How Learning Product Management at Altschool Made Me Uncover ADHD Challenges in Africa

Did you know that an estimated 10.1% of adolescents and 13.5% of adults in Africa have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)? Shocking right? What is more interesting is that a higher percentage of people are underdiagnosed because of the lack of awareness about this condition.

But before I share more about this, let me add a little background so you don’t think Esther has probably abandoned Product management for Psychology…lol.

Background — How I got into Altschool

Around October last year, I came across a post by Hack Sultan on Twitter where he asked if people would be interested in performing beta testing on Altschool’s new platform. Being someone curious about product development, I wasn’t familiar with user testing and wanted to experience how it feels to test an actual product. I filled out the form and got to participate in the experiment. After this, Sultan gave each participant a reward of 50% off on Altschool tuition fees (if they were interested in learning any tech course from the institution). And, of course, as a sharp Nigerian woman, I grabbed the opportunity. Not knowing it’s going to be a career-transforming one for me.

My Learning Experience at Altschool Africa

Challenging! Yeah, that’s the perfect word to describe how I feel when I think about how I’ve been able to combine Altschool with other activities. It was not easy, but here are the things that made me achieve my learning goals;

1. Having a Super Serious Accountability Partner

I went into the program with my super amazing friend Amos Rebecca. We both decided to go to Altschool and worked together to ensure we kept each other updated on the activities to avoid missing out on important tasks, projects, or events. Thank you, darling, for the push. Keep being amazing.

2. The Onboarding experience

Altschool gave us a detailed and straightforward onboarding experience in the program. We were given time to familiarize ourselves with the system, which made it easier to follow through with the learning process and know what was expected of me every semester.

3. The Learning Management System (LMS)

Learning in Altschool is 100% online, and all content and learning resources were uploaded on the LMS for easy accessibility for students. This made it easy to follow up with class activities and rewatch missed sessions.

4. The Community

This is the most fun part of the program. The AltSchool community is amazing. I got to connect with learners from other tracks, attend community events, view resources, and get motivated by the success stories I read on the success stories channel. A big shout out to Tabitha Kavyu for being amazing at managing the community.

5. Live classes

We had weekly sessions with Mastermind (Olatunji Fagbore), during which we explored everything related to product management. This is an interesting topic for me as I learn how the skill can be applied when building products in the real world.

6. Working on projects

During my studies, I worked on various projects, which greatly enhanced my understanding of the course material. Some of the projects I worked on included:

• Creating a product strategy for Bipay, a fictional fintech application
• Conducting an Accessibility Audit on Uber Ride
• Mapping the Customer Journey and Conducting a Funnel Analysis of the Piggyvest web application
• Developing an Web Application for Africans with ADHD

These projects provided valuable hands-on experience and helped me apply the concepts I learned in a practical setting. You can click here to view these projects on my portfolio.

How did Altschool help me uncover ADHD challenges in Africa?

Now, let’s talk about ADHD.

In Altschool, we were given two capstone projects: a group one (under the Althub initiative) and a personal one. For my group project, I connected with learners from other tracks. The idea was to develop a sustainable idea that could positively impact our community and align with at least one of the United Nations’ SDG goals.

I was assigned to Althub Team 40, where I met amazing people willing to sacrifice time to work together on an idea unlike any other. After brainstorming many ideas, we eventually had to settle for one proposal by Takara about solving a problem for Africans with ADHD. We were curious about how to do that, so we researched and agreed to pick that as our team project idea. The idea was named Calmify and was submitted to Althub, and luckily for us, it was approved. That began our exploration of how well ADHD is being managed. Subsequently, I’ll be sharing more about what we’ve uncovered about this project, but in the meantime, here are things I have learned about ADHD, and I feel you should, too.

The Basic Things You Should Know about ADHD in Africa

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning or development. Symptoms often include difficulty sustaining attention, excessive fidgeting, difficulty staying still, and impulsive behavior, which can impact an individual’s ability to perform tasks, manage time, and maintain focus. ADHD is commonly diagnosed in childhood but can continue into adulthood, affecting various aspects of life, including education, work, and personal relationships.

The Common Symptoms of ADHD You Might Be Unaware of (with Examples)

1. Inattention:

• Easily Distracted: A person with ADHD may start a task, such as writing an email, but quickly get sidetracked by an unrelated thought or nearby conversation, leading to incomplete tasks.
• Difficulty Sustaining Attention: During meetings or lectures, they may struggle to follow along, missing important details or instructions because their mind wanders.
• Forgetfulness: Frequently forgetting to complete daily tasks like paying bills, returning phone calls, or taking medication.

2. Hyperactivity:

• Restlessness: In situations requiring calmness, such as sitting through a long meeting, a person with ADHD may feel the urge to fidget, tap their feet, or get up frequently.
• Excessive Talking: They might talk nonstop, even when inappropriate, or interrupt others frequently during conversations.
• Inability to Stay Seated: At work or school, they may feel compelled to leave their seat frequently, finding it hard to remain seated for extended periods.

3. Impulsivity:

• Impulsive Decisions: A person with ADHD may make hasty decisions, like making large purchases, without considering the consequences, which they might later regret.
• Interrupting Others: They might frequently interrupt others during conversations, unable to wait their turn to speak.
• Difficulty Waiting: In situations where waiting is required, such as standing in line or waiting for their turn in a game, they may feel extremely impatient.

These symptoms can vary in intensity and significantly impact a person’s ability to function in daily life, particularly in environments requiring sustained attention, structured routines, and self-control.

Other Facts about this Challenge

1. Prevalence: ADHD affects an estimated 10.1% of adolescents and 13.5% of adults in Africa, indicating a significant portion of the population struggling with this neurodevelopmental condition.
2. Challenges: Individuals with ADHD face significant challenges in daily functioning, including organization, time management, and procrastination, which can hinder their potential in both professional and personal life.
3. Economic Impact: The difficulties associated with ADHD can have broader implications for the workforce and overall economy in Africa, highlighting the importance of addressing this condition.
4. Stigma: Despite growing awareness, the stigma surrounding mental health, including ADHD, persists in Africa, which poses challenges for marketing and promoting ADHD-specific tools.
5. Digital Health Initiatives: The growing investment in digital health initiatives across Africa presents opportunities for ADHD tools like Calmify to gain support and funding, further integrating them into the region’s mental health frameworks.

What next?

The Althub 40 team is actively developing a solution to this challenge. In my next posts, I’ll share how Altschool and Althub, under the Learners Innovative Fund (LIF), have been supporting our project idea.

Thank you for reading about my journey in Altschool; I can’t wait to share more about my career experience. And remember to tell someone about ADHD today.

Special shoutouts

To everyone who has, directly and indirectly, supported my product management program at Altschool Africa, I say a big thank you. I can’t believe it’s almost a year; it still feels like yesterday.

My Althub 40 team — Takara, Mr. Sharp!, Kofo, Abubakar, Cyril, Glory, Samson, Boluwatife the Design lead, Ojima, Chidinma, Agatha, Boluwatife, Stellamaris, Segun, Ebun, and Willie. You guys are the best! Thank you for sacrificing your time, skills, and resources for our project. It has been fun working with you all.