Comfort Ocran: Empowering Ghana’s Youth Through Entrepreneurship and Mentorship

5–7 minutes

Introduction

Comfort Ocran is a prominent Ghanaian entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, and youth mentor who has dedicated her career to inspiring and empowering young people in Ghana.

Through her various business ventures and non-profit initiatives, Comfort has made a significant impact on youth development and entrepreneurship in the country.

This article explores Ocran’s background, entrepreneurial journey, and the lasting legacy she continues to build through her work.

Early Life and Background

Comfort Ocran was born in Ghana as the youngest child of Christian Cornelius Wentum and Flora Wentum. She describes her father as a “beautiful man” who was very gentle with her as the youngest daughter. Her mother, whom she affectionately calls “Teacher”, was a primary school teacher known for her determination and work ethic even into her 80s.

Comfort attended Royal Preparatory School initially before moving to Achimota School for her secondary education. She then went on to study at the University of Ghana, Legon, where she obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Linguistics.

Entrepreneurial Journey

Ocran’s entrepreneurial spirit emerged early – she recalls wanting to become a hairdresser after Form 5 because “I wanted to make money immediately”. However, she ultimately pursued higher education before venturing into business.

Together with her husband Albert Ocran, Comfort co-founded Combert Impressions Ltd, a printing and publishing company.

This became the springboard for their other business and non-profit ventures focused on youth empowerment and mentoring.

Key Ventures and Initiatives

Legacy & Legacy: A management consultancy firm where Comfort serves as CEO.
Springboard Road Show Foundation: As Executive Director, Ocran leads this youth development and mentoring platform that has impacted over 300,000 young people across Ghana.
Ghana Grows Project: An initiative to change perceptions about agriculture and showcase opportunities for youth in the agricultural value chain.
Authorship: Ocran has co-authored over 20 motivational and business books with her husband.
Media: Executive producer of “Springboard, Your Virtual University” radio show on Joy FM and other media outlets.

Philosophy and Approach

Comfort’s work is driven by her Christian faith and passion for developing young talent in Africa.

She emphasises the importance of service, stating: “The first thing that has supported this journey has been the effort or the focus on helping others, on supporting others, on ensuring that other people would be able to live their dreams”.

She also advocates for contentment alongside aspiration, using the analogy of appreciating flowers while hiking to a summit: “Do you look forward to the base point? Or do you spend some time looking at the flower and enjoying it in its significance and then continuing your journey? That is contentment. That is aspiration”.

Impact on Youth Development

Through the Springboard Roadshow Foundation, Ocran has created a platform for leading public and private sector leaders to interact with and inspire young people across Ghana.

The foundation’s programs focus on career guidance, entrepreneurship, and personal development.

Ocran’s work in agriculture through the Ghana Grows Project aims to change negative perceptions about farming and showcase the entire agricultural value chain as a viable career path for youth.

She explains: “We are saying that, look, adding value, adding in the technical space, being the vocational space is so worth it”.

Mentorship and Empowerment

A key aspect of her work is mentoring and empowering young people to pursue their dreams. She encourages youth to take initiative and not wait for government handouts, stating: “We have to choose to translate it into reality. We haven’t explored enough. We are willing to wait on people to give us. It’s more important that we take the bull by the horns and say, how do I make this work?”

Recognition and Accolades

Ocran’s impactful work has earned her several accolades, including:

Fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network
Fellow of the Africa Leadership Initiative
Named one of Ghana’s most influential personalities in 2014

Personal Life

Comfort is married to Albert Ocran, her business partner and fellow motivational speaker. They have four children together. She describes her marriage as one of purpose and service, with Albert as her “greatest cheerleader”.

Outside of her professional pursuits, Ocran enjoys hiking and exploring Ghana’s natural beauty. She is an active member of the Chenko Hiking Club.

Challenges and Perseverance

Like many entrepreneurs, Ocran has faced challenges in her journey. She recalls difficult times in the early days of Combert Impressions when they struggled to pay staff salaries.

During those moments, she leaned on her faith, saying: “I told myself that God has taken us through different dark parts. This would also work out”.

Vision for the Future

Ocran remains committed to developing young talent in Ghana and across Africa. Through her various platforms, she continues to inspire youth to pursue entrepreneurship, explore opportunities in agriculture, and make an impact in their communities.

Conclusion

Comfort Ocran’s life and work exemplify the power of entrepreneurship, mentorship, and service in driving positive change. Her multifaceted career as a businesswoman, author, speaker, and youth advocate has left an indelible mark on Ghana’s entrepreneurial landscape.

By empowering and inspiring the next generation of leaders, Ocran is helping to shape a brighter future for Ghana and Africa as a whole. Her story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and change-makers across the continent.