A Black Woman Navigating the World of Diplomats
I AM AFRICAN & I CAN is a women’s empowerment blog highlighting stories of Black women’s struggles and successes.
By Hadiatou Wann | 02/16/2024
Santou Dabo was born in Guinea, Conakry and spent some of her childhood with her maternal grandmother. From a young age, she was highly skilled at basketball, physics, and math. “I liked math, and I was really good at it,” Santou recalls.
When Santou moved to the United States at the age of 15, she built on the skills she already had. In school, when students and teachers weren’t seeing eye-to-eye, they relied on Santou to mediate. At work, Santou was always the voice of the employees, and on many occasions found herself negotiating with the manager.
While in the United States, Santou worked as a Financial Associate, an immigration court interpreter, and as a program director. One of the most rewarding jobs she held while in the United States was working for an HIV and Aids prevention nonprofit organization, where she was one of the youngest program directors. Her transition to work in the not-for-profit sector was a decision she took once she realized she was more fulfilled working in a field where she could see how her efforts had a direct impact on others.
She is also the co-founder and CEO of “One Child One Chance,” a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization she’s been nurturing for over 10 years that is dedicated to ending extreme poverty in underserved communities. Since its induction in 2012, they’ve raised funds and benefited orphans in Guinea. The goal is to eventually branch out to other parts of the world. A personality trait she believes she got from her mother and father (especially her father), Santou’s viewpoint on charity and looking out for others has always been, “how do you feel having three meals a day when your neighbor doesn’t even have one meal a day?”
When she met her husband, he lived in South Africa at the time. They tied the knot and for two years Santou juggled work and a long-distance marriage before finally relocating to South Africa. Soon after she relocated to South Africa, she sought new opportunities for employment. The ambassador at the embassy of the Republic of Guinea was searching for a Personal Assistant. She inquired about the position, was interviewed, and took a written test. Four weeks later, she was called for a second interview.
Once she accepted the offer to become the personal assistant to the ambassador, she would commute from Johannesburg to Pretoria daily. Although she left her job as a program director making six figures in America to make a little over $500 USD monthly in South Africa, she stuck around and gathered as much experience as possible. She also used the skills she’s gained in the US to add value to her new workplace in South Africa.
As the Personal Assistant, she facilitated the Official Presidential Visit between South Africa and Guinea in 2019. Santou was then promoted, after a successful mission, to the post of First Secretary in Charge of Economic Affairs at the Embassy of Guinea in South Africa. A few years later, Santou would once again facilitate a humanitarian visit to Guinea of Former South African President Thabo Mbeki. Consequently, she will benefit from another promotion to the post of First Counselor in charge of Economic Affairs in 2023.
The mother of two holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from The State University of Buffalo in New York and a Master of Science degree in management of nonprofit organizations and associations from the University of Maryland.
The issue around “Body Image” is something that Santou faced at different stages of her life. “I’m not your typical model size chick,” Santou expressed. As a tool to distract her from her path, Santou has often been told that her lips were too big and that she was too overweight. However, she learned later to use it in her favor. The comments about her lips being too big inspired her to co-found Mums Green Heart, an affordable luxury cosmetic brand that sells lipsticks.
She proved that she is full, and beautiful and capitalized on the negative comments. In regard to her weight, Santou quickly understood that presence matters and that many simply were being negative as a defense mechanism because they were intimidated or a way to simply reflect their own insecurities onto her. She learned to simply reject that and blossom into the amazing person that she is today.
Santou says that it’s tough for women in any environment, because a woman could go into a meeting knowing she’s the most qualified person and still be underestimated or talked down to. At times, when she was expressive, she was referred to as impolite and a mad Black woman. But she adds that, “with experience you learn to pick your battles in a diplomatic way.”
Some of the challenges Santou faces consistently are doubt about her path to where she currently is. Many doubt her intelligence and experience and relate her achievements to many irrelevant things. “We have to normalize women achieving greatness and rising to the top based on their skills, education, and experience, rather than anything else.” States Santou. Opinions have not deterred her from her path, as she’s on a mission to live her best life while impacting others.
Since Santou has had opportunities to be surrounded by world leaders such as heads of state, as well as highly influential people, she has learned to capitalize on these experiences. “The world of Diplomacy is quite tricky for women'' she says. Santou has however been able to navigate through with a clean track record, always reminding herself of what her values are. Throughout her career, she has prioritized self-respect, integrity and focus on setting the right example for women across the world and the younger generation. “One has to think of how far you really want to go, and let your work speak for itself,” she says.
Despite all the negative comments at the peak of her career, Santou comforts herself by saying, “If they did it to the Prophet, then who am I?” Many women have inspired Santou throughout her career. They have always encouraged her to remain focused on her job and do it so well that she’s untouchable. “I’ve learned to be comfortable with my seat at the table. I’m not going to be intimidated by anyone, whether male or female, that sits across from me. If I am here, it is because I deserve to be here,” Santou expressed.
Her day begins around 4:30 a.m., making sure she fulfills Salah (prayer). By 6:30 a.m., her kids are out for school, which gives her time to prepare breakfast for her husband with additional help in the household. Santou emphasizes that as much as she thinks she is superwoman, she is only capable of doing so with the help of those around in her household assisting with the preparation of her kids in the morning and with putting a hot meal on the table.
“We have to also understand that women are human. I am not here to portrait a fake image. I am only able to perform at my level best at the office because I have a support staff at home that helps me keep my home together” Santou expressed. She is however very hands-on on the day-to-day management of her household. She plans out the entire meal plans for her children and husband, making sure their schedules for school and after school activities are well prepared and thorough. She does prioritize her presence at every school function for her children as well as quality time with her husband.
“Santou is a God-fearing young lady, fun to be around, resilient, hard-working, and loyal. She puts the needs of many before hers and can be relied on at any time. I’m very proud of the woman she has become and look forward to the great things she will accomplish in the near future,” Hawa Barry-Diallo, founder and CEO of Miss Guinee North America said.
She crossed the ocean for love, but she didn’t leave behind her brain and drive. Santou’s success story teaches us that when people throw lemons at us, hoping to distract or discourage us from our path, we don’t stand still. We pick up the lemons and make a delicious lemonade. And no matter where we choose to live in the world, if we have the drive and develop our skills, we can enter rooms where no one expected us to and get a seat at the table.
Inside Santou’s Life
“I’ve learned to be comfortable with my seat at the table. I’m not going to be intimidated by anyone, whether male or female, that sits across from me. If I am here, it is because I deserve to be here.”
(2023) Santou Dabo and Mamadou Doumbouya, the current president of the Republic of Guinea.
“With experience you learn to pick your battles in a diplomatic way.”
“We have to normalize women achieving greatness and rising to the top based on their skills, education, and experience, rather than anything else.”
“A strong woman is one that allows herself to be who she is no matter what. She allows herself to make mistakes, learn from them and help others. She is allowed to cry and ask for help.”
Visit Santou’s website: Mums Green Heart
When her daughter was six months, Santou’s hair fell out. By doing her own research and using products from locals, she came across Chebe powder and Karkar oil. When she applied this combination on her hair, it grew beautifully. She realized that there were others that could also benefit from the product. In 2017, Santou launched MUM’s, a brand that promotes quality and affordable products made in Africa. The line includes hair care products (shampoo, conditioner, hair butter), cosmetics, hibiscus and kinkeliba tea, and woven handbags. By launching her own brand, she's been able to create employment opportunities for women in South Africa and the US. “One person can’t do it all. You have to build a team around you that can help you succeed. You can’t be cheap on that,” Santou advised.
“Inner beauty shines so much more than outer beauty. If a person is beautiful inside, everyone gravitates towards them. ”
Connect with Santou:
Facebook: Sdd Dabo
LinkedIn: Santou Dabo
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