From a mother’s garden to 10,000 events: CEO says 30 years is “not a milestone, it is a mandate” as company consecrates next decade
Jandel Limited marked three decades in business on Friday night with a celebration that doubled as a motivational rally, as CEO Afi Amoro told a packed Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel ballroom that resilience, faith, and service have been the company’s true formula for survival.
At 68, Amoro said her speech was “more like a motivational speech than anything else” because “so long as you cross the 60 mark, you have to be giving back to the younger generation.” The night also saw the official launch of the _Zoya Impact Foundation_, Jandel’s new social impact arm focused on empowering women, artisans, and young creatives in Ghana’s events and hospitality space.
From Mother’s Garden to National Events
Amoro recounted how the journey began 30 years ago with “a young woman in her mother’s garden, believing that something beautiful could grow from something seemingly very little.” She had no business plan, only faith and determination.
“There were times of tears and seasons of uncertainty when everything felt like it was just slipping away,” she said, her voice breaking at moments. “Through it all God remained faithful. As Scripture reminds us, we may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.”
She spoke directly to anyone struggling: “If this year has brought you more tears than laughter… if you have quietly wondered, ‘Is this over for me?’ Let me assure you, it is not over until it is over. As Winston Churchill said, success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”
30 Years of Events, Creativity, Excellence
Jandel has grown from one person to a team of 68 professionals “driven by excellence” that has delivered thousands of events. “At Jandel there is no such thing as just an event. It is a test of creativity, agility, and innovation to delight each client,” Amoro said.
From floral arrangements to rentals, décor to full event-scale production, the company is now a multi-sector, one-stop solution. “We have stood in the presence of royalty and partnered with some of the highest offices in Ghana and internationally, carrying Ghanaian excellence within and beyond our borders,” she stated.
Reflecting on the last three decades, Amoro admitted success was never guaranteed. “Market shifts, economic hurdles, and demanding and changing demands of our world… We didn’t just survive, we have thrived.”
Gratitude to Family, Staff, First Clients
Amoro gave thanks to God “our beginning, our sustainer, and our guide,” then to her late mother Mrs. Justina Jackson “Missus J” and stepfather Mr. Rich Jackson for registering the company and giving structure to the dream.
She thanked her sister Priscilla for managing the company during her school years, her children Dela and Janette, and especially daughter Janette, now Chief Operating Officer, “for your passion and dedication in carrying this legacy forward.”
She also honored the first clients who gave Jandel a chance: Mr. Bebako Mensah, who sold flowers to His Excellency in 1993, and a client who paid 15,000 cedis – then 1.5 Ghana cedis today – for the first arrangement. “That money gave me hope that we could live and thrive on this business,” she said, fighting back tears.
To staff, especially Sumaila who has been with Jandel 25 years, she said: “You are not ordinary people. You are nation builders. Stay committed, stay sharp, and please keep checking the seating arrangements all the time.”
Zoya Impact Foundation Launched: Ghana’s First Structured Events Training Pathway
In a highlight of the night, Jandel officially launched the _Zoya Impact Foundation_. Named after Amoro’s granddaughter and her traditional name _Apam Zoya_ meaning “may evil stay far away from me,” the Foundation reflects her approach to protecting and nurturing excellence in the industry.
What It Is
A structured, 12-month mentorship and fellowship programme for emerging events professionals across Ghana. The programme combines mentorship from industry leaders, hands-on training in events excellence, real project experience, business development support, and access to a national network of peers and professionals.
Why It Matters
Ghana’s events industry is thriving but has never had a formally invested, well-resourced training pathway for young professionals. This Foundation fills that gap, creating the first deliberate national programme to identify, train, and empower emerging talent.
How It Works
The Foundation operates through a national roadshow model – not based in Accra, but travelling to every region of Ghana. It partners with tertiary institutions, polytechnics, universities, and community organisations to identify and recruit talent locally.
Expert facilitators from across Ghana and the continent lead the programme, bringing specialisation in lighting, sound, catering, logistics, sustainability, digital marketing, and brand building.
Who’s Behind It
Jandel Limited, led by CEO Madam Margaret Afi Amoro.
The Outcome
Fellows complete the 12-month programme with industry mentorship, hands-on experience executing live events, business launch/scaling support, and a Jandel-endorsed credential recognised across Ghana and beyond.
“Thirty years taught us that talent is everywhere but opportunity is not,” Amoro said. “Zoya Impact Foundation is our way of opening doors wider. We want to take the lessons from this garden and plant them in many more.”
Guest of Honor Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff (Admin.) at the Office of the President, commended the move, saying Jandel’s growth aligns with government’s Reset Agenda to invest in culture, tourism and SMEs. The Paramount Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Naba Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum, also attended alongside former Secretary to the President Mr. Bebako Mensah, partners, clients, employees and friends.
The evening featured a commemorative song curated by Yvonne Ohui MacCarthy and a dance performance by DWP.
‘30 Years Is Not Just a Milestone, It Is a Mandate’
Amoro described Jandel as “a company built on faith, a company built on service, a company built on people.”
“30 years is not just a milestone, it is a mandate. We are not here simply to celebrate the past. We are here to consecrate the future,” she declared. “As we enter our fourth decade, we move forward with a bold purpose to carry Ghanaian excellence to the world. What God ordains, He sustains, and what He sustains, He multiplies. To God be the glory. Great things He has done, and even greater things He will do.”
