24 Jul 2025 4 min read Lifestyle

Why Every Young Person Needs a Mentor

There is a saying that "When you walk alone, you go fast. But when you walk with others, you go far." I have come to learn the truth in this through mentorship, and having people I could loom up to particularly as a young lady who had only my parents to look up to while growing up.

Not long ago, I joined The Comms Avenue Mentorship Program, an eight-week learning experience that changed how I see myself, my dreams, and the communication profession. It wasn’t a lecture series or a masterclass, it was a deeply personal journey of growth guided by someone who had already walked the path I was just stepping onto. Rose Thuo made it easy for me to connect with her on a sister level.

This is not the first time I am privileged to have someone as a mentor, I was fortunate to have another young woman, Joycelyn Siaw Asamoah, Founder of One Life Aid Foundation (OLAF).I came into contact with her during my fellowship with the Emerging Public Leaders program. Coming into contact with her exposed me to a lot of things I did not know about life, on a personal and profession level. She made me understand that life is not a one man venture and that I did not have to do it alone. One of the best aspect of the fellowship was having to build this relationship with her.

Becoming Bold, One Call at a Time

All my mentors didn’t hand me what success is on a silver platter. Instead, they asked me questions that made me reflect. They corrected me when I downplayed my potential. They showed me the power of starting, even when afraid, and taught me that boldness is not the absence of fear but the decision to move anyway, so is confidence.

Before coming into contact with these wonderful women and others, I sometimes tiptoed into spaces, wondering if I belonged. I often thought seeking help meant I was weak and that I had to figure things out by myself. I often thought that people had their own things they were dealing with, hence I was perhaps and a bother to them.

But after weeks of conversations, tasks, and real-life challenges, I began to step into rooms with more audacity like I owned the room, knowing that I had a voice that matters and that it was enough. That’s the gift of mentorship. It doesn’t just teach you skills; it reawakens your sense of direction.

It is Needed, Now More Than Ever

For many girls, especially in rural or underserved communities, life is full of messages that tell us to shrink in a way that feels right, read that again, at a first glance, it feels right until you grow and you keep shrinking yourself for others to move forward: "Don’t speak too much, ." "You can’t do that." "It’s not for people like us."

Mentors help refocus your energy. They redirect dreams that feel scattered and offer honest feedback grounded in experience. They help young women like me see beyond current limitations and imagine broader horizons.

They make it okay to be ambitious. They make confidence feel like culture for everyone.

From Mentee to Mentor

What I didn’t expect was how quickly mentorship would spark something in me, not just to learn, but to give back. I had mentored girls in informal settings while I was teaching, what was interesting is that I had males who told me that they wanted me to be their mentor, this, I still have in me to guide all who come to me.

Mentorship is not about age, gender or titles. It’s about experience, perspective, and the willingness to walk beside someone. Thanks to the confidence I gained from my mentor, I now show up more boldly in my community, at work, and in rooms I never imagined I’d enter.

You need a mentor. Not because you’re weak, but because you’re full of strength that deserves guidance.

And if you’ve had the chance to learn from others, remember this:
You can be a mentor too. Uplift someone. Be the mirror that helps someone see their power.

https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/07/05/the-importance-of-mentorship/