Growing up in Sierra Leone, she listened to BBC broadcasts from a young age, imagining a world far beyond her immediate surroundings. Even then, she wondered whether one day she might help shape it.

That curiosity became conviction. She went on to become her country’s first female engineer, and later spent nearly three decades at the United Nations, ultimately serving as Ambassador.

But beyond titles and achievements, what she built was something less visible — and perhaps more enduring: her example.

Reflecting on this influence, her daughter, Yvette Miata Petersen, shares:

“Growing up, I learned about ambition through my mother’s example. She was unwavering in her confidence and clear about her path.”

For her granddaughter, Olivia Yvette Petersen, that inheritance is both grounding and expansive:

“The path I’m on didn’t start with me. It was made possible by women like her who refused to give up.”

What began as one woman’s determination has become a foundation others now stand on — a reminder that what we give through our actions often shapes more than we can see.

For Yvette Miata, the reality of leadership today carries both recognition and restraint:

“I feel recognised for my contributions and delivery. What I continue to strive for, however, is recognition not only for what I have achieved, but for the potential I bring.”

The challenge has shifted.
It is no longer only can you perform? — but are you seen for what you could become?

For the generation before her, the terms were more explicit and recognition had to be fought for. In the case of Ambassador Yvette Stevens, preparation, knowledge, and persistence were not differentiators — they were requirements to be taken seriously.

And for the next generation, entering the workforce today, the signals are more subtle — but still present.

“Opportunities today are more accessible, but not fully equal,” Olivia reflects.

“There are still moments that remind me of the gap — like being asked during exams if I was in the right place.”

Progress has opened doors.
But walking through them — and being fully seen once inside — still requires confidence, and often, resilience.

“To me, ambition is driven by passion and impact. It’s not just about personal success, but about creating change.”

There is a shift here — from individual success to collective influence.

“If my journey can inspire even one person to pursue something they thought was not for them, that is success.”

For Yvette Miata, ambition takes a different shape — it is grounded in conviction, choosing a path with clarity even when it diverges from expectation.

And for Ambassador Yvette Stevens, ambition was rooted in excellence:

“Aut optimum, aut nihil” — either the best, or nothing.

In her context, this was not just a philosophy — it was a necessity.

Across generations, ambition has not weakened — it has expanded.
From excellence, to conviction, to impact.

It becomes not only about what you achieve — but what you enable for others.

For Ambassador Yvette, it meant being prepared, assertive, and impossible to overlook — particularly in spaces where women were not expected to lead.

For her daughter, leadership is about navigating established systems while continuing to push boundaries — creating space not only for herself, but for others coming after.

For Olivia, leadership is still being shaped — but already defined by intention:

“I want to be a leader who is steadfast and true to herself… someone who leads with authenticity and is not afraid to try new things.”

She speaks not of certainty, but of growth:

“Being honest about challenges, learning from failure, and creating an environment where others feel confident to take risks.”

Across generations, leadership evolves:

• from proving capability
• to claiming space
• to creating space for others

A quiet shift from succeeding individually — to enabling others to succeed.

For Yvette Miata, it has been both a source of strength and a point of tension:

“My mother was deeply ambitious and never hid her disappointment that none of her daughters became engineers.”

For a time, that expectation stayed with her.

“I tried to follow that path… but ultimately chose my own.”

In doing so, she redefined what it means to carry a legacy — not by replicating it, but by shaping it. And yet, in an unexpected way, the story comes full circle.

“Olivia has just completed her degree in Mechanical Engineering… my mother now has a female engineer in the family.”

For Olivia, legacy is not something to live up to — but something to build on.

“It reminds me of the strong women who have shaped me… and the responsibility I have to continue that by uplifting others.”

Legacy, here, is not static.
It grows through what each generation chooses to give.

One broke barriers where none existed.
One navigates systems still evolving.
One is redefining what comes next.

As we reflect during International Women’s Month, their story reminds us:

Progress is not only about what we achieve.
It is about what we give — through example, through courage, and through the paths we open for others.

Because what we give forward is what the next generation builds from.