At just 21, Blessing Nwachukwu left Nigeria in 2009 with $65 and a dream. Her destination was Russia, where she had secured admission to the People’s Friendship University in Moscow. But her journey, which began with hardship, would eventually lead her to the United States — and to remarkable success.
Struggles in Russia
Blessing’s early days in Moscow were tough. With no family nearby and limited resources, she survived by selling Nigerian food items sent by her mother and teaching herself how to braid hair. She later worked as a cleaner at an American church before managing to raise enough to pay her tuition in installments, buy a laptop, and access the internet.
This opened the door to teaching English — a highly sought-after skill in Russia. She began earning between $30 and $100 per hour and was soon hired by a Russian millionaire to tutor his daughter. That job introduced her to other wealthy clients. By 2012, she was earning up to $4,000 a month and had even started training and connecting other Nigerians to similar jobs.
However, life in Russia also came with racism, harsh winters, and limited citizenship options. In search of better opportunities, Blessing looked to Canada and the U.S. But her hopes were dashed when her passport was stolen and she lost her $30,000 savings to visa scammers.
New Dreams and a Return Home
Returning to Nigeria, Blessing launched a YouTube show and applied to film school abroad. Though struggling financially, a loyal friend in Moscow, Faithful, paid $6,000 to help her return to Russia for a PhD. Later, in 2014, her mother — newly retired and grateful to have her daughter home — offered to sponsor her dream destination.
Blessing had always longed for Canada, but her instincts pointed her toward the U.S. Despite previous visa rejections, she applied again, this time for a different course of study. In 2015, she was finally granted a visa. She left her PhD behind, returned to Moscow to pack up, and headed for the United States.
Breaking Through in Tech and Real Estate
Settling in Georgia, Blessing was inspired by the earnings of her then-husband, who worked in tech. She pivoted into database administration and later began building websites for small businesses, charging over $2,000 per project.
Her success in tech allowed her to invest in real estate. She purchased properties and converted them into Airbnbs — a venture that significantly increased her wealth.
Today, a decade after relocating to the U.S., Blessing is a U.S. citizen and successful entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of over $2 million (more than N3 billion), thanks to her ventures in tech and real estate.
A New Home for Life
Despite her roots, Blessing says her heart now belongs to America. “This is where I want to reside till I pass on. It is where I want to be buried,” she stated.
