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Achaawa’s “My Area Code” helping youth become problem solvers

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She represented the Greater Accra Region in the 2014 edition of the TV3 Ghana’s Most Beautiful show. Despite not winning the coveted crown, she was bent on making an impact through her Gayobi Foundation.

The foundation, since its inception, continues to make valuable contributions and support less privileged persons.

Several years after exiting the television beauty pageant, The Spectator caught up with Ms Betty Achaawa Sackey who is now helping other young people exhibit their talents through her own reality show dubbed “My Area Code.”

The show has contestants from various communities who are to embark on a “battle of supremacy” as they identify and propose ideas to solving social challenges within their communities.

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Ms Sackey says the show, among other objectives, seeks to help the youth become “critical thinkers and problem solvers” in their localities.

According to her, it is important to direct the path of young people while they make life- changing decisions and aspire for greater opportunities in life.

Background

The old student of Benkum Senior High School, at Larteh-Akuapim in the Eastern Region, spent her formative years at Takoradi, Western Region-Ghana. Her Parents, Mr. Euatace and Mrs. Sarah Sackey ensured she had the best of education through every stage of her life.

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She obtained Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Relations at the Ghana Institute of Journalism and pursued a Post Graduate programme in Community Development and Cross Culture Relationship in Canada. She studied French also in Senegal to improve her communication skills.

Youth Empowerment

Ms Sackey, who is committed to humanitarian work, said she started her foundation in order to address social problems and touch the lives of the vulnerable in society.

Her spirit of volunteerism has taken her to a number of countries including Canada, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria, Togo, Nairobi, Rwanda, Uganda, Gambia among others.

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The Gayobi Achaawa Foundation, she noted, had supported some public and private institutions through donations and had supported Muslim students in her alma mater, Ghana Institute of Journalism.

Motivation

Ms Sackey said she was bent on making positive impact everywhere she went hence the determination to use her skills and knowledge to “solve problems and creat long-lasting solutions.”

“As humans, we must live for one another and make sacrifices where possible. That is the reason I strive to put a smile on faces of the less privileged in any way I can,” she said.

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Africanism

The fashionable lady who depicts sense of “Africaness” in most of her outfits said she was proud of her homeland did not shy away from expressing herself in her mother tongue.

She maintained it was important for citizens to exhibit their traditional values when “they find themselves beyond the shore of the country”.

She noted that her fashion style was “a signature of Africa which would enable non-Africans to feel and taste the rich African values and norms.”

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“My physique and complexion are a representation of an African woman and that makes me bold and beautiful anytime I dress as an African”, she said.

The polyglot who speaks about five local dialects including Hausa and Dangbe has advised the youth to “channel their energies into meaningful skills that align with their potentials and talents.”

She added that young people must present themselves as “agents of change in their communities” and continue to contribute their quota to national development.

“We are different in our own ways and there is the need for all to utilise our talents to make positive impacts and provide solace for the less privileged in society”, she said

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Interests

Apart from volunteerism Ms Sackey is a Public Speaker who attends to young people and encourages them to be resolute in the face of challenges.

By Nii Arday Ankrah

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Dierre Doors names King Promise as Brand Ambassador for Ghana campaign

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Italian premium security door manufacturer Dierre S.p.A. has named award-winning Ghanaian Afrobeats and Highlife artiste King Promise (Gregory Bortey Newman) as the face of its new Ghana and West Africa marketing campaign.

The partnership, managed by Regiments Management Company Limited, forms part of Dierre’s efforts to strengthen its presence in the West African market.

The two-week campaign, themed “Secure What Matters,” will run across digital, outdoor and influencer platforms, with King Promise featuring in a campaign film showcasing Dierre’s Prestige and Synergy security door ranges.

“Home is everything. It is where you protect the people and things that matter most. Dierre builds doors that reflect exactly that security, quality and style without compromise. I am proud to represent a brand that stands for those values,” King Promise said.

Founded in Italy, Dierre is a global manufacturer of armoured security doors, interior doors and fire-protection systems. Its products carry international anti-burglary certifications across Classes 3, 4 and 5, with the company producing hundreds of thousands of doors, locks and safes annually.

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King Promise is one of Ghana’s leading Afrobeats and Highlife artistes, known for his distinctive sound, international collaborations and growing global audience.

The partnership combines Dierre’s security and design expertise with King Promise’s influence in contemporary African music and culture, as the brand expands its consumer engagement in Ghana and across West Africa.

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From a room to a global enterprise: The Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye story

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• Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye
• Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye

From humble beginnings to building an enterprise with global ambitions, Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye’s journey is a story of discipline, independence, resilience and the belief that businesses should be built to outlive their founders.

Long before he became the Group Chairman of M&C Group, Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye was building from modest beginnings.

Mr Vanderpuye recieves a citation at the 100 Most Notable African Leadership Excellence Awards

His entrepreneurial journey did not start in a sophisticated corporate office or with a large team behind him.

At one stage, he was working from his room with limited resources, focused on turning an idea into a viable business.

That beginning became an important part of his philosophy: build the business first, then let the infrastructure grow with it.

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Michael Bartlett-Vanderpuye

Michael’s early experiences shaped his determination to become an entrepreneur. After university and periods of professional employment, including banking, accounting, marketing, packaging and logistics, he developed a deeper understanding of how businesses operate and how different industries connect.

 His exposure to mining advisory work, property and other commercial opportunities broadened his perspective and helped him identify opportunities beyond a single sector.

But the journey was far from easy.

He recalls the uncertainty of sending proposal after proposal without knowing which one would eventually open a door.

Even after establishing an office in East Legon, some people assumed he was working for someone else because they could not imagine that the business belonged to him.

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The confidence and corporate presence associated with success today were built through years of uncertainty, rejection, experimentation and persistence.

His evolution from working out of a room to leading M&C Group reflects a broader philosophy that has guided his business life: do not build an image before you build the substance.

For Michael, entrepreneurship is not simply about owning a company. It is about learning how to turn knowledge, relationships, opportunities and resources into sustainable value.

He believes professionals in every field can develop an entrepreneurial mindset by creating assets, building networks, investing in opportunities and developing additional sources of value alongside their careers.

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That philosophy has influenced the way he approaches business expansion. Rather than viewing companies as isolated entities, Michael sees opportunities to create connections between industries, people and services.

Strategic partnerships, in his view, can create greater value than treating every other business as a competitor.

His approach has also been shaped by research and international exposure. He argues that entrepreneurs must understand the markets they enter rather than simply copy businesses they see succeeding elsewhere.

Behind every successful enterprise, he believes, are structures, regulations, relationships, research and decisions that may not be immediately visible from the outside.

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As his business interests have grown, so has his ambition. M&C Group represents a significant chapter in that evolution, reflecting his drive to build an enterprise that extends beyond a single venture.

His vision is rooted not merely in personal wealth, but in creating businesses capable of generating employment, developing people, building partnerships and contributing to the wider economy.

Michael is particularly concerned about the role of the private sector in addressing unemployment and creating sustainable opportunities. For him, a successful business should ultimately do more than enrich its owner. It should employ people, develop skills, support suppliers and create opportunities that extend beyond the founder.

That long-term perspective is central to his understanding of success.

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He is cautious about equating visibility with achievement. In an age where social media can make a business appear larger than it is, Michael believes the real measure of an enterprise lies in its systems, customers, assets, operations and results. The brand should be supported by substance.

His personal journey has therefore become a lesson in patience and discipline. The man who once had to convince people that the business was actually his now speaks about building systems, protecting capital, understanding markets and thinking beyond the immediate reward.

And his ambitions do not stop with the present generation.

Michael describes legacy as something that should extend beyond his children to future generations. His objective is to build something sustainable-something that can continue creating value after he is no longer at the centre of it.

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From a modest room and limited resources to the boardroom and the development of a growing business group, Michael L. Bartlett-Vanderpuye’s story is ultimately about building before displaying, learning before expanding and creating something designed to last.

His journey is a reminder that global ambition does not necessarily begin with global resources. Sometimes, it begins with little more than an idea, discipline, persistence and the willingness to start where you are. – MyStoryMagazine

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