Hi everyone, if you are meeting me for the first time, I am Karimot Isiaka. A product designer who gets excited about solving problems through design and learning from the process. I am currently designing tailored reading experiences for different accessibility (a11y) requirements at Wikimedia through Outreachy Internship. I am delighted to share my internship journey with you over the next couple of weeks.
Today I would like to talk about my top three core values. In no particular order, my core values are curiosity, Integrity and courage.
About curiosity
When I was 19 I had the privilege of listening to Mrs. Bukky George, the Founder of HealthPlus. She encouraged us to be curious and as she went on to describe what that means in detail, I realized I am a curious person who might be playing it safe because of comments from people. Curiosity has helped set me on a journey of continuous learning. I am always willing to learn from different sources including people’s experiences that are relevant to my growth, through videos, books or a podcast. Curiosity has had me sign up for programs to see if I can learn something different and new, even though I have the knowledge of the topic to be taught. It keeps my knowledge bank flowing.
On choosing to be a person of integrity
Integrity is a value that was instilled in me since I was a child. My parents were intentional about raising honest children. I remember my dad will stretch forth his palms and ask us to be straight in our dealing with other people. While mum only mostly punished us when we told a lie or when she suspected we were being dishonest. Also, this is an important value I need to uphold as a Muslim. Therefore, it is important I hold myself to such an excellent standard so that I am at peace with myself knowing that I am honest with myself and honest in my dealings with others.
Courageous Karry (Smiles)
I learnt that courage is the ability to take action in spite of fear. I find courage to be a value I can’t do without if I desire to keep growing, especially because fear can be easy to catch when we want to step out of our comfort zone and dare to take the bold step. Before this opportunity, I had applied multiple times without success. This time felt different—I selected a project that genuinely aligned with my skills as a product designer, and something just clicked. Despite my fears of potentially not making it through the contribution stage, I pushed forward. I was scared of completing tasks incorrectly, but my determination to finish and submit remained unwavering. I kept trying and had to choose my conviction over my convenience and that is the spirit of a resilient person, which takes a lot of courage.
These core values of curiosity, integrity, and courage aren't just abstract principles—they're the compass that guides my professional journey. When I discovered the Outreachy Internship opportunity, it felt like a perfect match of what I stand for. My curiosity drove me to explore beyond my comfort zone, my integrity ensured I approached the application process honestly, and my courage pushed me to persist through multiple attempts.
My motivation — why I applied for Outreachy
What ultimately motivated me to apply was my desire to expose myself to international work experiences. The opportunity to work with a globally recognized organization like Wikimedia represents more than just a professional milestone—it is a chance to challenge myself, to learn, and to contribute to something larger than my individual experience.
Please follow along as I share more with you as my internship experience progresses.
Talk soon,
Thank you for reading.