The Secret to SUCCESS in CANADA | Senator AMINA GERBA

Montréal, Québec – The very first gala evening of the Network of Cameroonian Engineers in Canada (IC2) was marked by inspiration, under the theme “Excellence and Notoriety.” On this occasion, the Independent Senator of Quebec, Amina Gerba, the event’s sponsor, delivered a powerful speech blending personal testimony, a call to perseverance, and a message of encouragement to the entire engineering community in attendance.

“It’s truly a masterstroke. Congratulations to the IC2 Network!” she declared at the opening, addressing a distinguished audience gathered to celebrate talent from the Cameroonian diaspora.

Born in Bafia, Cameroon, into a family of 19 children — only six of whom were girls Amina Gerba is the only one among her sisters who had access to education. What she describes as “a stroke of luck” is, in fact, a journey marked by hard work. “Who would have thought I’d be standing here in front of such brilliance, or that I’d be sitting in the Senate of a G7 country?” she asked emotionally.

Appointed to the Senate of Canada on July 29, 2021, she represents the senatorial division of De Salaberry, in the western part of the Island of Montréal. Before entering politics, she worked for 25 years as an entrepreneur in the fields of communications, market development, and cosmetics.

It was during her university studies at UQAM that she became aware of how little Africa was known. “People would ask me if we had roads or houses in Africa…” she recounted. This cultural gap motivated her, in 1995, to create her first business specializing in communications and African market development.

In 1998, she became the first Black woman in Quebec to run a cosmetics manufacturing plant, highlighting African raw materials such as shea butter, sourced through fair trade.

She also created the Africa Forum, which became Africa Expansion in 2017, bringing together more than 500 African and Canadian decision-makers in Montréal around business opportunities. “I’ve always wanted to lead by example — or as our Anglophone friends say: walk the talk,” she stated.

Addressing the young engineers in the room, the Senator shared her personal motto: FTP:

F for Faith: “Have faith in yourself, in your dreams.”

T for Travail (Work): “You must work, especially when you come from an immigrant or diverse background.”

P for Perseverance: “Never give up, even in difficult times.”

She emphasized the need to double one’s efforts for those who, like her, come from minority backgrounds: “You have to work twice or even three times as hard.”

To go further in gaining professional recognition, Gerba recommended two concrete actions to IC2 network members:

Build and maintain a strong network: “Technical work alone is not enough. You need to be visible, heard, and recognized.”

Turn challenges into opportunities: “Don’t let barriers hold you back. Your resilience and innovation are your greatest assets.”

She concluded her speech with a symbolic anecdote that she often shares with young people she mentors:

“Three masons are working on a construction site. They are each asked the same question: What are you doing?

The first replies: I’m laying bricks.

The second says: I’m building a wall.

The third declares: I’m building a castle.

Be the ones who build castles. Be proud of what you do. Let’s make our presence felt at every table, because representation matters.”