Vanessa is a Cameroonian entrepreneur and the founder of Afya Tea, a brand she uses to fight diabetes. She is recognized internationally for discovering the medicinal and nutritional benefits of Moringa leaves. Zommi was the first Cameroonian woman to win Anzisha Prize. She studied chemical engineering at the Catholic University Institute of Buea, Cameroon. Also, Vanessa is a graduate of Villanova University College of Engineering.
Vanessa was born to a family of six. After school, she used to watch her mother sell computers. Through that, she started learning how to do business. She says, “I started learning how to make money, how to market a product, and how to talk to customers. I learned the basics.” Indeed, these early entrepreneurial experiences were very instrumental in shaping her future.
Right from a young age, her family was very important. Unfortunately, she lost her grandparents to diabetes. When she was aged 17, her mother was diagnosed with the same condition. Upon realizing that diabetes posed a huge risk to her mother’s life, she decided to take action. Zommi started looking for an affordable natural remedy for diabetes to keep her mother healthy.
She researched widely, and in the end, discovered the Moringa tree (drumstick tree). Zommi learned that the leaves of this tree, which grew in her region, had medicinal and nutritional benefits. One of these is the ability to reduce blood sugar levels. Shortly after, she witnessed the health impact of Moringa leaves on her mother and other people around her.