April 26, 2018
Written by Kalysa Owusu ‘19
Inspired by his mother’s exceptional work ethic, Mohamed Hijazi ’19 knows firsthand the importance of pushing boundaries and looking for new opportunities to improve oneself and the lives of those around them.
It is for this reason that he’s grown up identifying gaps in areas in which he felt he could make a difference. From becoming the campus-wide go-to person for repairing cracked phone and laptop screens to introducing Meüse Cab, a transport service for Ashesi students, Mohamed believes in approaching problem spaces analytically — regardless of perceived lack of resources.
“I truly believe that anyone anywhere can start something big with nothing,” he said. “It’s not about what you lack, it’s about making the most of what you have access to, and mobilizing the resources around you.”
Mohamed cites this very attribute as the main reason he came to Ashesi — he was intrigued by the story of its humble origins and knew that it was a narrative he wanted to be a part of. After participating in the Ashesi Innovation Experience as a high school student, he was inspired by how supportive the community seemed, and he knew he would be able to have access to people and resources he might not have found elsewhere.
Because of the high value the Computer Science major places on community, he believes “solving the little problems around you is the best way to improve the lives of those around you and achieve immediate impact.” In building the proprietary mobile application on which Meüse Cab runs, Mohamed knew that he wouldn’t be able to meet his deadline if he built it on his own — so he sought out help from classmates; friends who bought into his vision and helped him execute it.
The availability of a supportive community as well as his drive to grow by constantly challenging himself are two key elements in his recipe for achieving more, although said achievements never come without their own set of challenges; primarily in the form of balancing academics and entrepreneurship.
“It’s never easy making headway as a student with other obligations, but it’s about going for it regardless,” he said.
The future looks good for Mohamed; going forward, he intends to use the Meüse brand to revolutionize how students on university campuses around Ghana commute, as well as increasing their stake in the industries of electronics, photography and videography in Ghana as a whole. He knows very well that it won’t happen overnight, but he believes that constantly chasing new ideas and striving to make a difference will definitely pay off.
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