Francisca Darkoh graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Human Life Sciences majoring in Biochemistry and Physiology from Stellenbosch University. She comes from a family that has struggled greatly financially but has been inspired and driven by the strength demonstrated by her mother. Her aim and goal in life has always been to remove the financial strain experienced by her family, and alleviate the financial burden carried by her mother. Her hope is that if she can make the small changes necessary to better her family situation, she can carry that same action to her immediate community, and potentially her greater surroundings.

Her business and entrepreneur mindset has resulted in her starting a few businesses during her years of study. Covid was a period of particular hardship for her family, which put her in a tight situation and forced her to act. This resulted in the startup of her business, NOTESBYFRANNIDEE, and with this business she was able to support her family during the stages of hard lockdown. Over the past few years, she has used that income to startup her second business, FOODBYFRANNIDEE, which is aimed at providing cost effective meals to students in the Stellenbosch area.

Francisca is currently pursuing her Masters in Physiological Sciences, focusing on haematology and pathology. Her aim is to alleviate the medical burden on the health system, and hasten the diagnostic process of some diseases, thus improving the prognosis of patients and improve their quality of life.