Ama Bartimeus: Rise with Courage, Lead with Heart
From the boardrooms of global development agencies to the villages where real change takes root, Ama Bartimeus has built a career defined by purpose, equity, and empowerment. Her journey is a powerful reminder that leadership is not about titles or numbers — it’s about people. Through her work in international development, she has championed livelihoods, education, and women’s empowerment across continents, inspiring others to lead with integrity and intention. With courage as her compass and compassion as her strategy, Ama embodies what it means to rise — and to lift others as you do.
What inspired you to choose international development?
When I started my career, one of my roles as a Business Development Advisor for a Technology and Innovation company revolved around measuring the impact of working capital on the performance of small businesses. It also entailed exploring the extent to which business success contributed to household impact – such as access to health care, girls’ education, and women’s empowerment, i.e., women’s ownership and control of economic assets, women’s participation in decision making, and women’s freedom from abuse and violence.
The experience kindled a desire to contribute to something bigger than myself – to promote equity, justice, and create opportunity for a diverse range of people. I also became fascinated with how policy, economics and community action intersect. International development offered me the opportunity to work across countries and continents – from local to global – learning, engaging, and contributing to implementing strategies that promoted livelihoods development, inclusive education, access to health care, prevention of mother-to-child HIV infection, and women’s empowerment, among others.
Which project or experience has touched you the most personally?
The story of an 80+ year old woman in Tanzania who had to wake up at three am to work on the farm to enable her to take care of her orphaned grandchildren has stuck with me through these years. Her resilience was a testament to the fighting spirit of women, and she reminded me of my own grandmother, who was a farmer in Ghana. The lack of social protection for both children and the elderly is a major development challenge. Through the organisation I worked with at the time, HelpAge International, we were able to advocate for old age pension to support many families who were impacted negatively by HIV/AIDs.
Why is it important to track real change, not just numbers?
Numbers only tell part of the story, but without context, those numbers can be misleading. For example, training 500 young leaders sounds impressive, but did it shift their confidence, leadership style, or career trajectory?
Whilst numbers help to understand scale, lived experiences help to understand how lives are transformed. Real change shows up in how people think, interact, and lead. It shows how people feel, what they’ve overcome, and what they’ve become.
It is important to question the story behind the numbers, that is where real transformation lives. Questions like these can help to track real change: What happened? What changed? For whom? How significant is the change? Will the change last? Remember, not everything that counts can be measured, and not everything that can be measured counts.
What does “sustainable leadership” mean to you?
Sustainable leadership means creating value that endures. It’s about guiding people and organizations in ways that are ethical and inclusive for present and future generations.
For me, that means three things:
· Responsibility: considering the long-term social, environmental, and economic impacts of decisions and balancing results for people and planet.
· Resilience: building teams and systems that can adapt and thrive in the face of change.
· Empowerment: enabling others to lead, grow, and contribute so that leadership itself becomes sustainable beyond one individual.
One piece of advice for a young entrepreneur starting out?
Start with clarity of purpose, build partnerships early because no one can do it on their own, stay flexible but grounded – pivoting when needed, but staying true to your mission; and embed sustainability from day one – it is a competitive advantage.
Why is mentoring women and young leaders close to your heart?
Mentoring women and young leaders is close to my heart because I’ve seen firsthand how transformative guidance and encouragement can be. Many women and emerging leaders face unique challenges – whether it’s navigating systemic barriers, overcoming self-doubt, or simply finding someone who believes in their potential. Being that person who says, “You belong here, and you’re capable,” is powerful.
I’m passionate about creating spaces where women and young leaders feel seen, heard, and empowered to lead authentically. Mentoring is my way of sharing knowledge and experience to support them in navigating various challenges, especially in their career journeys. It is my way of multiplying impact, too.
A moment when mentorship changed someone’s journey?
One recent moment that stands out is mentoring a young Chevening Scholar through her Master’s in Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment at University College London. Through our mentoring relationship, I shared insights from my own professional journey, provided resources to strengthen her knowledge and support her research, opened doors for her to connect with sector leaders, and guided her with job applications. Seeing her position herself as a consultant in the energy space made it clear how mentorship can shift someone’s trajectory. It wasn’t just about guidance; it was about helping her see herself as ready and capable. What I particularly loved was hearing her reflect on how making the time to accompany her on a fun activity – going to see The Lion King together – enabled her to rediscover her love for theatre.
How do you stay grounded and motivated?
I stay grounded by reminding myself of the bigger purpose behind my work – contributing to creating positive, lasting impact for people and communities around the world.
On a practical level, my motivation comes from completing meaningful tasks to make my days count and celebrating small wins. This does not always come easy, but I keep trying.
Biggest lesson as a leader?
Stay grounded, be humble and empower others.
One message for the next generation of women leaders?
Lead with courage and compassion and lift others as you rise.
