My alumni story: Salihat Badamasuiy
Salihat came from Nigeria in 2017 to study for a Master's degree in Public Health, following in the footsteps of her uncle who completed his PhD at NTU. Salihat shares her story and describes her passion for improving lives through improvements to public health.
My Alumni Story: from Nigeria, to NTU and back as a public health practitioner and telecom regulator
I have always been drawn to anything health-related because of my mum who is a nurse. My undergraduate studies were on the Natural and Environmental Sciences, specifically focusing on environment and health. I was exposed to the many challenges within our health sector and was motivated and convinced that health is my passion.
My decision to study at NTU came about because the approach of study for MA Public Health at NTU. I was intrigued and curious to explore the topics involved in a Master's of Art rather than a Master's of Science.
As an international student, my experience was beautiful. I settled quickly as there were lots of international students which made me feel I was not far away from home. I absolutely loved NTU Global Lounge. It was a place to hang out between classes and meet lots of lovely new people. There were different activities all the time, which were often enlightening. My favourite was when the Maasai Cricket Warriors visited all the way from Kenya.
After graduating from NTU, I returned to Nigeria with so much optimism, hoping to get a good job and make a difference in the public health sector. I knew I'd been equipped with all the right tools to succeed from my degree. Unfortunately, it was really hard getting my first job. I applied to so many positions and spoke with professionals in the field about possible opportunities. At one stage I even reached out to World Health Organization in Nigeria but sadly there was no job vacancy.
To find a solution, I knew I had to think outside the box and create an opportunity for myself and others with like-minds so we could flourish and make a difference. It was not an easy journey and took me lots of research, networking, and soul searching, but then I came up with an idea to start a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) on Mental Health and Wellness Initiative. Shortly after the NGO incorporation, I got a call from the World Health Organisation with an offer to intern with them. I accepted this offer and went to Geneva for a few months.
The highlight of my career has been my experience at the World Health Organisation HQ in Switzerland. I worked with the Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives of Federal Republic of Nigeria for 4 years. The smiles on the faces of people the NGO helped a lot.
Fast forward to the present day, Salihat is busy in every area of her life, “Having a family, a NGO, and an 8am - 5pm job is very hectic, so I have to be very intentional about work-life balance”.
Thinking about the future Salihat said “I have a million and one thing I would love to achieve in the future, but the top on the list that I am most passionate and optimistic about is expanding my NGO to enable us reach wider audiences while achieving our set goals. This is because, the importance of good mental health cannot be overemphasized and yet; it is not given the attention needed.
“I would recommend NTU because I am a product of the prestigious institution. I already recommended my junior brother who will hopefully be joining NTU in 2024”.
Proud to be NTU
There's no better time to connect with the NTU alumni community. With more than a quarter of a million members, it reaches around the world and into every industry you can imagine. Whether you’re looking to find old friends, give something back, or want to take advantage of our range of alumni benefits, we’re still here for you.