Sangbong Kathryn: Finding Her Voice, Embracing Visibility and Creating Opportunities

Sangbong Kathryn is a biomedical science graduate currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Health, with interests spanning community health, digital content creation, women’s empowerment, and digital opportunities. Through her work in healthcare administration, community volunteering, and her growing journey as a User-Generated Content (UGC) creator, she is exploring how different passions can come together to create meaningful impact.

But beyond her professional interests is a personal journey of learning to step out of the background, overcome the fear of being seen, and find the courage to use her voice. Today, she shares content that encourages women in their twenties to embrace their potential, build confidence, and create opportunities for themselves, even when they do not have everything figured out.

In this conversation with Africa Rising Stories (ARS), Sangbong reflects on the experiences shaping her journey, the connection between public health and digital storytelling, the importance of accessible mental health support for young people, and her vision for using her voice and skills to make a difference.

ARS: Beyond your academic background, professional experiences, and the different things you are building, who is Sangbong Kathryn? What values, beliefs, or experiences have shaped the woman you are becoming?

Sangbong Kathryn: Beyond everything I do, I am a woman who is learning to become more intentional about the life I want to live. I have always had ideas and things I wanted to pursue, but knowing what you want and having the courage to go after it are two different things. I care deeply about growth, faith, service, and using what I have to make a difference.

My background in biomedical science and my journey in public health reflect my interest in understanding people and improving their well-being. My community volunteering allows me to contribute beyond myself, while content creation has given me another way to communicate, tell stories, and connect with people.

My faith is a big part of my journey. It reminds me that I do not have to understand every detail of my future before I take the next step. I am becoming a woman who is willing to put herself forward, even when she is still learning, and who wants to build meaningful things, but also cares about the people those things will serve.

ARS: You have spoken about learning to step beyond the fear of being seen and finding the courage to use your voice. Can you take us back to a time when that fear was particularly strong, and what helped you begin to overcome it?

Sangbong Kathryn: For me, the fear of being seen often looked like being quiet when I had something to say, struggling to express myself around people, or keeping an idea to myself because I was worried about how it would be received. I knew I had things I wanted to communicate, but getting the words out or taking up space felt difficult.

What helped me was a combination of posting content, pursuing opportunities, and leaning on my faith. I started showing up, even when it felt uncomfortable, applying for opportunities, and giving myself permission to be a beginner.

I still have moments of doubt, but I no longer let fear make every decision for me. I have learned that confidence is not something I have to wait for. Sometimes confidence comes after you take the step.

ARS: You have a background in biomedical science and are pursuing a Master’s in Public Health, while also exploring digital content creation. How did these different interests come together in your journey, and what has helped you recognise that they can complement one another?

Sangbong Kathryn: My background in biomedical science gave me a foundation for understanding health. Public health broadened that perspective to include communities, environments, and systems. Content creation showed me how information can be shared in ways that reach people beyond traditional settings.

You can have important health information, but if people cannot access it or understand it, its value may not reach them. I want to keep strengthening my skills in public health, digital communication, and storytelling so they can work together to serve a clear purpose.

That connection is also part of what drew me toward digital health and mental health. I am interested in how technology and responsible communication can help make health information and support more accessible.

ARS: Through your healthcare administration experience and community health volunteering, you have had opportunities to engage with people and their health needs. What have these experiences taught you about the realities of healthcare and the importance of community-based health education?

Sangbong Kathryn: Working in healthcare administration has shown me how important organization, communication, and patience are. Every person behind an appointment or a form is an individual seeking care, often with questions and concerns. My community volunteering has strengthened my interest in health education beyond the healthcare facility. People make decisions about their health every day, and that is influenced by what they know, what they believe, and the resources they have.

Good health education should not exist only in professional spaces. It needs to reach people in ways they can understand and use. I also value listening, because everyone’s circumstances are different.

These experiences have made me appreciate that improving health is not only about what happens inside a clinic. It is also about communication, trust, prevention, and helping people have the knowledge to make informed decisions.

ARS: You are also interested in digital health solutions, particularly around young adults’ mental health. What drew you to this area of research, and what gaps in the way young people access mental health support would you like to see addressed?

Sangbong Kathryn: I became interested in young adults’ mental health because this is a time of many changes and expectations. People are trying to build their futures, understand themselves, navigate relationships, and respond to responsibilities. There can be a lot happening beneath the surface, even when someone appears to be doing well.

I would like to see more accessible, youth-centred and culturally relevant resources. There is a gap between recognising that something is wrong and knowing where to seek help. Many young people face stigma, financial or geographical barriers, or do not know what services are available.

Digital tools can help bridge some of these gaps, but they must be safe, reliable, private, and designed with the right expertise. I am interested in contributing to solutions that support young people while recognising that digital tools should complement, not replace, professional care.

ARS: As you build your personal brand as a UGC creator, how has your relationship with visibility, self-expression, and showing up online evolved? What have you learnt about creating content that feels authentic to you while also creating value for others?

Sangbong Kathryn: Content creation has become a way for me to practise using my voice. I have had to challenge the habit of waiting until I feel completely confident. I have learnt that good content is not just about how it looks. It is about understanding the audience, communicating a clear message, and giving people a reason to connect with it.

I want my content to feel natural and relevant, and I am becoming more intentional about the values I want to communicate through my work. For me, that includes visibility, confidence, personal growth, and opportunity creation.

Authenticity does not mean sharing everything. It means being honest about what I choose to share and making sure it reflects who I am. I am also learning to create content that can serve both the audience and the brands or opportunities I work with.

ARS: You use your platform to encourage women in their twenties to stop hiding their potential, build confidence, and create opportunities for themselves. Why is this message particularly important to you, and what experiences have shaped the way you share it?

Sangbong Kathryn: This message is personal because I know what it feels like to want to express yourself and still struggle to do so. I have had to challenge the fear of judgment and the belief that I needed to be more confident before I could start.

I want women in their twenties to understand that being visible does not mean becoming someone else. You can be quiet and still have an important voice. You can be learning and still apply for an opportunity. You can be unsure and still take the next step.

Visibility is not only about social media. It can mean introducing yourself, sharing an idea, asking a question, taking a seat at the table, or simply allowing people to know what you care about. I want women to see their potential as something they can begin developing today, not something they have to admire from a distance.

ARS: Your journey brings together healthcare, community service, women’s empowerment, and digital opportunities. How do you hope to use these different interests to create meaningful impact, and what does that impact look like to you in practical terms?

Sangbong Kathryn: I want to use these interests to help people access knowledge, support and opportunities. In public health, I want to contribute to initiatives that respond to real needs, particularly among young adults and underserved communities. Through community work, I want to remain involved in projects that provide education, resources, and support.

Through content and digital storytelling, I want to encourage women to build confidence and pursue opportunities. I would also like to contribute to public health campaigns, community initiatives, and digital solutions that make useful information easier to access.

For me, impact is not simply having a large platform. It is being able to look at something I have built or contributed to and know that it helped someone understand something, make a better decision, find an opportunity, or believe that they could take their own next step.

ARS: As you navigate postgraduate studies, professional responsibilities, volunteering, and content creation, what has this season of your life taught you about growth, discipline, and giving yourself permission to learn as you go?

Sangbong Kathryn: This season is teaching me that growth is not always dramatic. Sometimes it looks like doing the work without knowing exactly how everything will turn out, following through on a responsibility, or continuing even when the results are not immediate.

I am learning to be intentional with my time, follow through on my commitments, and recognise when to rest. I have also learnt that I do not have to feel completely ready before I begin. You learn by doing, and correction is part of the process.

I am still a work in progress, and I am learning to be patient with myself while I build. I believe discipline is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about continuing to show up and being willing to learn along the way.

ARS: Looking ahead, what would you love to build through your work in public health, community initiatives, and digital storytelling? And for the young woman who has something valuable to offer but is still afraid to put herself out there, what would you want her to know?

Sangbong Kathryn: I want to build a body of work that connects public health, technology, community impact, and storytelling. I would love to contribute to digital mental health initiatives, support youth-focused projects, create resources that help women become more intentional about their growth and opportunities, and use speaking and storytelling to bring people into important conversations.

Ultimately, I want the different parts of my work to point in the same direction: helping people access knowledge, build confidence, and create meaningful opportunities for themselves and others.

To the young woman who is afraid to put herself out there, I would say this: you do not have to be fearless. You do not have to have everything figured out. Start with what you have, use what you know, and give yourself the chance to grow. Your journey has value, and your voice matters.