Local Stories
Today we’d like to introduce you to Olasumbo Ogunsola
Hi Olasumbo, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?I grew up in South Africa, where I witnessed firsthand what happens when brilliant young people have nowhere to put their talent. When I moved to America, I was given an opportunity that I did not earn alone, and for years I carried that weight with me. Then I spent time in Sagamu, Ogun State, Nigeria, and I saw the same thing all over again: young adults who were smarter than me, more hardworking, more deserving, locked out of pathways that should have been open to them.What broke my heart, what still breaks my heart, is that Africa has the largest youth population on the planet, and yet we are not giving them the tools to change their own lives. I remember sitting in church one day and feeling that God was asking me a question: if you survived that world, if you made it out, what are you going to do about the ones who are still there? That question changed everything.I decided to start Born Rising Achievers because I believe that talent should never be determined by circumstance. I wanted to build the door I wish had existed for me and for millions of young Africans like me. Through our data analytics program, we are not just teaching skills, we are unlocking economic power and giving young people the chance to transform not just their own lives, but their families and their communities. That is my calling, and it is why I do this work.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?Absolutely not. When I first started, I was operating from a place of pure charity mentality. I thought nonprofit meant you were not supposed to think about money, that asking for funds was somehow betraying the mission. My first year, I raised about three thousand dollars through GoFundMe from friends and family. I remember thinking that was enough. We started by sponsoring three scholars to university in Nigeria, one in medical school, one in accounting, one in business administration. I felt like I was making a difference.But then I realized something painful: people do not care about struggling students in African countries. They care about what it can do for them, what value it creates, whether it drives economic growth or industry innovation. That was a hard lesson, but it changed everything.I had to redefine myself. I had to stop thinking like a charity worker and start thinking like a builder. I had to understand that money does not come from thin air, and if I wanted to truly empower these young people, I needed to create a sustainable model. So we pivoted. We evolved from sponsoring individual students to building a data analytics program that positions our scholars as affordable, vetted talent for employers who desperately need them. Now we have twelve scholars who completed our program. We have partnerships with organizations from Nigeria to America. We built something that works because it creates value for everyone, not just the people we serve.The struggle was not about the hard work. It was about letting go of the guilt around building something that had to be sustainable, that had to generate revenue, that had to think like a business while staying rooted in our mission to keep young Africans home and thriving.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Born Rising Achievers?Born Rising Achievers is a data analytics talent marketplace. We identify, train, and place young professionals from underserved African communities with employers who need skilled analysts.Here is how we work: We receive hundreds of applications and select a small cohort through three rounds of interviews. Our twelve-month program combines six months of technical training in Excel, SQL, Python, and Power BI through DataCamp, plus six months of paid employment with real companies. Every scholar graduates with industry certifications and a professional portfolio.What sets us apart is that our scholars arrive job-ready with zero onboarding needed. Employers receive vetted professionals who have already proven they can perform. Born Rising Achievers serves as the employer of record during placement, handling all payroll and HR. This is a risk-free trial for companies.Our first cohort of twelve scholars were selected from one hundred and forty-four applicants and completed over thirteen hundred hours of training. Two have already been retained by our partner Meet Off Screen, and placements are underway across Nigeria and internationally.Right now we are building Cohort Two and we need your support. We are looking for financial sponsors to fund scholarships, corporate partners for placements, mentors for scholars, and volunteers to help us grow through social media and events. If you believe in African youth building careers in their own countries, there is a place for you in this work.
How do you think about happiness?What makes me happy is when hard work meets opportunity. That is my formula for success, and I am obsessed with creating the opportunity side of that equation.I am happiest when I am inspiring people to see their full potential and to think outside of the box. When someone walks into a room thinking they are limited and walks out knowing they can build something extraordinary, that is when I feel most alive. My faith tells me that potential without a door is a tragedy, and my life’s work is to build those doors.What truly makes me happy is giving back to people who do not have the funds, the means, or the opportunity to become successful on their own. I grew up in Sagamu and I saw what happens when brilliance has nowhere to go. Every scholar I lift is the version of me that almost did not make it. When I see a young person discover that they are capable of more than they ever imagined, when they realize that their zip code does not determine their destiny, when they understand that Africa is where they build their future instead of running from it, that is what makes me happy.I call myself someone who builds doors because that is exactly what I do. I see potential everywhere in African youth. They just need someone to believe in them and to create a space where their hard work can actually lead somewhere. The moment that formula clicks for someone is pure joy for me.
- Website:https://www.bornrisingachievers.org/
- LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/company/born-rising-achievers
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