Lady Mrs. Deborah Borketey-Tackie, popularly known as Derby Queen, has reaffirmed her commitment to empowering young women to overcome unemployment, develop sustainable livelihoods, and build meaningful legacies as her She Triumph initiative marks four years of supporting women through skills training, mentorship, and entrepreneurship development.
The commitment was highlighted at the fourth edition of the She Triumph Conference, held on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the La Palm Royal Hotel in Accra, under the theme “Her Blueprint; Her Legacy.”
The conference, convened by Borketey-Tackie, brought together women, young people, entrepreneurs, educators, mentors, and other stakeholders for a day of learning, networking, personal development, and conversations on women’s empowerment.
For the Convener, however, She Triumph represents more than an annual conference.
It is an empowerment platform designed to equip young women with practical skills, mentorship, and opportunities to translate their ideas into sustainable ventures.
From empowerment vision to four-year movement
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Borketey-Tackie explained that the She Triumph initiative focuses on women between the ages of 18 and 35, with the broader objective of helping address unemployment among young women while contributing to efforts to reduce teenage pregnancy.
She said the initiative provides free practical skills training in areas including makeup, photography, videography, baking and sugar craft, wig making, among others.
The training is complemented by mentorship, after which participants are given the opportunity to pitch their business ideas for consideration for seed funding.
“It’s six months of skill training, three months of skill training, and then three months of mentorship,” she explained.
“After the mentorship, the ladies are supposed to pitch their business idea so that we can give them a seed fund capital.”
According to Borketey-Tackie, the programme has evolved steadily since its establishment four years ago, with each edition providing an opportunity to strengthen its impact and reach more women.
“Everything about me has been empowerment,” she said, tracing the motivation behind She Triumph to her longstanding involvement in supporting people through initiatives including the Dussop Foundation.
“Right from Dussop Foundation, right from supporting people, and then it’s been four years down the lane since She Triumph initiative came, and it’s been amazing.”
A platform built around action
The fourth edition demonstrated the practical character of the initiative, with the graduation of 10 participants from Cohort Three and the presentation of certificates to the graduands.
The programme also culminated in a business pitch opportunity, through which Mary Agbenorlawo, who emerged as the winner, received a GH¢10,000 seed fund to support her business development.
The funding component reflects one of the defining elements of the She Triumph model—moving young women beyond training and motivation towards practical opportunities to establish or strengthen their livelihoods.
Borketey-Tackie’s approach is anchored on the belief that skills, mentorship, and access to initial capital can provide young women with a stronger foundation to pursue entrepreneurship and economic independence.
‘Start small and grow’
The conference further reinforced the message that aspiring entrepreneurs should not wait for perfect conditions or large amounts of capital before starting.
Mrs. Mary Anane Awuku, Executive Director of Brain Hill International School, shared her own experience of building the school from a three-bedroom house into an institution with three campuses and a capacity of about 3,000 students.
Her message was simple: start with what is available and grow progressively.
“You start by talking to one person. You get one customer. You get two people. You get ten people. That is how the growth comes,” she said.
Participants were also encouraged to remain consistent, learn from competition, identify their competitive advantage, and develop financial discipline as their ventures grow.
The discussion highlighted the importance of transforming small beginnings into sustainable enterprises rather than waiting indefinitely for large-scale funding.
Whitney: ‘Your story is not your shame’
One of the most emotionally resonant moments of the conference came from guest speaker Whitney Boakye-Mensah, Founder of My Dear Sister’s Keeper.
Drawing from her personal experiences of loss, healing, motherhood, and purpose, Boakye-Mensah challenged women to view their difficult experiences not as sources of shame but as potential foundations for purpose and service.
“Legacy is not what you leave behind. Legacy is how you choose to breathe through pain while you’re still alive,” she said.
She urged women to embrace healing, acknowledge their scars, and use their experiences to help others.
“Stop hiding behind your story. The story is not your shame. It is your weapon,” she told participants.
Boakye-Mensah also encouraged women to pursue their dreams without waiting for perfect circumstances.
“Start it now. Start it broke. Start it while you are still healing. Purpose does not wait for perfection,” she said.
She further described legacy as the people a person helps, the opportunities they create, and the doors they leave open for those who come after them.
Women supporting women
The conference also placed strong emphasis on the importance of women supporting, mentoring, and creating opportunities for other women.
Participants raised questions around entrepreneurship, access to capital, professional advancement, age, gender stereotypes, and sexual harassment.
The discussions underscored the need for women to build strong networks and for established women to deliberately create pathways for younger women coming behind them.
Speakers encouraged participants to seek opportunities, remain persistent, and avoid allowing social expectations or fear to prevent them from pursuing their ambitions.
The idea of women opening doors for other women closely aligned with the central philosophy of She Triumph.
Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee leads distinguished speakers
The fourth edition featured Rev. Dr. Joyce Aryee, Executive Director of Salt & Light Ministries, as Keynote Speaker and Special Guest of Honour.
Other speakers included Rashida Saani, Chief Executive Officer of I-ZAR Group; Mrs. Mary Anane Awuku, Executive Director of Brain Hill International School; and Whitney Boakye-Mensah, Founder of My Dear Sister’s Keeper.
Their contributions provided participants with perspectives spanning leadership, entrepreneurship, education, personal development, healing, and purpose.
Celebrating the woman behind She Triumph
The conference also celebrated Borketey-Tackie’s contribution to the empowerment of women.
Students of Apam Senior High School presented her with an A3 wooden-framed portrait as a special honour.
The event also featured a poetry recital by Farida Mensah Ibrahim and a choreography performance by Chara Mime Dance Ministry.
Another major highlight was the unveiling and auction of the She Triumph Magazine, a publication documenting the blueprint and legacy of Borketey-Tackie and the journey of the She Triumph initiative.
The publication forms part of efforts to preserve and document the story behind the initiative and its empowerment mission.
From conference to continuing empowerment
As She Triumph enters its fifth year, Borketey-Tackie’s vision appears increasingly focused on building an enduring empowerment ecosystem in which young women can acquire practical skills, receive mentorship, develop business ideas, and access opportunities to turn those ideas into sustainable ventures.
The graduation of the third cohort and the award of seed funding to a successful participant at the fourth edition provided a practical demonstration of that model.
For Borketey-Tackie, the journey is rooted in a simple but far-reaching principle: empowering a woman should not end with giving her inspiration; it should give her the skills, support, networks, and opportunities to build a future.
And under the theme “Her Blueprint; Her Legacy,” the fourth edition of She Triumph placed that philosophy firmly at the centre of its message—encouraging women not only to build successful lives for themselves but also to create legacies that make it easier for the next woman to rise.
Source: Joseph Kobla Wemakor
