Harriet Margaret Ndow (née Njie; October 28, 1926 – 18 June, 2019) was a Gambian educator and educational entrepreneur.

Early life and education

Ndow was born in 1926 as the first daughter of the shop owner William Njie and Elizabeth Njie. She belonged to the

Wolof Wolof or Wollof may refer to: * Wolof people, an ethnic group found in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * Wolof language, a language spoken in Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania * The Wolof or Jolof Empire, a medieval West African successor of the Mal ...

ethnic group and was Catholic. She had her primary and secondary education at St. Joseph's Infant Primary and Secondary schools. After graduating from school in 1945, she went to

Achimota College Achimota School ( /ɑːtʃimoʊtɑː/ ), formerly Prince of Wales College and School at Achimota, later Achimota College, now nicknamed Motown, is a co-educational boarding school located at Achimota in Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana. The schoo ...

in the Gold Coast (now Achimota School in Ghana ) with a scholarship to train as a primary school teacher.

Career

Starting in the 1980s, with the support of the government and a

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Interna ...

loan of over $7 million, she founded several of her own schools, first the St. Joseph Nursery School and then secondary schools. In 2009, eight schools were part of their Ndow's Group of Schools. Among them is the Ndow's Comprehensive Senior Secondary School in Bakau New Town with 575 students from grades 10 to 12 (as of 2009).

Awards

In 2014 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI).

Personal life

Ndow was married to Chips Ndow.

References

Gambian educators Gambian women educators 1926 births Alumni of Achimota School 2019 deaths {{DEFAULTSORT:Ndow, Harriet