AFRICA | A brilliant African lady named Helena Baaba Botchway has achieved a rare and outstanding accomplishment by transitioning from healthcare to the legal profession.
She earned two degrees in both Nursing and Law, and was called to the Bar of the Supreme Court of Ghana within eight years while also practicing as a mental nurse.
Baaba's Story and How She Did It
Baaba’s higher academic journey began at the Nurse Training College, Pantang, in Ghana where she earned a Diploma in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. Driven by a passion for helping others and promoting mental wellness, she continued to advance academically.
In 2017, she enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree program in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing at the University of Cape Coast and graduated with her BNSc in 2019.
After graduation, Baaba began her professional career as a psychiatric nurse and a mental health advocate, using her platform to promote awareness about mental health issues, particularly among young people.
Despite her success in nursing, Baaba’s desire to create systemic change in mental health policy and advocacy inspired her to pursue a career in Law.
The same year she graduated, she took a bold step and enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) program at Mountcrest University College, from which she graduated in 2022.
She proceeded to the Ghana School of Law in 2023. After years of dedication, she achieved her long-awaited goal in 2025, being called to the Ghana Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
With over 10 years of clinical and regulatory experience in nursing and midwifery, Baaba currently serves as an Assistant Departmental Head at the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana.
Beyond her professional duties, Baaba is the Founder of PsycHealth Ghana, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness and promoting mental wellness.
Through the initiative, she has led awareness campaigns across more than 40 schools, reaching over 10,000 students through interactive sessions that teach mental health literacy and emotional resilience.
Outside the classroom and courtroom, Baaba is also a woman of many talents. In 2017, she was crowned first runner-up in the Most Beautiful Girl in Ghana pageant, where she used her platform to spotlight mental health awareness.
Celebrating her remarkable achievement on LinkedIn, Baaba reflected on her journey with gratitude and hope.
“From rendering mental health nursing care to walking the stage of pageantry to project mental health, and finally being called to the BAR as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Ghana. I look forward to doing exploits with this added profession,” she said.
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