“Aha! There is something I can do for Senegalese women who need help.”
That was Ndeye Rokhaya Ndao’s reaction after she met Mary Dailey Brown, president and founder of SowHope. Ndeye has always dreamed of starting a nonprofit organization that focuses on women, education, health, economic development and emergency preparedness. She decided to get involved at SowHope and to learn all she could about running a non-profit organization. Ndeye has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2015. Currently, she serves as the secretary of the board.
Ndeye was born in Senegal and considered herself blessed to grow up in an environment that valued education. Even though it is not always the case in Senegal, her parents value education and allowed her to pursue college abroad by coming to the United States. She believes that education opens the door to wider opportunities. SowHope’s approach empowers women and gives them the opportunity to make changes and have ownership of their own lives,” she said.
Ndeye works as a Transition Coordinator at Wyoming High School near Grand Rapids, MI. She is the owner of a business that focuses on social justice and promotes African art made by her fellow Senegalese. By selling their art, she provides a way for them to earn income and exposes them to the international market. She considers her business a social enterprise. Her passion for helping women in need comes from her mother who was always helping neighbors, friends, and family members.
Ndeye earned her BA in International Relations from Grand Valley State University and is a student in the MPA Program with a focus in Nonprofit Management and Leadership. In addition to volunteering at SowHope and running her business, she loves working with women and children because they have so much to offer and can be trailblazers in making the world a better place.