Jamala Osman tells her life story: overcoming challenging circumstances to take action and charge of her future. She describes her journey of...
About the author
Jamala Osman is a 24-year-old social entrepreneur and former Bank Manager at Barclays plc. She was one of the youngest ever bank managers in the country and was tasked with running her first branch at the age of 21. Growing up in Ilford, Jamala didn't have the best start to life - surrounded by gang culture and violence, her life took a turn for the worst when Jamala lost her mother at the age of 14. She was thrown out of her father’s house when depression and anxiety kicked in. Jamala eventually took back control and was compelled to make a change. The dramatic turnaround in her life has inspired her to create pathways and programmes for other individuals struggling with their starts in life and works with educational institutions and corporations to help break down barriers. In her spare time, she mentors young people through her two greatest passions - sport and music. Jamala writes and performs spoken word and rap.