Harmony Hub Foundation for Mental Health is a newly founded voluntary organisation, with a young gender activist Awa Krubally being the brainchild of the organisation. HHF is a mental health organization that is dedicated to provide free support people suffering from mental health and psycho-social disorders. It is an organisation committed to provide support in every way possible to ensure that mental health becomes a human right to every individual within the country.
The organisation is a registered NGO and is currently housed at the WILL head office in Brufut, West Coast Region. The Organisation has a Board of Directors, Mental Health Counsellors and other voluntary staff.
Below is the brief profile of the Board Members and contacts details and social media accounts of the organisation.
1. Awa Krubally: Founder and Executive Director
Awa Krubally is a women’s rights activist and founder of the voluntary organisation dubbed Harmony Hub Foundation for Mental Health. She is also a Board Member at ‘Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice’ in Freetown, Sierra Leone. She is also a Member of the Women in Liberation and Leadership (WILL) where she serves as a Gender Justice Coordinator.
Awa obtained her Master of Business Administration in International Trade and Finance (MBA) and is currently pursuing a second Master’s (MSc) in Sustainability and Diplomacy in France.
She has extensive experience in the area of Gender Justice and advocacy for the rights of women, girls and marginalised communities both in Europe and Africa. In recognition of her work with women and children in communities, she was recognized by the African Center for Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR) as a human rights defender in Africa.
In 2023, she received an award for Gender Justice from the USAID and American Bar Association as a Woman of Courage.
Awa speaks both English and French. She has a good sense of humour and believes that Human rights is a fundamental right to every individual.
2. Fatou Geo Barry: Board Chairperson
Fatou Geo Barry holds a degree in Law and Information Technology, as well as a Master’s in International Business Law from the University of Leeds.
She is highly skilled in providing counselling and giving psychological support to people suffering from mental health issues. She possessed strong crisis intervention skills and remains deeply committed to safeguarding the rights and dignity of displaced and marginalized populations.
3. Alieu Ceesay: Vice Chairperson
Alieu Ceesay is a final year medical student studying at the Faculty of medicine and Pharmacy at Casablanca in Morocco. He had multiple rotations during these past years in medical school ranging from Paediatric, surgery, gynaecology psychiatry etc.
Alieu also served as a city representative at The Gambia Student Association (GASAM)in Morocco in the city of Casablanca from 2021/2022. He is a passionate motivational speaker and mental health counsellor.
In addition, he also diagnosed and gave counselling therapeutic advices to people with mental health or related mental health issues such as Narcissism.
4. Shahida Rashid: Board Member (Therapeutic Service)
Shahida Rashid is the Director and Founder of Butterfly Foundation CIC | Life Coach. She is passionate about helping women live more fulfilled lives. Having faced her own challenges, she understands the importance of having support and guidance that many women lack.
With a background in sales and teaching, Shahida combines her skills to inspire women to prioritise themselves and find happiness from within. She believes that every woman deserves to be fabulous in business, enabling them to create the life they desire for themselves and their families.
After founding Butterfly Charity, which supports women in rural villages in Bangladesh by providing funding for their businesses, Shahida sought to extend her impact. Her vision includes helping more women give back to their communities or start their own charities, fostering an abundance mindset.
Shahida empowers women to become the masters of their own lives. Through her women-only coaching and training in London, she provides a comfortable environment where participants can learn essential skills and gain the confidence needed to achieve their ambitions without compromising their values.
5. Aliou Souare: Board Member (Mental Health Mentor)
Aliou Souare is a mental health consultant and this has been his area of specialization for 23 years now. He has assisted people with mental health to find solutions to live a better and healthier life.
Based on religion aspect of mental health, he gives lectures and Da’wa using Quranic verses and interpretations with evidence from the Prophets way of healing.
He also has a background in finance where he managed budgets for projects relating to Islamic conferences and other Islamic programs both in The Gambia and abroad.
Aliou feels so passionate being part of organizations relating to religion advocacy and mental heath.
6. Ramatoulie Barry: Board Member (Responsible for Project Management & Innovation)
Ramatoulie Barry is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in product management, agile methodologies, and driving impactful business solutions. Her career span roles in product ownership, program management, and business analysis, where she has excelled in managing complex projects and fostering collaboration among diverse teams.
Originally from The Gambia, Ramatoulie moved to the United States in 2003 and now resides in Austin, Texas. While she enjoys exploring different cities and cuisines, her favorite human beings in the world are her nieces and nephews, with whom she maintains a close connection despite the distance.
7. Mamanding Ceesay: Board Member (Responsible for Programs & Services)
Mamanding Ceesay holds a degree as a Registered Nurse in The Gambia. She is also a Mental Health and psychosocial support officer/trainer. She has over 5years work experience in major health centers in the Gambia under the paediatric department.
Mamanding is also a mental health counsellor and has provided training assistance as a Resource Person and facilitator in most mental health seminars. She also served as a monitoring and evaluation officer and plays a vital role in ensuring the success of a project.
8. Assan Sallah, Board Member (Responsible for Partnerships, Advocacy & PR )
Mr. Assan Sallah is a renowned Gambian journalist. He is a former News Editor and a former security affairs correspondent at the defunct Daily Observer Newspaper Company in The Gambia. Mr. Sallah is the Publisher and Proprietor of LamToro News (LTN) Online. He is based in Germany.
Before he traveled to Germany, he worked for almost 10 years as a newspaper journalist. He graduated from Armitage Senior Secondary School in 2003 and later joined the teaching field. He taught as a teacher at Karantaba Upper Basic School in the Central River Region of the Gambia in the 2003 – 2004 academic year and later decided to change profession and joined the journalism field.
In 2004, Mr. Sallah began his journalism career as a freelance reporter at the then government newspaper called The Gambia Daily newspaper (now Gambia Info).
Mr. Sallah later applied for a reporter job at the Gambia’s biggest newspaper, The Daily Observer in 2005 and got appointed. While working at The Daily Observer, Mr. Sallah did his media practice both in the newsroom and at the same time did his Advanced Diploma in Journalism at the Gambia Media Training Centre, sponsored by UNESCO (NATCOM). He was part of the second batch of this media training programme.
He had in-house media training at The Daily Observer from renowned media professionals who worked with him at the time. He proved his skills and abilities in journalism, especially in the area of investigation and report writing, in-depth reporting, court reporting, and interviewing techniques. He gained rapid promotion at The Daily Observer Newspaper and later became a senior reporter and a correspondent of the said newspaper at the State House. In April 2008, Mr. Sallah was promoted from senior reporter to the post of editor at The Daily Observer.
During this period, Mr. Sallah became very passionate and active in the media and possessed a great passion for the job. He was elected as the first public relations officer (PRO) of the Young Journalists Association of The Gambia (YJAG) in September 2007. He served as PRO of YJAG from 2007 to 2009. During the Association’s congress in September 2009, he was elected as President of the Young Journalists Association of The Gambia, a position he served from 2009 to 2011. Mr. Sallah was a member of the Gambia Press Union.
In 2009, Mr. Sallah travelled to Ghana where he did a short journalism course on Freedom and Responsibility in the Media at the International Institute of Journalism in Accra. He later returned to The Gambia upon completion of the course and in 2011, he travelled to the Republic of China on Taiwan in Taipei, where he did another short advanced journalism course and later returned that same year.
Mr Sallah was also Anchor of The Young Observer Column at the time. A column focusing on youth and children‘s matters in The Gambia. He later became a co-anchor of the Bantaba Column of the Daily Observer and in 2012, he became Anchor of The Recap column while serving as Editor.
Assan Sallah’s impressive intellect and prolific body of work motivated him to create a new medium LAMTORO NEWS, an independent news media reporting the news, current affairs, and unbiased editorials and commentaries from renowned essayists to inform and educate in the market place of ideas and operate in support of public debate, fostering discussion on topics of current or historical importance, and promoting up independent journalism reflecting a commitment to free expression and inquiry, a range and depth of intellect, and a willingness to pursue the truth without regard to personal or professional consequence.
Mr. Sallah speaks English, German, French and a lot of local languages spoken in The Gambia and beyond. Besides his journalism profession, Mr. Sallah is also a qualified and a certified Salesman in Germany. In 2023, he completed a three-year studies in Business and Marketing in Deutschland and has since been on a full-time employment.
9. Fatoumatta Jagne: Board Member (General Secretary)
Fatoumatta Jagne is a committed advocate for the rights of women and girls, with extensive experience in supporting individuals affected by sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in The Gambia. Through specialized training, she has actively contributed to mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) initiatives, as well as mentorship and peer support programs for survivors. With a strong background in GBV analysis and survivor counselling, she plays a vital role in providing support and amplifying the voices of women and girls.
Fatoumatta is highly skilled in community engagement and facilitation, fostering inclusive discussions that promote collective and participatory decision-making. She is dedicated to ensuring that diverse perspectives are acknowledged, creating spaces where individuals feel empowered to contribute meaningfully to societal progress.
In addition to her advocacy work, Fatoumatta is passionate about using art as a medium for social change. She leverages creative expression to raise awareness on critical issues such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR). Working closely with survivors of SGBV, she transforms complex narratives into impactful storytelling, using art as a catalyst for dialogue and action.
With a keen eye for detail and a strong commitment to excellence, Fatoumatta approaches her work with organization, accuracy, and a deep respect for the communities she serves. Whether through advocacy, facilitation, or artistic expression, she remains dedicated to advancing gender equality and fostering a more just and inclusive society.
She is currently working with the Women In Liberation and Leadership (WILL) as a Programme Officer/mhpss.
HHF Contact information and social media accounts:
Phone number: +33769979848 (WhatsApp)
Facebook page link:
Instagram link
https://www.instagram.com/harmony_hub_foundation?igsh=MTJlNmF2amUxa2d1bA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Meanwhile the organisation is developing a website in which more detailed information about HHF will be showcased. It is expected to be unveiled soon.
