By The Alliance for Women in Media Africa (AWMA), in partnership with MTN Ghana, has held a conference to mark International Women’s Day, with a strong focus on mentorship and career development for women in the media.
The event, themed “Empowering Women in Media to Break Barriers, Build Resilience and Shape Narratives,” brought together media professionals, industry leaders, and stakeholders to discuss challenges facing women and how to overcome them.
A key part of the conference was an open forum which centred on mentorship and the relationship between mentors and mentees, with speakers stressing the need for patience, learning, and personal growth.
AWMA Convener Mercy Agyabeng explained that mentorship is a process that requires time and commitment.
“What it means is that you are being helped to develop your potential or your capacity. That’s a process,” she said.
She expressed concern that many young people expect quick success without putting in the work.
“Now there’s instant everything… and we seem to think that there is also instant success. There can be instant success, but it’s not sustainable,” she noted.
Mercy Agyabeng pointed out that women in media already face disadvantages and must work harder to stand out.
“If you are a female, already you are disadvantaged… the challenges are there,” she said.
She advised women to build strong competence and make themselves indispensable.
“The only way you can beat those challenges is to ensure that you are such a gem, it is difficult to do away with you,” she said.
She also highlighted the importance of mentorship and support systems, noting that success often depends on how others speak about one’s work.
“In the world of men, you need somebody to either mention you, recommend you, or say something about you… And the men do so well. The women, we don’t do so well,” she said.
Also contributing to the discussion, Mary-Ann Acolatse called for a broader understanding of mentorship and encouraged participants to remain open-minded.
“Let’s be open-minded about mentorship… don’t look for it in specific kinds of people,” she said.
According to her, mentorship can come from different sources, including colleagues, juniors, and even people outside one’s field.
“Even at the apex of your career, you still can be mentored… there are great things I’ve learned from my juniors,” she explained.
She added that feedback plays a key role in growth. “Feedback is a powerful form of mentorship… somebody helping you to check the path you are treading,” she said.
She urged media professionals to remain teachable at all stages of their careers.
“Be teachable. Don’t assume you know it all,” she advised.
Discussions at the forum also explored how media professionals can transition into other sectors, including the corporate and diplomatic spaces.
Sharing her experience, Mercy Agyabeng spoke about moving from the newsroom into the diplomatic community and the lessons she learned.
“In the media, it’s wanting to be the first to tell the story… but in the diplomatic community, you don’t speak,” she said.
She described the transition as a major adjustment, especially in understanding new systems and structures.
“You need to learn the rules of whichever field you are in,” she said.
Despite the differences, she said a background in media provides a strong advantage.
“Media gives you an edge… it gives you real mileage in doing so many things,” she added.
Mary-Ann Acolatse also advised media professionals to be intentional about their career paths and prepare early for transitions.
“Identify what is your transferable power… what are you noted for?” she said.
She encouraged journalists to build their skills and document their work.
“Begin to build a portfolio… don’t wait till you are about to leave,” she urged.
She also warned about the growing impact of technology on the media landscape.
“AI is rewriting our job… you don’t want AI to outsmart you and delete you from the job market,” she cautioned.
To remain relevant, she said, there is a need for strong personal branding.
“What makes the difference is the personal branding… there is something about you that only you can be,” she said.
