SHE is little known in the media industry and yet she has impacted many female journalists in Zambia and beyond, through her coaching and mentorship.
Ms. Sandra Agyemang is a Zambian with Ghanaian heritage, an entrepreneur, and a coach who is not strange to many female journalists in Zambia especially those that have undergone training by Women in News (WIN).
Ms. Agyemang talks less about herself, but one sentence means a lot, it carries a million dollar impact that would cause a significant life change if one delves deep in what she is communicating verbally, emotionally and through her gestures. I first met her four years ago, and our first meeting at her welcoming home in Lusaka was pure magic.
She began by asking me to tell her what I wanted to do in life and later, she shared her thrilling life changing story. She talked about her parents in Ghana and how she started investing in real Estate while with Zambia State Insurance Corporation ( ZSIC) where she held many positions before she left in 2017.
Ms Agyemang started her investment journey with a small loan and later her gratuities and advances and since that time, she has been unstoppable. Those of us that have been to her place are inspired by a lot of things she has achieved as a hands-on investor. This woman has done much of the work at her home by herself. She allows the brick layers to do their building and personally handles much of the interior designing. When you enter her house, you would be amazed at how much work she has done on her own including the landscaping. She knows what plants to put in her yard to repel mosquitoes and snakes and this makes her place in heaven thus, one does not need to worry about mosquitoes and snakes while at her place.
She has a kind heart but this should not be mistaken for weakness. Ms Agyemang is firm and very resolute in her dealings. She is equally an excellent cook and those of us who have been to her place in our individual capacities and as teams can attest to this. She taught me how to prepare boiled chicken using raw ginger, garlic, tomatoes and crushed pepper, to date, this boiled chicken recipe has become the best ever for my family, I prepare it most of the weekends for my family.
Aside Ms Agyemang, I have met several media gurus that I look up to and among them is Ms Loyce Saili, the woman at the apex of Zambia National Information Services ( Zanis), Daily Nation executive editor Mary Mbewe who is also former Zambia Daily Mail editor in chief equivalent to Managing Editor. Others are no other than Ms Margaret Chimanse and the list is endless.
Ms. Agyemang started her primary education at Nortmead primary school in Lusaka grade 1 to 2 moved to Lake Road Trust school and later St. Mary’s secondary school and Kamwala secondary school.” I have great memories of Kamwala secondary school. I ended up rising up to become the deputy head girl in my year. I was a very tough one,” she said.
She has worked in both the public and private sector and run family business at Carousel shopping mall, dealing in various goods, mostly imported footwear and clothes.
Ms. Agyemang also worked for Pangea Securities as a lead broker where she also set up a trading desk for the Company’s debt securities at the time it was purely equities.
She said while at Pangea securities, she handled the portfolios for ZSIC where she was later headhunted to work for the then Zambia State Insurance Corporation Limited.
Ms. Agyemang says she took up her role at ZSIC with a little bit of reluctance because she wasn’t sure of the culture of the parastatal organization.
” But trust me, this was one different parastatal and it was moving, ” she said.
Ms. Agyemang, a single mother, joined ZSIC Limited in 2003 as Investments Manager and later Head of Investments and Treasury, the latter years at ZSIC saw her Lead a combined directorate in charge of consultancy and asset management until 2017.
Among her side hassles, Ms. Agyemang was already doing consultancy work for various clients.
During her engagement with WIN since 2010, Ms Agyemang has inspired a lot of journalists that have since excelled in their various fields.
I must also make mention that Ms Agyemang is one of the few Coaches I have met in life that has left an indelible mark in my life. She has taught me to believe that nothing is impossible if you remain focussed and trust in God.
Her deep faith in God and commitment is another admiration I have in her.
Through recommendation Ms. Agyemanga also a devoted Catholic was in 2010 approached by the World Association of Newspapers to take up a leading role as a career coach for women in the media, with a particular focus on leadership and training in financial management.” It is something I really enjoyed doing. I love to inspire and influence. From 2010 until last year, I worked for the World Association of Newspapers until last year, hence I have a wide network of people in media,” she said.
Her Dad Kofi Agyemang came to Lusaka as a City planner under the World Bank ‘GTZ project around early 1970. Her Mum Tina who she says instilled alot of morals in her and was a great role model, was an entrepreneur and a ‘mother to millions. Unfortunately Tina died a year ago in Ghana.Ms Agyemang said her parents returned back Ghana in 2000 as her father took up leadership roles in the Ashanti-Akyem Royal establishments,
.Ms Agyemang is also a Princess who might one day become a Queen, and jokes about it, saying ‘Zambia will conquer Ghana’. She is multi-lingual, being able to speak nyanj fluently, as well as nativeGghanaian language. Her command of the Englis language is excellent. Sandra is a devout Christian .
