BIXO Academy is a subsidiary of a US-registered company, BIXO LLC, which runs with a vision enshrined in quality education and empowering women and girls. The organisation seeks to close the knowledge gap through training and workshops to help young women and girls achieve their desired future. Pamela Fusi, the founder of BIXO Academy, tells AMAKA how her organisation helps young Africans and disadvantaged people to upskill and get better employment. The company has provided training in more than ten African universities.
Cameroonian entrepreneur Pamela Fusi's journey into business started as a young school girl, helping run a school owned by her grandmother, where she assisted in accounting, marketing, and other activities. Fusi said seeing a woman lead such a big project was inspiring.
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Pamela proceeded to the University of Buea Cameroon to study Banking and Finance. To support her studies, she would buy things from one town and sell them at nearby markets in the town she was based.
She also worked for a bank in Douala, but her salary was meagre and could only cover transportation costs until her uncle introduced her to a billionaire for a job. However, instead of offering her a job, he gave her 20,000 francs.
Fusi used this gift to buy hair from someone who had just returned from America. Interestingly, she sold it all that day. In no time, She was making more from this new business than what she was earning from her banking job.
"If people understand the value of what you are producing, paying for it won't be a problem," Fusi said.
In establishing BIXO Academy, Fusi teamed up with co-founder Wassa Lombe Inoni, her classmate in Cameroon. Inoni later moved abroad to study Civil engineering at the University of Bolton and earn a Master's from Coventry University, UK.
Inoni's knack for entrepreneurship began at 14 when she started selling shoes, bags, hair, and cosmetics. She was also inspired to delve into business by her grandmother.
While in North Carolina, Inoni reignited her friendship with Fusi, although it started with a spiritual focus with the ladies praying together. The friendship later metamorphosed as the two friends ran a cosmetic business together. However, they discontinued the business due to lack of funds to build the brand.
The inspiration behind BIXO Academy
The difficulty in getting skilled and well-trained workers in Cameroon inspired the establishment of BIXO Academy. Co-founder Inoni says the lack of trained workers was a concern. She stated that they couldn't find experienced hands to help with the production process while producing shea butter and other conditioners.
Fusi, who had all her education in Cameroon, lamented that the educational system emphasises theory at the expense of hands-on experience. She revealed that during a visit to a university in Cameroon, she discovered that many students didn't even know what an email address was.
The entrepreneur said it was unfortunate that many undergraduates in many African countries cannot even switch on computers. She said most students watch movies and share games during computer lessons.
"It Is difficult to get people who have the right skills even when we're ready to pay a premium. Most clients also face the same problem with their workforce,"
Fusi said BIXO Academy aims to change this narrative in Cameroon by providing training and workshops for young people.
Challenges in giving back to society
Highlighting some of the challenges BIXO Academy faces while giving back to society, Fusi noted three points, one of which is understanding the level of education to provide. Although all schools in Cameroon are required to include tech in their curriculum, they barely scratch the surface.
"Tech is diverse and could be hard to niche-down to exactly what people want, but the whole goal of education is to get you to a point where you are independent and can solve problems," she said.
"Most employers prize commercial awareness or business acumen"
Fusi also mentioned that working with school administrators can be complicated as it involves many negotiations and synchronisation. Furthermore, the Anglophone crisis in some regions of Cameroon is a security risk for team members.
The top skill desired by employers
The majority of employers prize commercial awareness or business acumen. It combines knowledge, skills, and the ability to bring qualitative results to an organisation. This skill involves understanding how a business or industry works and what makes a company tick or earn revenue. It shows you know what the organisation wants to achieve through its products and services and how it competes in its marketplace.
Factors responsible for the high unemployment rate in Africa
Data from UNESCO shows that Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of out-of-school children. Fusi believes this issue remains a problem for education in Africa.
"Everyone wants to hire highly-skilled persons. The endemic corruption in Africa is another factor. If only we had better governance, resources would be allocated to the right projects," Fusi said.
Lending a voice, co-founder Inoni explained that the archaic way of thinking and being content with mediocrity is a major factor. She added that most Africans run away from digitalisation because they want to avoid the accountability it comes with.
"The companies in Cameroon need to do better in terms of operation and how they invest in their communities for them to attract better talent," she said.
How BIXO Academy has helped young girls live their dreams
The BIXO Academy has played a critical role in training young men and women. Fusi said out of the 13 people in her organisation, about 6 are women, some of whom are in top managerial positions. She explained that women in the organisation bring girls closer, showing them they can have leadership positions and that tech is not only for boys. BIXO Academy brings women who excel in banking, insurance, and other fields to speak to young girls so they can inspire them.
Inoni, on her part, said out of the three women that founded BIXO Academy, two were under 30 when they started. The techpreneur said she and her team members spend time with girls to discuss issues that affect them. There is even a program specifically designed for women, BIXO Tribes, which helps young girls understand life's struggles and encourages them to strike a balance between their careers and family life.