Meet software engineer Oben Desmond Ashu

How did you get into this line of work?

I come from Cameroon, where I was leading my own initiative with a community of software engineers. It was my way of creating some sort of social impact to help students feel passionate about trying to pursue careers despite a crumbling economy, while working as a software engineer myself. The community keeps growing – there’s now about 2,000 of them – and I mentor them remotely.

How did you hear about Social Finance?

A woman who’d worked in the engineering and analytics department of Social Finance was part of the engineering community in Cameroon. She was in the process of leaving and had been asked to recommend a few people. She reached out to me about a software developer role that used frameworks I was competent in.

What persuaded you to make the big step of moving to the UK?

I wanted to improve my computer engineering skills and to contribute technically. This was also the perfect opportunity to make a difference. I’d been asking a lot of existential questions and had realised that what gave life meaning for me was finding a way to create some sort of impact, to leave it better than I met it.

How did you prepare to work at Social Finance and how did the organisation support you?

I did so much research – I was obsessed! I looked at people’s profiles on the website and LinkedIn. I was blown away by how much they talked about Social Finance’s kindness to its staff.

When I started, I was allocated a ​‘buddy’ – someone you can talk to about any worries or issues with the company – which has been very helpful. We catch up every two weeks – it’s been a mutual thing as she was also new to Social Finance and the UK. 

My line manager also helped me to settle in and now we’re building my career goals. She’s like my therapist — she’s always asking, ​‘How are you? Is everything fine in London?’

What do you enjoy about working for Social Finance?

I have been blown away the people here! They’re very caring, compassionate and empathetic too – Social Finance is built on empathy, it’s the reason why we do what we do. Fundamentally, every single person who works here has a desire to create change and make an impact.

The work-life balance is good – I work three days in the office which is great as I’m new in this country and building my network of friends. We put a lot into our work without sacrificing our health and wellbeing, and there’s mental health support. You can unplug from work with off-site meetings and social events such as a casino night!

What do you want to achieve at Social Finance – and beyond?

Social Finance literally took a bet on me. They could have hired someone from the UK, but they took the leap and hired me without even meeting me in person. That means a lot. I bring a lot of skills to the table in terms of leadership and building communities and I believe I can leverage them to help the organisation grow.