Muji Bekomson: Visualise your highest self and show up as HER

Just like the proverbial goldfish that has no hiding place, Muji Bekomson's tentacles spread wide for all to see as she positions herself as an innovative change agent. She is passionate about causes that are solution-oriented and bring change. 

Being a creative storyteller, she also loves to be part of other people's stories. She believes the world would be a better place if we create and share more stories. Her brainchild- iLIVE Digital Health was built to bridge the gaps in accessibility to quality healthcare delivery services.

Muji stands as the Founder and Creative Director of EQUALZ, another of her impactful initiatives that help women shatter the glass ceilings above them. This last part mostly caught our interest because when it comes to women's empowerment, Omote Ro Dhe is excited to collaborate, partner and do everything possible with game-changers such as Muji.

With an impressive profile and life of impact, we reached out to Muji for a feature and she obliged us. In the interview, Muji opened up about her passion for innovation and change, her initiatives, the challenges she encounters running her projects and more. Read the excerpts below:

Can you tell us more about your journey and what led you to become passionate about innovation and creating positive change?

I'm a Medical Laboratory Scientist by profession, but I always wanted to make a greater impact in healthcare outside the walls of a hospital. And I realized there's so much more that people need to support their well-being, and the traditional health structures cannot offer that. The health systems and professionals are overburdened, so they can't give us the intimate and holistic attention we need to sustain the quality of life. So I'm building iLIVE Digital Health to complement traditional health systems and fill the gaps in healthcare support and delivery using technology. And we're on a mission to create positive and transformative change for everyone, no matter where they are, or who they are.

But my passion for innovation and creating change goes beyond health tech, I am equally interested in women's empowerment and sustainable societal development.

Congratulations on your new appointment as Founder and Creative Director at EQUALZ, another impactful initiative. Can you elaborate on its mission and goals, particularly in helping women overcome barriers in various fields?

There are so many women who have what it takes to excel in different fields but have no one to look up to, get advice, or ask questions. And in our already male-dominated industries, it's important for the few successful women to hold up the ladder for rising ambitious women. But there's an invisible gap between these groups of women, and our free mentorship hub at EQUALZ connects women to female mentors and role models they can learn from, and lean on. Aside from the mentorship hub, we want to educate and empower organisations and workplaces to be more gender inclusive and support women to thrive.

What do you see as the biggest hurdles in achieving global healthcare access and delivery, and how do you envision addressing these challenges through your initiatives?

Addressing the inequalities in global healthcare access isn't a one-size-fits-all. Many factors like technological literacy, gender or economic status should be considered.

So, at iLIVE Digital Health, we strive to be fluid with our approaches, products, and services for specific needs and demographics. In Africa and other underserved demographics, fancy and complex health gadgets would only broaden the gap between rich and poor, tech-savvy and non-tech savvy etc. So we're not obsessed with fancy tech, but with creating simple, inclusive, and relatable solutions that an average person can access based on their needs. And while most people think of digital health as a complex phenomenon or something from a sci-fi movie, it's just about taking health care and support to the people and places it's needed. And I think a big challenge in global healthcare access is that we overcomplicate the concept of digital health, which has led to a slow adoption of the concept by the average person.

How do you stay inspired and motivated in your work, particularly when faced with obstacles or setbacks?

Trust me, staying inspired and motivated is a daily requirement. I've had my fair share of fears and sometimes struggled to acknowledge my own capabilities. But the picture of a world where everyone has equal access to health support, and every woman equally has access to opportunities, keeps me going. And I've decided to create the change, rather than sit and wish for it. So when there's not enough change, how could I stop working?

Success is relative, what does it mean to you?

Success is also realizing my mistakes and pivoting when necessary.

Success is overcoming my fears and making that pitch or sending that proposal. Most times, we complicate the idea of success, put ourselves in boxes, and deprive ourselves of the joy of living in the moment.

What advice do you have for young girls pursuing purpose but seem confused if they are on the right path?

If you're pursuing purpose then you're definitely on the right path. It's a long journey of learning and unlearning, so gird yourself with a quality network and invest in useful resources. And if it seems that your methods, tools and approaches are not right for you, there's always room to pivot and reevaluate. But never take your eyes off the path of purpose, visualize your highest self and show up as HER. You can do it!