– A young professional’s journey of climbing the corporate ladder

AMBIKA Bahadur exuberates compassion and humility, punctuated with the determination to overcome challenges and the potential to do whatever she sets out to, making her a tower of strength.

Although she came from very humble beginnings, she equipped herself with the relevant qualifications and experience needed to upgrade her academic status. She grew up in her home village of Albouystown with her mother and extended family.

She remembered her mother being a very hardworking woman. Back then, money was tight, and she worked to provide the basics, including sending her to high school and giving her the essentials to attain secondary education.

Bahadur told the Pepperpot Magazine that despite many challenges financially since she did not come from a well-to-do family, she secured The Bishops’ High School at age 12 when she wrote the ‘Common Entrance Examination’.

She recalled her mother struggled to make ends meet, but she did it anyway by making dahl puri to sell. Bahadur said she attained 11 subjects at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination and she was told she had to go and work to bring in an income to the home.

At age 17, with no work experience, she got a job as a clerk at a private hardware store in the city, and, after some time, she became a student at the University of Guyana, but she was working two full-time jobs plus studying.

The classroom timings clashed with her work, and she was forced to withdraw from UG and begin studying at a private institution where she pursued a degree in Business Management from the Association of Business Executives.

“I pursued my tertiary education while I worked full-time. Many sacrifices were made, but with persistence, it all paid off,” Bahadur said, sharing that since then, she has proudly achieved more qualifications.“I’ve lectured in Marketing and Sales at the Accountancy Training Centre. I’ve earned a degree in Business Management from the Association of Business Executives, and I’ve earned an MBA from the University of Bedfordshire through Nation’s University. My corporate experiences span over 18 years in the sectors of manufacturing, distribution, aviation and education.”

Bahadur described her mother as the most hardworking and beautiful human ever; she treated everyone like her children, was kind and caring, and made many sacrifices for her education, especially to pay for CXC Mathematics lessons.

Bahadur lost her mother to cancer in 2018, which was the most difficult time in her life. At the same time, she was pursuing her MBA and had to be the best version of myself for her two younger brothers. Her mental strength was tested, but with prayers, she overcame that difficult time.

“Life for me was always a humble one, I believe in doing good and helping others wholeheartedly. I believe actions speak louder than words, and when a person is sincere in their actions you are rewarded with peace of mind and unexpected happiness,” she said.

Bahadur is a proud Muslim, a believer in Islam. She once taught Islamic education as a teenager. Some of her favorite things to do include listening to music, no particular genre; Zumba, cooking, travelling, and spending time with her brothers.

She loves art and culture and strongly believes everyone has the right to freedom and we should be free to be ourselves in every way possible.

Bahadur has been employed for the past five years at a multi-million-dollar private company as the Marketing Associate/Administrator after she joined the company in 2021.

She is career-driven and has refused better job offers because she is doing the job where she specialises in integrated marketing and communication and simply loves it.