By Yunus S Saliu
It was a moment of joy and excitement on Saturday, 4th June 2022 as the American International University West Africa (AIUWA) The Gambia conferred Honorary Degrees on Her Excellency Madam Fatoumatta Bah Barrow First Lady of Republic of The Gambia and Her Excellency Mrs Fatima Maada Bio First Lady of The Republic of Sierra Leone during a graduation ceremony of 208 students of the AIUWA, held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, Kololi.
The First Ladies, Her Excellency Dr Fatoumatta Bah Barrow of Republic of The Gambia and Her Excellency Dr Fatima Maada Bio of Sierra Leonean were awarded Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (DHumLitt) (Honoris Causa) by the American International University West Africa (AIUWA).
According to her Citation which depicts her achievements and contributions to the society, the First Lay of the Republic of The Gambia, Her Excellency Dr Fatoumatta Bah Barrow was born 5th August 1974 in Banjul but spent her childhood in Basse with her two siblings, where she attended the St George’s School and later became a schoolteacher. Having completed her education and moved to the capital city of Banjul, the First Lady married the current President of the Republic, His Excellency Adama Barrow on 20th March 1997 and blessed with a son and daughter.
The First Lady has worked in different organizations which included Elton Oil Company, GSM Company while from 2009 the First Lady was occasionally involved in small business activities and also helped her spouse in his political career.
After assuming office, she engaged in various humanitarian and charitable activities directed at the most vulnerable groups of society, women and children with the main aim of enhancing their lives by providing them with access to quality education, health and social services. With an all-inclusive approach, the First Lady is a huge fan and supporter of the Gambia National Amputees Football team. She continuously advocates for youths with special needs in society providing them the right opportunities and tools to survive and thrive in their various communities. Such special needs or vulnerable communities include those living with HIV/AIDS. Her contribution in the national response to HIV/AIDS, includes vigorous advocacy campaigns, providing the necessary support and commitment to ensure that the main challenges faced by health workers, HIV patients and adolescents are woefully addressed or significantly reduced.
More of her contributions to the society included Covid-19 relief support packages; promotes of gender equality with program to empower women and girls; while in 2017 First Lady Fatoumatta Bah Barrow set-up her Foundation called Fatoumatta Bah Barrow known as FaBB with the view to not only bring about change, but to also help save and improve the lives of children, youths and women throughout The Gambia.
These among lots stated in her Citation as “a strong women indeed, who has ably assumed her role to focus on providing assistance to both Gambians and non-Gambians, with the ultimate goal to make our society a safer, improved and better place for the vulnerable, persons with disability, women and children. Therefore, her contributions surely make her eligible to be conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (DHumLitt) (Honoris Causa) by AIUWA.
However, in her own Citation that depicts her achievements and contributions to the society, the First Lady Dr Fatima Maada Bio, has been involved in charity/advocacy since her teenage years. She got international recognition when she spearheaded the Hands-Off-our-Girls campaign launched by His Excellency Dr Julius Maada Bio in 2018. The initiative was also launched internationally on the Margins of the United National in the United States, with top tackle, more emphasis is placed on Gender and sexual based violence and child marriage.
The First Lady made food donations to the needy and integral part of her office. This was brought to the fore at the height of the Covid crises, where she launched the national Food Basket and donated much needed food condiments nationally. She directly involved in a full array of humanitarian activities which includes but not limited to providing safe drinking water in communities, refurbishing and building hospitals, donating drugs to hospitals, visiting hospitals severally to meet with patents and more importantly give kudos to health workers. The Menstrual hygiene initiative included donating sanitary pads to school girls and physically going from province to province to have face to face interaction with female school children on menstrual hygiene and demystifying the stigma associated with menstruation.
The list of Her Excellency’s achievements goes on, but she personally believes she has an obligation to women and children, with a divine mandate to do something positive to make the change happen.
“As we congratulate the First Lady for a well deserved conferment, analysts are in agreement, that she is on track to do so much more on both national and international fronts. Therefore, her contributions surely make her eligible to be conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctor of Humane Letters (DHumLitt) (Honoris Causa) by AIUWA.
Meanwhile, the 208 graduated pupils were of different discipline breakdown as follows – College of Medicine and Health Sciences – Doctor of Pharmacy (PharD) (5); College of Medicine and health Sciences – Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) (26); College of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing Science (BSN) General Nursing Science (33); College of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing Science (BSN) Specialization in Anesthesia Nursing (3); College of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing Science (BSN) Specialization in Peri-Operative Nursing (2); College of Nursing – Bachelor of Nursing Science (BSN) Specialization in Midwifery (4); College of Management and Information Technology – Bachelor of Sceicne (BSc) Human resources and Labour Management (22); College of Management and Information Technology – Bachelor of Science (BSc) Business Administration (10); College of Management and Information Technology – Bachelor of Science (BSc) (31); College of Management and Information Technology – Bachelor of Science (BSc) Economics (7); College of Management and Information Technology – Bachelor of Science (BSc) Computer Science and Technology; College of Medicine and Health Sciences – Doctor of Medicine (MD) (17); College of Medicine and Health Sciences – Doctor of Medicine (MD)(18).