Amie Darboe is making an impact, one flavour at a time

In 2018, Amie Darboe found herself at a crossroads. A seasoned human resources professional with 14 years of experience, she was also a single mother to a child with cerebral palsy. She struggled to balance her demanding career with the responsibilities of caring for her son, all while combating societal stigma about her son’s condition. But in the face of adversity, Amie chose a new path – one that would not only change her own life, but also make a lasting impact on her community. 

Amie’s love for natural herbs and spices provided her with a starting point. Driven by her desire to support her family and spread awareness about cerebral palsy, she launched Amie’s Spice. Alongside the business, she founded the Ibraisia Foundation, which supports families of children with cerebral palsy by providing financial assistance for medical care. 

Starting her business wasn’t easy. Securing funding was difficult, and while her community and family provided much-needed support, Amie soon realized she needed more resources to grow. She began seeking out grants, joining women’s business organizations, and connecting with other women entrepreneurs in online communities. 

Her commitment to sustainability and community is at the heart of Amie’s Spice. She sources all her spices locally, working with small-scale women farmers who use organic, traditional practices. By ensuring her products are both healthy and delicious, Amie believes she can change the perception that healthy eating has to be bland. ‘Every home should have access to meals that are healthy, and that their tastebuds won’t forget,’ she says. ‘That’s what I aim to bring to the Gambia, and beyond.’ 

Amie’s dedication paid off when she learned about the SheTrades Gambia Hub and the mentorship programme in partnership with Visa. The mentorship with Aasiya Mulji, Senior Manager at Visa, proved to be a turning point in her business journey. 

‘My mentor was extraordinary,’ Amie shares. ‘She was sincere, open, and gave me practical advice. She helped me understand the importance of digital tools and how they can help grow my business. I had to increase my social media presence and build my website – these were things I had known I needed to do, but before meeting my mentor from Visa, I didn’t know where to start.’ 

The mentorship also introduced Amie to the power of digital payment systems. By integrating these tools into her business, Amie has been able to streamline her operations, make transactions easier, and focus more on what she loves – creating her products and expanding her impact. 

‘If you want to go global, you have to go digital,’ Amie emphasizes. ‘These tools don’t just make life easier – they give you more time and energy to focus on other things, like scaling your business and making a difference.’ 

Today, Amie’s Spice is thriving. She sells to major retailers and directly to consumers, with a loyal following that appreciates her commitment to quality and her community-driven ethos. Her business employs six women. Amie’s leadership fosters a supportive environment where open communication and sisterhood are at the core. ‘I don’t see myself as the boss,’ Amie explains. ‘We are a team. The business belongs to all of us, not just me. We support each other, both as colleagues and as a family.’ 

Amie’s vision for the future is both bold and heartfelt. She aims to make Amie’s Spice a household name in the Gambia, ranking among the top 10 spice companies. But her long-term goal is even more ambitious: to build a hospital for children with special needs, where families only pay what they can afford for treatment.  

Despite the many challenges, Amie remains determined. One of the biggest barriers to growth in the Gambia, she says, is access to finance. ‘We have so many talented, strong women here who can transform their skills into thriving businesses. But without access to startup funds, it’s impossible,’ she explains. ‘If I had had access to more resources at the start, I would have been able to grow my business even faster.’ 
For Amie Darboe, her journey of resilience and commitment to her family and community is only beginning. With the support of SheTrades and Visa, she is poised to make an even greater impact – one meal and one family at a time.