For one day, the ‘Be Inspired by Tima’ Women’s Conference became a meeting point for women with different experiences, different struggles and different definitions of what it means to keep moving forward.
The maiden edition of the conference, held under the theme ‘Turning Pain into Purpose’, brought together women for a day filled with conversations on confidence, mental health, wellness, faith, motherhood, leadership, resilience and the many realities that shape a woman’s journey.
Rather than focusing only on motivational speeches, the conference gave room for speakers and panelists to draw from their own lives, offering participants lessons shaped by experiences they had personally lived through.
Leading the panel discussions were suicide prevention advocate Gloria Boatemaa Andoh, entrepreneur Maame Joe and burns survivor and globally recognised advocate Judith Cato Addison.
Judith Cato Addison spoke candidly about a journey that began when she was just 10 years old, following a gas explosion while she was cooking at home.
At the time, limited knowledge about burns meant she did not receive immediate care, and she reportedly waited for about seven hours before she was attended to at the hospital. The incident left extensive scars on one side of her body.
The physical scars were followed by another difficult chapter as she encountered stigma, insensitive comments, lost friendships and opportunities she believed should have been within her reach. Her appearance, she explained, sometimes became the first thing people saw before her intelligence and potential.
For years, the experience affected her confidence. Eventually, however, she decided that she could not spend the rest of her life being defined by what had happened to her.
That decision became the beginning of her advocacy journey.
Today, Judith works with other burn survivors, helping them rebuild their confidence and see possibilities beyond their scars. She has also taken her advocacy to international platforms, using her experience to educate people on burns, stigma and the importance of supporting survivors.
Gloria Boatemaa Andoh brought another important dimension to the panel as she spoke about mental health and the warning signs that are often overlooked.
She shared how the death of her father affected her deeply and took her to a point where she contemplated suicide. Her experience eventually forced her to reconsider how she wanted to live and prompted her to pick herself up.
Her message to participants was that changes in a person’s behaviour should not simply be ignored.
She encouraged women to pay attention when someone begins withdrawing from others, appears unusually disorganized or posts worrying messages about their mental state on social media.
Rather than dismissing such behaviour, she urged people to reach out, listen and encourage those struggling to seek appropriate support and therapy.
A rep of entrepreneur Josephine Kodua also shared insights from her own experiences about wellness and the role it plays in confidence and purposeful living.
She encouraged women to understand that genuine confidence starts from within.
For women seeking to live more purposeful lives, she encouraged them to pay attention to the basics, including eating well, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and developing a healthier relationship with themselves.
The guests speakers; General Overseer of Faithway International Chapel, Pastor Selina; Founder of Klicks Foundation, Mrs Mary Amoah Kuffour; and CEO of RJ’s Events & More and Proprietor of The Beechams Montessori, Mrs Naa Joe Bechem, surely did their part.
Mrs Naa Joe Bechem also brought a deeply personal perspective to the conference when she opened up about her 10-year wait to have a child.
After a decade into her marriage without a child, she described the period as difficult and, at times, depressing. However, she said the support of her husband and in-laws helped her through the experience, particularly because she did not face the kind of pressure that many women in similar situations endure.
Faith also became an important part of her story.
She recounted praying and making a vow concerning her desire to have a child, with the answer eventually coming around her husband’s birthday. Her family later welcomed an adopted child, which she described as an added blessing.
Mrs Mary Amoah Kuffour also spoke about another side of motherhood; raising a child with autism.
She shared the emotional, physical, psychological and financial demands that come with caring for a child with special needs, as well as the everyday challenges that families may have to overcome.
Yet, alongside those difficulties came progress.
She reflected on milestones her child has achieved, including some that the family once never imagined would be possible.
Her story offered participants another reminder that progress does not always come in dramatic leaps; sometimes, it is found in the small victories that families learn to appreciate along the way.
Pastor Selina also used the platform to share her journey in ministry, including the difficulties she encountered while establishing her church.
She spoke about being duped and navigating a ministry environment she believes can be particularly demanding for women. According to her, women often have to put in significantly more effort to establish themselves and achieve their goals in spaces where men may have an easier path.
There were moments when she considered giving up, but she said her sense of calling kept her going.
Her persistence has since seen her build a major church, becoming part of a growing number of women making their mark in religious leadership.
Although the speakers and panelists came from different backgrounds and spoke about very different experiences, their messages repeatedly returned to a common idea that difficult circumstances do not have to become the final chapter of a woman’s story.
The conference also went beyond the stage, with speakers offering to remain available to some of the women who may need additional guidance, including support as personal coaches, mentors and friends.
Rather than presenting a perfect picture of womanhood, the conference acknowledged the disappointments and difficult seasons that many women encounter, while encouraging participants to keep finding purpose along the way.
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