Growing up in the rural community of Ekiti State, Faith Omotayo Olanrewaju witnessed firsthand the challenges of healthcare in underserved areas. Local health centres, once adequately staffed, gradually became understaffed, with even pharmacy units run by underqualified community health workers. This alarming decline sparked Faith’s interest in public health. She recognised that healthcare professionals gravitated towards urban areas due to better pay, leaving rural communities deprived of adequate care. From her observations and surveys, Faith concluded that better compensation for rural health workers could encourage more of them to remain in these underserved areas.
Her concern for healthcare inequalities deepened over time, particularly when she noticed how the lack of access to basic health information led to preventable issues, such as cholera outbreaks. In 2017, while volunteering at an orphanage, Faith gave a talk on personal hygiene. The enthusiastic engagement from the orphans and their caregivers left a lasting impression on her, reinforcing her belief in the power of health education. She saw how vital it was in empowering communities to prevent diseases, particularly in underserved areas like her own.
Determined to address these issues, Faith pursued a degree in pharmacy at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, followed by a degree in public and community health science from the University of the People, an online institution based in California, USA. Her leadership roles in various student organisations, including serving as the public health chairperson for the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) and the national chairperson for the Public Health Committee of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), gave her hands-on experience in health advocacy and education.
However, Faith’s path to success was far from smooth. She passed the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) exam only after four attempts and faced early setbacks, such as receiving a D7 in mathematics, a critical subject for aspiring healthcare professionals. Her initial attempts to gain admission through university pre-degree programs were thwarted by rigid academic requirements and the absence of a biology paper, forcing her to return to secondary school. Despite repeated failures and mockery, Faith’s determination did not waver.
At a pivotal moment in her journey, Faith chose to attend the College of Health Technology. While this decision might have seemed like a step back, it proved crucial for her career goals. Her persistence paid off when the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria approved direct entry for her program—a historic first.
Faith has also dedicated herself to volunteer work, spending over six years with nonprofit organisations, where she has championed awareness about pressing health issues, such as antimicrobial resistance and diabetes. Her experience led her to found the Care Bridge Initiative after completing a fellowship with Miracle Corners of the World, a US-based organisation that encourages young people to start community projects.
Through the Care Bridge Initiative, Faith and her team conduct medical outreaches and health education programmes in rural areas, focussing on preventable health issues like diabetes and hypertension. A key component of her work involves using evidence-based approaches to measure the effectiveness of these programs through post-event evaluation surveys.
One of her standout projects is centred on empowering young girls in rural communities by teaching them to create reusable sanitary pads. The initiative not only provides a sustainable solution to menstrual hygiene but also equips the girls with skills. Faith’s team follows up with post-training surveys to assess how well the girls can replicate the process and how satisfied they are with the programme, constantly refining their methods based on the feedback.
Her interest in sexual and reproductive health began during her time in junior secondary school, when a classmate was forced to drop out due to societal judgement after visiting a male friend. This incident highlighted for Faith how stigma disproportionately affected girls in her community, solidifying her belief in the importance of sexual and reproductive health education.
At the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Faith adeptly balanced her pharmacy coursework, public health studies, and volunteer work through disciplined time management and goal-setting. With the help of an accountability partner, she achieved 70–80% of her targets. The flexible structure of her programme at the University of the People, which emphasised continuous assessments, complemented her rigorous schedule. Faith’s strategic use of delegation and regular breaks helped her avoid burnout and maintain focus, contributing significantly to her success.
While at the University of Nigeria, Faith demonstrated an impressive ability to balance the demands of her pharmacy coursework, public health studies, and volunteer efforts. Through disciplined time management and goal-setting, she consistently achieved 70-80% of her targets. The structure of her programme at the University of the People, with its emphasis on continuous assessments, also allowed her to maintain focus.
With the help of an accountability partner, Faith was able to manage her commitments effectively, using delegation and regular breaks to avoid burnout. “Even when I felt like I would never succeed, my father’s support never faltered,” she recounts. His sacrifices, including going without so that Faith could access necessary resources, were instrumental in shaping her path. “His belief in me, especially when I struggled to believe in myself, provided a foundation of strength that kept me going,” she adds.
In addition to her father, Faith’s friend Ogundowole Moyinoluwa played a transformative role in her life. Their friendship, which began in secondary school, provided Faith with crucial encouragement. “Even when I doubted my future, she believed in me and my potential. She often referred to me as a pharmacist before I even saw myself as one,” Faith recalls.
Moyinoluwa’s support extended beyond encouragement; she actively involved Faith in health education outreaches, giving her opportunities to build confidence and explore her passion for public health. “Moyinoluwa’s belief in my abilities and the opportunities she provided were crucial in helping me find my purpose,” Faith explains.
Now a pharmacy graduate and public health scientist, Faith has co-authored over twelve research publications, with many more unpublished, covering topics such as climate change, sexually transmitted infections, neglected tropical diseases, and infectious and non-infectious diseases.
Her contributions to public health have earned her recognition, including the Social Impact Leader of the Year award at The Emerge Summit and the Most Innovative Idea award at the 2024 Mega Designathon by the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research for her work on Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination uptake.
Faith is a Millennium Fellow and has participated in numerous professional development programs, including the Aspire Institute, which is supported by HarvardX coursework and Harvard University faculty. Her long-term vision involves collaborating with global changemakers, healthcare professionals, and community organizations to develop innovative solutions that enhance access to quality healthcare, promote medication safety, address climate change, and empower individuals to take control of their health
Faith Omotayo Olanrewaju's journey from her rural upbringing in Ekiti State to becoming a pharmacy graduate and public health scientist is marked by her dedication to addressing healthcare inequalities. Witnessing understaffed and poorly managed health centres in her community inspired her to pursue public health. Her determination led her to achieve degrees in pharmacy and public health science, despite multiple setbacks, including academic rejections and personal challenges.
Faith's volunteer work has been extensive, focusing on health education and advocacy in rural areas. She founded the Care Bridge Initiative, which conducts medical outreaches and education on preventable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Among her notable projects is teaching young girls to make reusable sanitary pads, providing both hygiene solutions and empowerment.
Her academic and volunteer efforts have been bolstered by strong personal support, notably from her father and friend Ogundowole Moyinoluwa, who believed in her potential and provided crucial encouragement. Professionally, Faith has co-authored over twelve research publications and received various accolades for her contributions to public health, including the Social Impact Leader of the Year award.
With aspirations to collaborate globally on healthcare initiatives, Faith aims to develop innovative solutions to improve healthcare access, promote medication safety, and address climate change. Her disciplined time management and strategic delegation have been key to her balancing multiple commitments successfully.
