Delay is Not Denial: Favour Mbata’s Story of Two Cohorts

Who was Favour Mbata before Semicolon?
Before Semicolon, nursing was all I knew. By the time I was nine years old, people were already calling me “aunty nurse” because I always took care of my siblings, who were rough while playing. I was happy with that dream for a while, but then I became scared of physics and chemistry, so I switched to the commercial class.

To save money for university, I worked in a winery for a year, and in 2019, I was admitted to study marketing. Everything seemed to be going as planned until I was scammed and lost all of my money just a few days before my clearance. I sank into depression and locked myself indoors for days. After recovering, I decided to defer my admission, and the following year, COVID happened.

Idle, I decided to learn a skill. I suggested tailoring, but a friend encouraged me to learn auxiliary nursing. I followed her advice, even though I was initially scared of needles. I worked at several hospitals, and in 2022, I tried changing jobs and working as a nanny, but that didn’t go well.

How did you discover tech and Semicolon?
When I returned to nursing, Benjamin, a friend I met on Facebook, told me about a program that was changing people’s lives. I immediately thought he was a scammer and didn’t want to fall victim again. Eventually, he convinced me and sent me a link to an info session. The next challenge was convincing my mom. I told her, “It’s a company that trains students for one year and gives them a job.” She took me to some mothers in the Lord, and they prayed for me. I traveled from Port Harcourt and arrived in Lagos at night.

What was the program like?
Everything seemed fine until my second month into the program. First, I was greeted with the news that my sister had given birth. The next day, I was told that my dad had passed away. From that moment, I had a mental block. I was grieving but couldn’t go home because if I did, I wouldn’t be able to return to the program. So, my father was buried in my absence.

My studies were badly affected. I was physically in class, but I couldn’t follow what was being taught. I tried, but I just couldn’t. At one point, I had to make a decision and moved to a lower cohort. The decision was strange to many, but it took a lot of pressure off me.

What was the reaction of the community?
I thought I would be stigmatized, but the Semicolon community surprised me. Even those in older cohorts cared about me more. They followed my progress and helped me financially. Someone even borrowed money from someone else to give to me.

How did your cohort members take it specifically?
At the class level, I was unofficially part of two cohorts. My first cohort (17) encouraged me and told me I would always be a part of them. During events, they always made sure I took pictures with them.

My new cohort (18) welcomed me warmly, even though I initially felt uncomfortable.

What would you cherish about the program?
The program gave me so much. One of the moments I cherish most was an event organized for International Women’s Day. After the talk, we had a breakout session where we had the opportunity to speak with women who wanted to mentor girls. That’s how I met Hilda, my mentor, who changed my life and treated me like a younger sister.

Was it worth it?
The program was worth it. It taught me that delay is not denial and that good things come to those who persevere. Today, all the sacrifices and setbacks have made me stronger. I know who I am now. Currently, I work as a front-end engineer for an outsourcing company called InnovarIdeas, and I’m proud of my journey thus far.