My Dyslexia Story: Monica Akakpo

Growing up with dyslexia

I’ve lived with dyslexia for as long as I can remember, even though I didn’t have a name for it growing up. From a young age, reading out loud and spelling were major challenges, while numbers and practical subjects became my strength. I adapted by developing my own coping strategies and working twice as hard to keep up.

It wasn’t until the final semester of my master’s degree in Finance and Business Management that I received a formal diagnosis. A professor had noticed my writing challenges, which led to my assessment. By that point, I had already gone through my entire academic journey without any formal support.

That diagnosis was a turning point. It gave me language and understanding for something that had always been there. It also reminded me of the resilience, creativity, and determination I had built along the way. Despite the challenges, I completed my master’s degree with distinction.

Surviving in an environment that wasn’t built for how I learned

Dyslexia has shaped both my mindset and the way I navigate the world. Growing up, it came with many challenges. Reading out loud was frightening, spelling felt impossible at times, and I often felt like I had to work twice as hard just to keep up. Because I didn’t have a diagnosis until my masters degree, I had to build my own coping strategies from a young age.

One of those strategies was learning how to collaborate. In primary school, I would intentionally build friendships with classmates I felt were more advanced. I would offer sweets or small treats so they could teach me during lessons. It was my way of surviving in an environment that wasn’t built for how I learned.

Rising above the noise

I also faced a lot of doubt. Some of my own siblings told me I wouldn’t finish school and that I’d drop out or become a teenage mother. But in the middle of all the noise, my father and my older sister consistently told me I was brilliant, even when I didn’t feel it. I held on to their belief in me, and that became my motivation.

These experiences-built resilience, emotional intelligence, and a quiet determination in me. Dyslexia pushed me to become resourceful, collaborative, and deeply empathetic toward others who feel underestimated. It’s also given me the ability to problem-solve creatively and adapt quickly.

Today, I don’t see my dyslexia as a setback but as a strength that has shaped the person I’ve become and someone who turns doubt into fuel and challenges into opportunities.

Having others believe in me

The support that has made the greatest difference in my life has always come from people who believed in me when I didn’t fully believe in myself. My father and older sister were my biggest advocates. They constantly reminded me that I was capable, and their belief became my foundation.

When I got to secondary school, my maths and business teachers saw my strengths and encouraged me to push harder. That support helped me go from failing in primary school to becoming one of the top five students in my accounting and elective maths classes.

At university and masters level, I was fortunate to have lecturers who not only supported me academically but became mentors and friends. Their belief pushed me to keep going.

In the workplace, what helps most is understanding and colleagues and leaders who give me space to work in my own way and value my contributions. Their belief became my self-belief.

Achievements and resilience

My proudest moment has been defying expectations and turning doubt into strength. Growing up with dyslexia, many people told me I wouldn’t go far academically. Yet I went on to study Accounting at university and graduated with a Second Class Upper.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I relocated alone from Ghana to the UK, having never travelled before to pursue my masters in Finance with Business Management. While studying, I worked multiple jobs as a cleaner, waitress and carer. Despite the challenges, I completed my masters with a distinction. Soon after, I secured a role at Fidelity International, where I’ve now worked for three years.
Beyond my career, I founded the Black Women Golf Network - creating a space for women in finance to connect through golf. I host monthly events and recently began writing as a golf journalist, travelling across the UK and Europe to cover golf courses.

I also launched NeuroRise, an initiative that takes me back to Ghana every year to raise awareness about neurodiversity, work with schools and the Ministry of Education, and support PE departments with sports equipment. So far, I’ve mentored over 60 girls.

Looking back, from being underestimated to achieving all this, I’m proud not just of the milestones but of the resilience it took to get here.

Don’t see dyslexia as a weakness

I went through most of my academic journey undiagnosed, constantly being told what I couldn’t do. When I finally received my diagnosis during my masters, it gave me language, understanding, and a sense of self-acceptance.

My advice is simple:

• Don’t see dyslexia as a weakness.
• Find support early and use the tools available to you.
• Lean into your strengths - they matter more than your challenges.
• Give yourself grace; your path may be different, but it’s just as valid.
• Believe in yourself even when others don’t.

Your diagnosis is not the end of the road, it’s the beginning of understanding how powerful you truly are.