At just 13 years old, Victoria Yorke discovered a passion that would set her on a unique path in life—technology. Starting with a training program while still in secondary school, she quickly immersed herself in the world of coding and web development. Despite the challenges of balancing schoolwork with her newfound interest, Victoria’s determination and love for tech only grew stronger. Today, she’s a full-time web developer and tech ambassador, inspiring others with her journey and working towards a future where mental health support is accessible to all young people in Nigeria. This is her story.

Can we know you?

I am Victoria Yoke, a full-time web developer, research analyst, tech trainer, and tech ambassador.

At what point did you actually develop an interest in technology?

That was in 2021 when I started. I was in secondary school at the time and had to represent my school in online training. It happened to be a textbook training by World Computer Exchange, and that was how I got involved and fell in love with what I was doing.

So, at what age was that?

I was 13 at that time.

And how were you able to balance schoolwork and coding?

It was just time management. Being able to plan myself well was key, and that’s how I was able to do it.

Can you tell us about an experience that made you like tech itself?

What made me really love tech was seeing people doing it. I got on LinkedIn, saw people becoming successful, and saw the opportunities around it. That made me fall in love with it, and I was like, “No, I just have to do this. I just have to continue and be better at it.”

How did your parents support you?

They weren’t really supportive at first. They just asked me to make my own choice. It wasn’t easy getting their support, but I finally had their full backing last year when I got my first award and job.

When you started, did you have your own computer?

I started with phones until last year when I got my laptop. I was using my mom’s phone initially, even for taking pictures.

Since you started, you’ve built some projects. Can you tell us about one or two projects you’ve worked on and the problems you were trying to solve?

Actually, I’ve not done personal projects. I work for people and brands, creating websites and events for them. I haven’t really done my own personal projects yet.

Are you working on one presently, or do you plan to work on one soon?

Yes, I’m looking forward to working on a project focused on mental health for teenagers and young adults. The goal is to help them access therapy and mental health support. In Nigeria, and even across Africa, access to these services is limited, and it’s expensive to reach out to therapists. Many people don’t believe teenagers can have mental health issues or be depressed. This project aims to address that gap.

How many programming languages do you work with?

I work with React, JavaScript, and PHP. I also do a bit of Python, though it’s not something I’m deeply into.

While growing up, what was your ambition?

While growing up, I wanted to become a doctor. Later, I changed my mind and wanted to work at Google, even before I started in tech. I didn’t even know I needed tech skills to work at Google. At 14, I wanted to become a chef, but before I turned 14, I was already into tech and had fallen in love with it. Plus, I didn’t find a culinary school in Akure, where I lived, and my parents wouldn’t let me go outside Akure alone because I was too young.

Nigeria is facing many challenges. If given the chance, how would you use your knowledge to help solve a problem in the country?

I’m a student of Animal Production and Health at the Federal University of Technology, Akure. I’ve been exploring the use of technology for better animal production. I even wrote an article for the National Association of Animal Scientists in Nigeria on this topic. That’s the area I want to focus on.

What advice do you have for parents and kids?

My advice for parents is to let their children pursue their interests. Wanting their children to become doctors or lawyers, as many parents do, shouldn’t stop them from pursuing a tech career. If a child wants to study computer science or software engineering, let them do it. As I told my audience last year at an event, technology is the 21st-century language that everyone needs to speak, even if only at a basic level. Our generation is the future of the world, and to make a difference, we need tech skills.

For kids who want to get into tech, I advise them to be determined and focused. When I started, I was in a bootcamp with 16 girls, but in the end, it was just me. They all gave up when we reached JavaScript because they thought it was too hard, but I continued alone and eventually became self-taught before seeking help from coaches. You need determination, consistency, and passion to grow. No matter how young you are, you can become whoever you want to be and do whatever you want to do. Success isn’t measured by age, and above all, always seek help from God.

Do you know any Nigerian kid doing well in the tech space and you’ll like us to spotlight? Kindly contact olalekan@rubiestech.org or call +2347015016330, +2348137197307