
I thought very nervous so but you guys are friends so forgive me if I am a bit
are friends so forgive me if I am a bit
are friends so forgive me if I am a bit slope here’s one thing I know for sure
slope here’s one thing I know for sure
slope here’s one thing I know for sure that every mother deserves a chance to
that every mother deserves a chance to
that every mother deserves a chance to watch her kid grow it has been the facts
watch her kid grow it has been the facts
watch her kid grow it has been the facts that has sort of pushed me in the
that has sort of pushed me in the
that has sort of pushed me in the direction of what I do today and I
direction of what I do today and I
direction of what I do today and I really believe that birth the process of
really believe that birth the process of
really believe that birth the process of giving birth and of raising children
giving birth and of raising children
giving birth and of raising children should be a happy event for a mother and
should be a happy event for a mother and
should be a happy event for a mother and the idea that thousands and thousands of
the idea that thousands and thousands of
the idea that thousands and thousands of women in our continent do not get the
women in our continent do not get the
women in our continent do not get the chance to watch their children grow
chance to watch their children grow
chance to watch their children grow affects me in a deep way it is a
affects me in a deep way it is a
affects me in a deep way it is a personal thing it’s almost like a
personal thing it’s almost like a
personal thing it’s almost like a personal affront I don’t know where it
personal affront I don’t know where it
personal affront I don’t know where it comes from but I’m going to try to make
comes from but I’m going to try to make
comes from but I’m going to try to make sense of it through this talk today
sense of it through this talk today
sense of it through this talk today nothing about where I was born could
nothing about where I was born could
nothing about where I was born could have predicted that I will be in front
have predicted that I will be in front
have predicted that I will be in front of you today to tell you this story i
of you today to tell you this story i
of you today to tell you this story i was born in a very small southwestern
was born in a very small southwestern
was born in a very small southwestern city town actually in nigeria it’s
city town actually in nigeria it’s
city town actually in nigeria it’s called alar ago even Nigerians don’t
called alar ago even Nigerians don’t
called alar ago even Nigerians don’t know about it hahaha so I was born in
know about it hahaha so I was born in
know about it hahaha so I was born in Ellora goo and raised by two teachers
Ellora goo and raised by two teachers
Ellora goo and raised by two teachers the fact of their life was that they
the fact of their life was that they
the fact of their life was that they needed to ensure that your children were
needed to ensure that your children were
needed to ensure that your children were educated probably like all your parents
educated probably like all your parents
educated probably like all your parents they worked so hard they gave up so much
they worked so hard they gave up so much
they worked so hard they gave up so much sometimes they even gave up their
sometimes they even gave up their
sometimes they even gave up their personal dignity just to ensure that
personal dignity just to ensure that
personal dignity just to ensure that these children they had were well
these children they had were well
these children they had were well educated when I was about 14 and a
educated when I was about 14 and a
educated when I was about 14 and a series of a pee accident sort of brings
series of a pee accident sort of brings
series of a pee accident sort of brings me here
me here
me here today the first accident of my life was
today the first accident of my life was
today the first accident of my life was that I was born and raised by such
that I was born and raised by such
that I was born and raised by such amazing people the second was when I was
amazing people the second was when I was
amazing people the second was when I was 14 my mother literally won the lottery
14 my mother literally won the lottery
14 my mother literally won the lottery they put so the earliest days had this
they put so the earliest days had this
they put so the earliest days had this program when you put a bunch of names
program when you put a bunch of names
program when you put a bunch of names together and then they pick one and they
together and then they pick one and they
together and then they pick one and they give you a green card and an opportunity
give you a green card and an opportunity
give you a green card and an opportunity to bring your family to the United
to bring your family to the United
to bring your family to the United States my mother want that and that gave
States my mother want that and that gave
States my mother want that and that gave me an opportunity to get educated and so
me an opportunity to get educated and so
me an opportunity to get educated and so sort of know more about the world sign
sort of know more about the world sign
sort of know more about the world sign lived in the US I went to high school I
lived in the US I went to high school I
lived in the US I went to high school I went to college I went to graduate
went to college I went to graduate
went to college I went to graduate school and I really really enjoyed my
school and I really really enjoyed my
school and I really really enjoyed my time and then there was what i called
time and then there was what i called
time and then there was what i called the dark years like almost like quite a
the dark years like almost like quite a
the dark years like almost like quite a lot of first-generation african children
lot of first-generation african children
lot of first-generation african children in the west and in know where my place
in the west and in know where my place
in the west and in know where my place was in the world I didn’t know if I was
was in the world I didn’t know if I was
was in the world I didn’t know if I was Nigerian I know if I was American in a
Nigerian I know if I was American in a
Nigerian I know if I was American in a way I should leave while I grow up what
way I should leave while I grow up what
way I should leave while I grow up what walk I should do so there was about two
walk I should do so there was about two
walk I should do so there was about two years of me just struggling seriously
years of me just struggling seriously
years of me just struggling seriously about my place in the world I found
about my place in the world I found
about my place in the world I found Nelson Mandela’s autobiography and what
Nelson Mandela’s autobiography and what
Nelson Mandela’s autobiography and what I got from nelson mandela’s life was a
I got from nelson mandela’s life was a
I got from nelson mandela’s life was a sense of duty to your community and to
sense of duty to your community and to
sense of duty to your community and to your people and that um duty is not easy
your people and that um duty is not easy
your people and that um duty is not easy it doesn’t look like a superhero movie
it doesn’t look like a superhero movie
it doesn’t look like a superhero movie where you found out you’re supposed to
where you found out you’re supposed to
where you found out you’re supposed to do something and then you do it and
do something and then you do it and
do something and then you do it and everyone claps for you and it’s perfect
everyone claps for you and it’s perfect
everyone claps for you and it’s perfect I love those movies but that the sense
I love those movies but that the sense
I love those movies but that the sense of work what it takes to actually bring
of work what it takes to actually bring
of work what it takes to actually bring your vision to reality is work and it’s
your vision to reality is work and it’s
your vision to reality is work and it’s hard hard work its work emotionally it’s
hard hard work its work emotionally it’s
hard hard work its work emotionally it’s work financially it’s work physically
work financially it’s work physically
work financially it’s work physically and that it just takes a lot so I needed
and that it just takes a lot so I needed
and that it just takes a lot so I needed that I needed to do something called my
that I needed to do something called my
that I needed to do something called my duty but what’s it my duty so I shall a
duty but what’s it my duty so I shall a
duty but what’s it my duty so I shall a traveling I got an opportunity to work
traveling I got an opportunity to work
traveling I got an opportunity to work in northern Nigeria so I stayed between
in northern Nigeria so I stayed between
in northern Nigeria so I stayed between Abuja Connick kaduna in jigawa so I was
Abuja Connick kaduna in jigawa so I was
Abuja Connick kaduna in jigawa so I was just traveling around
just traveling around
just traveling around that part of the world and the next
that part of the world and the next
that part of the world and the next accident of my life happened there in a
accident of my life happened there in a
accident of my life happened there in a small town in southwestern Cano I met a
small town in southwestern Cano I met a
small town in southwestern Cano I met a young girl called Aisha now Aisha when I
young girl called Aisha now Aisha when I
young girl called Aisha now Aisha when I met her was in labor and she had been in
met her was in labor and she had been in
met her was in labor and she had been in libel as they told us for three days so
libel as they told us for three days so
libel as they told us for three days so what’s interesting about Aisha story was
what’s interesting about Aisha story was
what’s interesting about Aisha story was not that there’s a high maternal
not that there’s a high maternal
not that there’s a high maternal maternal mortality rates in Nigeria
maternal mortality rates in Nigeria
maternal mortality rates in Nigeria 54,000 women died every year in
54,000 women died every year in
54,000 women died every year in childbirth at a time so that was not
childbirth at a time so that was not
childbirth at a time so that was not interested that I’ve had the fact that
interested that I’ve had the fact that
interested that I’ve had the fact that aieshia was going to be one of the sacks
aieshia was going to be one of the sacks
aieshia was going to be one of the sacks statistics one of those women who died
statistics one of those women who died
statistics one of those women who died was not what was most interesting about
was not what was most interesting about
was not what was most interesting about our story what was most interesting was
our story what was most interesting was
our story what was most interesting was that she wasn’t a victim she wasn’t a
that she wasn’t a victim she wasn’t a
that she wasn’t a victim she wasn’t a victim she was waiting for someone to
victim she was waiting for someone to
victim she was waiting for someone to help she was helping herself she was
help she was helping herself she was
help she was helping herself she was struggling she held on in pain as a
struggling she held on in pain as a
struggling she held on in pain as a mother myself I know she she held on for
mother myself I know she she held on for
mother myself I know she she held on for three days just waiting she was waiting
three days just waiting she was waiting
three days just waiting she was waiting for someone to come and help to just
for someone to come and help to just
for someone to come and help to just give her a hand and create the
give her a hand and create the
give her a hand and create the infrastructure she needed to get a
infrastructure she needed to get a
infrastructure she needed to get a simple surgery that would save her life
halftime a Aisha she’s achieved
halftime a Aisha she’s achieved thankfully but a lot of times when you
thankfully but a lot of times when you
thankfully but a lot of times when you have these talks like this you will the
have these talks like this you will the
have these talks like this you will the person would say time a Aisha I went
person would say time a Aisha I went
person would say time a Aisha I went back to the continent i Bude enemies and
back to the continent i Bude enemies and
back to the continent i Bude enemies and health system I saved 1 million people
health system I saved 1 million people
health system I saved 1 million people and everything was great but that’s not
and everything was great but that’s not
and everything was great but that’s not what happened for me I didn’t want this
what happened for me I didn’t want this
what happened for me I didn’t want this work I didn’t want to do it and what I
work I didn’t want to do it and what I
work I didn’t want to do it and what I found out was that your story only
found out was that your story only
found out was that your story only actually makes sense in and inside that
actually makes sense in and inside that
actually makes sense in and inside that it’s not a linear thing that sometimes
it’s not a linear thing that sometimes
it’s not a linear thing that sometimes you go back sometimes you go forward
you go back sometimes you go forward
you go back sometimes you go forward sometimes it will pause take a
sometimes it will pause take a
sometimes it will pause take a roundabout to come back to what your
roundabout to come back to what your
roundabout to come back to what your vision and what your life’s work is such
vision and what your life’s work is such
vision and what your life’s work is such how would I went to Geneva lived there
how would I went to Geneva lived there
how would I went to Geneva lived there for a while East Africa I
for a while East Africa I
for a while East Africa I how would I childhood to me I was
how would I childhood to me I was
how would I childhood to me I was waiting something something else needed
waiting something something else needed
waiting something something else needed to happen to push me to do this work and
to happen to push me to do this work and
to happen to push me to do this work and I need as a sort of fine if personal
I need as a sort of fine if personal
I need as a sort of fine if personal affinity to the work that I feel like I
affinity to the work that I feel like I
affinity to the work that I feel like I have been called to do and then I became
have been called to do and then I became
have been called to do and then I became a mother myself so try this process it
a mother myself so try this process it
a mother myself so try this process it was extremely difficult I had a very
was extremely difficult I had a very
was extremely difficult I had a very long label I almost died my child almost
long label I almost died my child almost
long label I almost died my child almost died but what was so interesting about
died but what was so interesting about
died but what was so interesting about it was so different from Aisha story and
it was so different from Aisha story and
it was so different from Aisha story and mine and draw the label I actually
mine and draw the label I actually
mine and draw the label I actually thought about her was that I had access
thought about her was that I had access
thought about her was that I had access to excellent health care I didn’t have
to excellent health care I didn’t have
to excellent health care I didn’t have to wait for three days to get the simple
to wait for three days to get the simple
to wait for three days to get the simple surgery I needed and that that simple
surgery I needed and that that simple
surgery I needed and that that simple fact saved my life in my child’s life so
fact saved my life in my child’s life so
fact saved my life in my child’s life so I knew I had to do something I came back
I knew I had to do something I came back
I knew I had to do something I came back home and launched something called life
home and launched something called life
home and launched something called life bank so light bank is a company using
bank so light bank is a company using
bank so light bank is a company using technology to build a new infrastructure
technology to build a new infrastructure
technology to build a new infrastructure for the health system we build apps and
for the health system we build apps and
for the health system we build apps and we use automated intelligence artificial
we use automated intelligence artificial
we use automated intelligence artificial intelligence we use data to figure out
intelligence we use data to figure out
intelligence we use data to figure out whoo-hoo need certain things who need
whoo-hoo need certain things who need
whoo-hoo need certain things who need blood which patients will need plasma
blood which patients will need plasma
blood which patients will need plasma which patient would need platelets which
which patient would need platelets which
which patient would need platelets which patient will need oxygen and we figure
patient will need oxygen and we figure
patient will need oxygen and we figure this thing out and give the probability
this thing out and give the probability
this thing out and give the probability into the hands of the healthcare
into the hands of the healthcare
into the hands of the healthcare provider and then other thing is we move
provider and then other thing is we move
provider and then other thing is we move what they need to the hospital on time
what they need to the hospital on time
what they need to the hospital on time I’ll tell you a story about how a
I’ll tell you a story about how a
I’ll tell you a story about how a personal story of how this company is
personal story of how this company is
personal story of how this company is doing amazing things in the continent a
doing amazing things in the continent a
doing amazing things in the continent a young mother a few days before I came
young mother a few days before I came
young mother a few days before I came for this for TEDx was in label and she
for this for TEDx was in label and she
for this for TEDx was in label and she so she had given birth and they didn’t
so she had given birth and they didn’t
so she had given birth and they didn’t know that she was bleeding and in the
know that she was bleeding and in the
know that she was bleeding and in the first place fast-paced health system in
first place fast-paced health system in
first place fast-paced health system in Nigeria particularly were in the rest of
Nigeria particularly were in the rest of
Nigeria particularly were in the rest of the continent often they’re not actually
the continent often they’re not actually
the continent often they’re not actually paying
paying
paying attention like the way they should so
attention like the way they should so
attention like the way they should so she had been reading for quite a while
she had been reading for quite a while
she had been reading for quite a while so she adds about 30 minutes left so the
so she adds about 30 minutes left so the
so she adds about 30 minutes left so the code or somebody had heard of our life
code or somebody had heard of our life
code or somebody had heard of our life bank on Twitter the sensors a message
bank on Twitter the sensors a message
bank on Twitter the sensors a message can you help and were able to move the
can you help and were able to move the
can you help and were able to move the blood she leader to her within 25
blood she leader to her within 25
blood she leader to her within 25 minutes so that’s that’s so a life was
minutes so that’s that’s so a life was
minutes so that’s that’s so a life was saved now like bong doesn’t really
saved now like bong doesn’t really
saved now like bong doesn’t really always save mothers we you know work
always save mothers we you know work
always save mothers we you know work with everybody but a story like that
with everybody but a story like that
with everybody but a story like that about something that I started sort of
about something that I started sort of
about something that I started sort of got me to think about Aisha in my story
got me to think about Aisha in my story
got me to think about Aisha in my story and the story of mothers across the
and the story of mothers across the
and the story of mothers across the continent and that’s what we’re doing I
continent and that’s what we’re doing I
continent and that’s what we’re doing I believe that every single African this
believe that every single African this
believe that every single African this is deserves access to the best the most
is deserves access to the best the most
is deserves access to the best the most efficient was effective health care that
efficient was effective health care that
efficient was effective health care that we can divert them and that’s my life’s
we can divert them and that’s my life’s
we can divert them and that’s my life’s work now before i leave you i would say
work now before i leave you i would say
work now before i leave you i would say something as an American and as a
something as an American and as a
something as an American and as a Nigerian there is something that is
Nigerian there is something that is
Nigerian there is something that is going on in the world west the Western
going on in the world west the Western
going on in the world west the Western world is getting there moving towards
world is getting there moving towards
world is getting there moving towards isolation and less open they’re less
isolation and less open they’re less
isolation and less open they’re less liberal then they used to be and what
liberal then they used to be and what
liberal then they used to be and what that tells me is that there is an
that tells me is that there is an
that tells me is that there is an urgency a great urgency for us to make a
urgency a great urgency for us to make a
urgency a great urgency for us to make a continent I won’t say great again but to
continent I won’t say great again but to
continent I won’t say great again but to make our continent work to make it work
make our continent work to make it work
make our continent work to make it work for the vulnerable for the week for the
for the vulnerable for the week for the
for the vulnerable for the week for the mothers for the children for all the
mothers for the children for all the
mothers for the children for all the Ayesha’s in our continent thank
Ayesha’s in our continent thank
Ayesha’s in our continent thank [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] you
you
you [Music]
”
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