students in Lebanon, drawing inspiration from OD’s mentorship models I’ve benefited from. Engaging in this way hit close to home, having been impacted by the Anglophone crisis and having to leave my hometown to continue my education. I also got to work on research to support migrant domestic workers in Lebanon, and through that, was able to work with NGOs on migration issues.

Through the engagements at Open Dreams and the work I’ve done, I have developed a bigger interest in policy and social issues, and I am excited to continue with this mission at Cambridge. I want to push for more holistic developmental outcomes that tackle systems and seek to serve those who need them most. This is especially important within the contemporary context of finance and capitalism as I seek to understand how best they can be leveraged in the pursuit of sustainable development.

Cambridge sounds all fantastical, but like most achievements, the journey is not the most enticing. After a couple of “love letters”, Cambridge was the last application I heard from and the only one that did not tell me a “no” or partial “no” (partial funding). It was the one place that thought I was a perfect fit.

So, to you I say, never dismiss yourself from any opportunities. Don’t say no to yourself before the admissions team even has the chance to say no. Each time you do so, you actively engage in denying another dreamer from being inspired by your story. You break the chain in this ecosystem.

Your stories are worth sharing and worth hearing. Reopen that tab and give that opportunity a shot. I hope to welcome you as a Cantab next year. - Elishamah Nyaba Ghany