photographer: jonne lucia op de weegh© | make-up artist: alice malavasi from art of colors
adama bah(she/her)
social performance analyst at oikocredit edcs
about
i strongly believe we all benefit from an inclusive society where everyone can access the opportunities they need to thrive, so i strive to contribute to this through my work. my background in economics/econometrics provides me with the skills to guide decision-making in complex realities using data and connecting the dots and using data. over the years, i have enhanced my expertise in socioeconomic inclusion, women empowerment, esg and sustainability working with diverse organizations in countries across africa, asia and latin america. with all this, i develop pragmatic and effective solutions to create positive social and environmental impact.what or who inspired you to pursue your chosen career?
from a young age, i observed that humans like to put one another in boxes and predict behaviours based on that. but i didnt like that, my own experience was that differences between different cultures and countries are actually not that big, especially after my family moved from cote d’ivoire, where i was born, to france, when i was 8 years old. shortly after, my father created an ngo that aimed to bring the diaspora together to implement local development projects in guinea. i used to help him with typing documents or other tasks to earn some pocket money as a teenager and that really inspired me. i decided that i was in a privileged position to be a bridge, a connector between different ‘worlds’ and cultures, and i wanted to bring the voice for people who were most often talked about, but not talked to. later, when i discovered economics and econometrics, it seemed like a good way to do that. it resonated with my personal experience, with my goals, and with my ever-curious, idealist and pragmatic personality. i especially like the combination of data analytics with communication, relationship, advocacy and project management aspects.
oikocredit edcs
oikocredit is a social impact investor and worldwide cooperative that invests in financial inclusion, agriculture, and renewable energy across 33 countries in africa, asia, and latin america. guided by the principle of empowering people, oikocredit’s vision aligns closely with the equals campaign’s goals of promoting gender equality and diversity. the cooperative’s participation in this campaign further advances women’s empowerment and inclusion, which has been integral to its mission from the beginning, 50 years ago, and reinforces its commitment to creating a just society where resources are shared sustainably and everyone is in a position to build a life of dignity.