From a mining town to the IMF: Discover economist Valeria Mensah's journey

Valeria Mensah is an economist with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington, DC, where she blends her curiosity and problem-solving skills with a keen interest in global economic development. She tells us about her journey from a small mining town in Ghana to studying for her MPhil in Development Studies at Queens' College - supported by Cambridge Trust funding - to shaping economic policies which address the distinctive challenges facing developing economies. Valeria Mensah grew up in Obuasi in Ghana.

After her undergraduate degree, Valeria Mensah spent a lot of time during her year of national service exploring postgraduate programmes around the world. Professor Eric Danquah of the University of Ghana encouraged her to apply to Cambridge. She had been offered admission to Cambridge and was earnestly praying and hoping to receive financial support. She said that "Receiving the Cambridge Trust grant drove home a new reality to me - that dreams could come true." One of her fondest memories is being the Master of Ceremonies at a local event celebrating the 51st anniversary of Ghana's independence.

Following her year in Cambridge she sought out other opportunities so she could gain as much experience as possible while on her student visa. She later pursued a PhD focused on economic policy in developing countries - which she did later on in Tax Policy with the University of Pretoria. She has had a 17-year career across various multilateral ins...