Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow
Tribute
Gambia's First Lady, Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow, addresses poverty and maternal health while ensuring her own children, Mamadou and Taibou, never experience poverty of attention despite national demands. We celebrate the health initiatives championed publicly and the childhood injuries she had treated privately, the vulnerable populations supported through her foundation and the emotional vulnerabilities honoured within family conversations. The way she models that caregiving strengthens rather than diminishes leadership resonates with us.
Profile
Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow is the First Lady of The Gambia, actively leading initiatives focused on poverty alleviation, healthcare, and women’s empowerment. She is the founder of the Fatoumatta Bah-Barrow Foundation (FaBB), launched in 2017 to support vulnerable groups, including women, children, and the sick. Through her foundation, she has collaborated with international organizations like Merck KGaA to address infertility issues among women. She is also the current President of The African First Ladies Peace Mission. Her humanitarian efforts reflect her commitment to improving the well-being of Gambians. Born on August 5, 1974, in Banjul, she is the daughter of businessman Abdoulie Bah and Isatou Jallow. She spent her early years in Basse before moving to Banjul, where she pursued a career in sales and marketing, working at Elton Oil Company and later Africell Gambia Ltd. In 1997, she married President Adama Barrow, and they have two children, Mamadou and Taibou Barrow. As a mother and a leader, she continues to champion social development and advocate for the empowerment of women and children in The Gambia.