Her Story
About Korotoumou
I've been doing nonprofit work since I was a student, starting my first project back in 2021. I grew up in Ayama, Ivory Coast, in West Africa, during a time when the country was going through a civil war with very limited educational and technology resources. I never had access to a library or even a computer until I moved to the United States in 2013. When I got to experience all the resources available in my high school and university here, where I had access to so many books and could learn different digital skills that are so important nowadays and in the future, I decided to go back to my home community and provide resources to young people that I once dreamed of. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college and worked as a financial risk consultant for EY, a big four firm, which was definitely a big professional achievement for me. But in my nonprofit work, I was able to create the first ever multimedia library in our town as a student, and then used that project to form a nonprofit to create a second multimedia library in the largest public school in our town. Now the town has two fully equipped multimedia libraries out of its 633 schools for young people to have access to literacy, technology learning, and skill-building programs. My nonprofit is registered in the U.S. but does its implementation in Ivory Coast. I work with my team in Ivory Coast and with my board of directors who are based everywhere, in France, Zambia, and also in the U.S. On a day-to-day basis, I focus on looking at potential partnership opportunities and finding funding opportunities.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Korotoumou
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being true to myself and never forgetting where I come from. That's what still drives me to this day, especially in my nonprofit work. Being able to look back to where I was before and then be able to make an impact in the life of the next generation is what keeps me going. My personal experience of growing up without access to basic educational resources like libraries and computers, and then being able to experience those opportunities in the United States, inspired me to go back and provide those same resources to young people in my home community who I know are dreaming of the same things I once dreamed of.
02What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge I face is that my nonprofit is registered in the U.S. but does its implementation in Ivory Coast, which makes it very challenging in terms of finding funding and partnerships. Most of the work that we do involves tapping into networks that are mostly based in the U.S., but the proceeds go to folks in West Africa. It's very challenging sometimes trying to explain to potential donors or potential sponsors that even though this work is not directly impacting youth in the U.S., it's also impacting youth elsewhere who need it just as much, or sometimes even more, than some of the schools in the U.S. It's definitely been challenging to portray that.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me professionally are being true to yourself and never forgetting where you come from. That's what still drives me to this day, especially in my nonprofit work. Being able to look back to where I was before and then be able to make an impact in the life of the next generation is what matters most to me. My personal experience of growing up without access to educational resources and then having those opportunities in the United States shaped my commitment to giving back to my home community and providing young people with the resources I once dreamed of having.
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