Mariam Mohammed

Co-founder of MoneyGirl

Mariam co-founded MoneyGirl to inspire young women to become financially independent. Find out more about her interesting journey.

Mariam in just 3 words!

Fierce. Sunshine. Energizer.

What inspired you to start MoneyGirl?

I co-founded MoneyGirl with Mellisa to inspire young women to become financially independent. This is important to me because, as a survivor of violence and having worked with other survivors, I saw how quickly lack of financial control can slip into something far more insidious - even for those of us who are very privileged.

Violence doesn’t discriminate. Neither does MoneyGirl when empowering young women about their finances!

"Do what you got to do for yourself. Do it afraid. And do it unapologetically."

What was the biggest challenge that you faced building MoneyGirl?

Getting people to take two very young women of colour seriously.

We would get asked so many questions about the validity of the business idea or model even though there is a demonstrated need for this globally. But those questions weren’t really about the business. They were about us.

They were about people’s inability to see lived experience as valid qualification to address a problem, or their inability to see past age as a barrier to doing something worthwhile.

Are there any particular moments/memories that stand out for you in MoneyGirl?

The first time an alumnus called me told us that, after completing our course, she had managed to save up enough to leave a precarious living situation.

There have been so many of those moments since. But I will never forget that phone call. I cried after hearing that.

"Violence doesn’t discriminate. Neither does MoneyGirl when empowering young women about their finances!"

In what ways, are you a different person today because of MoneyGirl?

I have learned SO many things about myself along the journey of building a social enterprise.

For example, I’ve learnt that I’m unemployable! And that’s not a bad thing. I’m unemployable because, above all else, I value freedom and autonomy. I want my time to be mine.

That’s the wealth I most care to build – time.