Daily Inspiration: Meet Benedicta Apuamah

Today we’d like to introduce you to Benedicta Apuamah.

Hi Benedicta , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If I’m being honest, at the beginning, I was mostly concerned about passing my exams as a pharmacy student and graduating with good grades. I knew I wanted to excel academically. But even then, I had a quiet “knowing” that I wanted more than the usual path, I just didn’t know what that “more” was.

Everything shifted in my final year when I attended a conference where I was introduced to community development projects and the idea that young people could actively contribute to social change. That was the spark. For the first time, I saw a pathway that connected my education to something larger than myself.

Growing up shaped that awakening. I was born and raised in a peri-urban community in Obiaruku and later attended an all-girls high school in Warri, Delta State. I had seen firsthand how limited opportunities, misaligned priorities, and systemic gaps affected girls and young women. I carried a lot of frustration, even anger about the conditions many of us accepted as normal.

At some point, I made a decision: instead of letting that frustration sit inside me, I would put it to good use.

That decision led me to start Girls for Development Goals Foundation (formerly Girls Health & Education Foundation) in 2016. What began as small menstrual health outreaches and school conversations gradually evolved into structured programs focused on menstrual health education, sustainable solutions, digital skills, and youth empowerment. Over time, I realized that menstrual health was not just about hygiene, it was about dignity, climate justice, education continuity, and economic equity.

My journey has grown from local school visits in Delta State to engaging in global health conversations and policy spaces. But at its core, the work is still rooted in that same determination: to transform frustration into action, and to ensure that where a girl is born does not determine the limits of her future.

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?
No, it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road.

In fact, a huge part of my early journey – the uncertainty, the risks, and the lessons, is documented in my debut book, Biking Through Africa & Beyond (https://www.amazon.com/Biking-Through-Africa-Beyond-Journey/dp/9786965744), and its follow-up workbook (https://www.amazon.com/Biking-Through-Africa-Beyond-Workbook/dp/9786965736). In those pages, I invite others into building their own community leadership journeys because I truly believe communities are the smallest unit of society. When change takes root there, it is only a matter of time before the wider society shifts positively.

One of the biggest challenges was access to funding. In the early days, resources were limited, and many of the trips, trainings, and capacity-building opportunities I pursued were self-financed. I had to learn on the go — writing proposals, designing programs, measuring impact — often without formal mentorship or institutional backing.

My first real break came through ONE Campaign (one.org). They gave me exposure, advocacy training, and opportunities to engage internationally. In 2017, I represented the Africa office at the ONE Youth Summit in Brussels, gaining hands-on experience in global advocacy and networking with other changemakers. Their support has continued: in 2025, they recommended me to be on a panel in Berlin to launch the UNFPA 2025 State of the World Population Report, connecting my grassroots work to global policy spaces.

Another challenge was visibility. Topics like menstruation and period poverty were not receiving the attention they deserved. Conversations around menstrual health were often uncomfortable or dismissed. Working at the intersection of menstrual health, climate change, and health equity was even more niche, and there were few roadmaps to follow.

Gradually, the work began to open doors.

I was awarded two Master’s scholarships that significantly strengthened my capacity for impact — one from H.E. Ban Ki-moon through the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens in Vienna, and another through the One World Scholarship by the Afro-Asiatisches Institut in Salzburg. I pursued my Master’s degree in International Health & Social Management at MCI – The Entrepreneurial School® in Innsbruck, Austria, where I deepened my understanding of global health systems, social innovation, and sustainable development leadership.

Although I am now based in Austria, my heart remains deeply connected to Nigeria. Over the past year, I spoke at the 2025 Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) conference hosted by the University of Nairobi and the UN Office at Nairobi, presenting on the intersection of menstrual health, climate change, and the global plastics treaty. More recently, we signed an MOU with The Cup Foundation to reach 800 women and girls in Delta and Kebbi States with menstrual cups, training, and structured research that contributes meaningful data to the broader field.

The journey hasn’t been easy but each obstacle built resilience, clarity, and conviction. Today, I feel better positioned than ever to bridge global frameworks and policy agendas with grassroots realities. And from where I stand, it can only get better from here.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In addition to my grassroots work and my book, I serve as a Project Manager with Ulysseus, a European University Alliance, at my alma mater, MCI – The Entrepreneurial School® in Innsbruck, Austria. My role focuses on supporting student mobility programs across multiple European partner universities, helping students navigate academic, cultural, and digital learning experiences while fostering cross-university collaboration.

I specialize in designing and managing blended intensive programs, developing digital learning modules on platforms like Moodle, and implementing innovative tools like digital badges to recognize student participation and achievement. I’ve also contributed to Erasmus Mundus funding applications, co-designed teacher handbooks for Collaborative Online International Learning, and built data frameworks to measure the impact of student mobility programs. Essentially, I help ensure that international academic programs run smoothly, inclusively, and meaningfully – making sure students gain both intercultural skills and practical experience.

What I’m most proud of is the impact these programs have on students – seeing them gain confidence, develop leadership skills, and form meaningful connections across countries. What sets me apart is that I bring a unique combination of grassroots community experience, global advocacy, and hands-on project management, connecting real-world social impact with structured academic programs. It’s this blend that allows me to see both the big picture and the small, crucial details that make programs succeed.

If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
The quality that has been most important to my success is resilience – the ability to keep going, come what may. Coupled with a can-do spirit and a deep faith in God, it has allowed me to navigate obstacles, take risks, and keep pursuing my vision even when resources, recognition, or guidance were scarce.

Whether it was building Girls for Development Goals Foundation from the ground up, advocating for menstrual health in communities where it wasn’t widely discussed, or managing complex international programs at Ulysseus, resilience has been the thread that keeps me moving forward. It’s not about never facing challenges – it’s about believing in the purpose of your work, trusting that every effort counts, and refusing to give up when the path gets tough.

Pricing:

• not sure if this is relevant but my book goes for 25USD and the workbook is 15USD

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.benedictaapuamah.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benedictauweru/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/benedicta.uweru/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benedicta-apuamah-0b3984106/
• Twitter: https://x.com/BennyYem
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenedictaApuamah

Image Credits
Girls for Development Goals Foundation
Geneva Health Forum