Becky Abraham, 27

Regional Director

Pathway International

Becky does not go with the tide, unless it is flowing to the direction she wants. At 27, she is not about to trade her philosophy for anything else.

In 2014, she walked into the offices of Pathway International, a US-based consultancy firm with operations in Nairobi, looking for internship. She had just finished college and the company had set up base in Nairobi.

“I was given three months to assess if I would love business intelligence work. After two months, a new love story started,” says the Master’s degree holder from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

She rose from a junior developer to a lead business intelligence analyst in six months.

"Passion has been my engine. I put my heart into everything I do. I believe that anything that comes easy is also lost easily."

Before long, she became project manager, and then was promoted to director of operations, a role that saw her execute consultancy works in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. When her boss left in June, she was again promoted to head Pathway International.

Becky has defied the common career path progression trend and the idea that for one to grow, one has to leave for another organisation.

“Passion has been my engine. I put my heart into everything I do. I believe that anything that comes easy is also lost easily,” she says.

Because of her experience, Becky believes in giving fresh graduates an opportunity. It is something she learnt from her predecessor, Joel Onditi.

“I always wanted to continue with that. Even when we train and others leave, we don’t feel bad. It just means we have been successful at raising good consultants,” she says.

Her advice to the young people is to invest their minds where their passion lies. This way, the line between work and fun will be blurred.

“Nothing will be handed to you. You have to give 110 per cent,” says Becky.

Away from work, she has teamed up with her sister to empower young girls in the village through career advice, boosting their self-esteem and also pays school fees for some.

— Patrick Alushula