“It’s time for all girls and women to get access to quality education so that they can get decent work and employment and give back to their communities by 2030.”

Eno Eka

2021 Top 30 Under 30

About

Age: 29

Hometown: Lagos, Nigeria

Current Residence: Calgary, Alberta

Organizations:

Women in Need Society
Calgary Region Immigrant Employment Council
Immigrant Services Calgary

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) I am most passionate about:

What inspired you to get involved in your community?

When I arrived to Canada in 2018, it was a struggle for me to find a decent professional job without having Canadian experience. Through my journey, I found that many immigrants were also struggling with finding decent employment, even with substantial education and qualifications. This inspired me to become more active in the immigrant community and to create spaces for immigrants to learn how to leverage their skills and experience to get decent work and provide for their families.

I am also passionate about helping women earn what they truly deserve in the corporate space because women struggle more with “imposter syndrome” and asking for the compensation they deserve.

How are you working towards the SDGs?

Using my skills and knowledge as a career coach and consultant, I volunteer with several immigrant and employment agencies in Calgary. I help new immigrants with writing their resumes and preparing for interviews. Through mentorship, I help them build their confidence as many immigrants tend to struggle after relocation with fitting into society.

There are less than 10 years left until the 2030 deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). What issue do you feel is important to address now more than ever?

Facing a global pandemic, it has really been even more of a struggle for newcomers to settle into new countries under lockdown restrictions as there are hiring freezes and less opportunities for one-on-one interactions. I hope that by 2030 there are better settlement programs for all immigrants and refugees around the world, that every girl, child, and woman can have access to quality education, and that everyone will be able to obtain decent work and employment without having to struggle. We need to create a fair and equal working environment for women in the workplace and ensure that women are given the same opportunities as men to lead organizations as C-suite executives.

Eno speaking at the Universal Women’s Network 2019 Women of Inspiration Awards after receiving a mentorship award for her work in creating a community for immigrants by helping them find decent employment after relocation.