“Don’t You Dare Give Up!” Tatiana Sharpe’s Fiery Rally Cry to the 16 Imba YaAmai Teen Mothers

Staff Reporter

Tatiana Sharpe, daughter of WestProp Holdings Founder and Visionary Ken Sharpe, urged 16 graduating teen mothers from Imba YaAmai Center to reclaim their futures by applying the skills they acquired through a year-long training program.

Imba YaAmai Center (the mother’s house) is a humanitarian initiative led by the Sharpe family to provide a second chance to teen mothers from disadvantaged backgrounds. It offers vocational technical training in baking, sewing, and hairdressing.

The Center also provides training in entrepreneurship, customer service, marketing, HIV/AIDS awareness, women’s rights, and counseling support, among other empowerment programs. All expenses at the center are funded by the Sharpe family.

In her keynote address marking the 2026 graduation ceremony, Imba YaAmai Center ’s incoming Board Chairperson, Tatiana Sharpe, said the teen mothers are not only being taught skills to generate income but are being developed to become whole women—“her hands, her mind, her confidence and her financial understanding and her spirit.”

Sharpe explained that the girls were challenged to unleash their potential in many ways, not just taught a skill.

Applying their skills, the teen mothers created savings from their work, raising a total of US$843. At the end of the program, this money was used to help each young woman acquire a start-up kit based on the skills she had learned.

“Now take that skill into your community, find a customer, take an order, bake the cake, sew the dress, do someone’s hair. It’s one thing about learning, and it’s another thing about going out into the real world and experiencing it,” she said.

She emphasized that the home will build partnerships with the government, the United Nations, NGOs, churches, businesses, educators, and individuals who share the vision—not to create dependency but to create opportunity and rewrite the story.

The incoming Board Chairperson said Imba YaAmai, a mother’s home, is a place where a difficult chapter does not have to become the whole story.

“Sixteen mothers, sixteen stories. And sixteen women who today deserve to be known not for what happened to them, but for what they have accomplished. When you look at their photographs today, don’t simply see sixteen teenage mothers,” Sharpe added.

Imba YaAmai Graduands Testimonials Presented By Chantel Kachora

Thank you Mrs. Sharpe for opening this organisation that empowers young mothers. May God bless you and continue guiding you to help other young mothers like me. Today I stand here with a heart full of gratitude and pride as I reflect on my journey here at Imba YaAmai.

 Being a young mother comes with many difficulties and at times the road ahead seemed unclear. I then started this course with a vision to be better and to prosper. It has been about patience, creativity and believing in myself.

Imba YaAmai changed my life completely.  Taking skills played a vital role.  During my time I managed to acquire a full plate. This is going to participate in my child’s future and mine. Imba YaAmai once again changed my life. Counselling sessions created a better me.

I was once rude, I was once stubborn but through it I have turned over a new leaf.  Life coaching sessions taught me positivity in everything that I do. My life was once filled with negativity. Moving on, morning devotion kept me devoted.  I now begin and end my day with prayer. For I have learned that prayer is essential in one’s life.

Through discipleship my bond with God grew deeper.  I now go to church more often.  I even began to respect everyone. This has changed my lifestyle. There are teachers who teach you life and those who teach you subjects. All my teachers were good.

 They taught me to learn from my mistakes and disciplined me with love. I am a brand new me and it’s all because of them. I would like to thank all my teachers.

 Once again, Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe, we are truly, truly, truly grateful for your love and support. You are changing lives one team at a time. By giving us a chance, another chance, to learn, to grow and to create.

 Thank you so much.  To my fellow graduates, it has been an honor to learn and grow alongside you. As I move forward, I carry everything I’ve learned with me. And remember, this is not the end of my journey, but it’s only the beginning. Thank you.

Parent Rep For Teen Mothers Testimonials Presented By Mrs Kawara

It is a great honour and privilege to stand before you today. As a parent on this special occasion) today is a day of celebration, pride, gratitude and reflection.

We have gathered here to celebrate the achievements of our fellow graduates to recognize the hard work that has brought you to this important milestone. To our graduates today is a testimony of your determination, discipline, courage and perseverance. The journey has not always been easy, there were moments of disappointment, late nights, pressure, difficult exams, times you felt like giving up but you kept going.

Today you are standing right in front of me as graduates. I’m so much proud of you. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to Mr. and Mrs. Sharp, the founders of IMAI, the teachers, staff, and thank you so much for educating our children, guiding them, correcting them, encouraging them and believing in their potential.

Your contribution to their lives go far beyond the classroom and we really appreciate you. To our fellow parents, congratulations as well. We have supported our children through this journey with prayers, encouragement, sacrifices and love.

It is a reflection of the support we gave them and to our graduates, this is not the end of your journey, it is the beginning of another successful chapter. As you go, please carry the values that you learned here. Be respectful, honest, hard-working, humble, and compassionate and always remember to pray.

Remember the success is not defined by money, status but also by the difference you make in other people’s lives. Make your school proud, your families proud and most importantly, be yourself proud. Always be boldly.

Thank you so much Mr. and Mrs. Sharpe.