By Sainabou Sambou
Alieu Barrow’s path to success began with a perilous journey and a forced return home, but today, he stands as a rising star in The Gambia’s burgeoning organic skincare industry. From a migrant seeking opportunity abroad to a self-taught soap maker, Barrow’s story is about resilience, innovation, and a commitment to empowering others.
After earning a degree in hospitality from the Institute of Travel and Tourism, Barrow worked in local hotels but found little room for advancement.
In 2014, like many Gambian youths facing a 38.6% combined unemployment and potential labor force rate (Gambia Labour Force Survey, 2022-23), he embarked on the treacherous “backway” migration route to Europe. His journey took him to Niger, where illness cut his plans short, forcing him back to The Gambia in 2015.
Rather than despair, Barrow leaned on a skill passed down from his grandmother—handcrafting. Starting with handmade shoes and bags made from potato sacks, he sold his wares on the streets until a 2016 training session with youths from Senegal, Ghana, and The Gambia sparked a new direction. “A Ghanaian lady introduced us to soap making, but she didn’t teach us everything. So, I spent a year teaching myself,” Barrow told TAT.
Through trial and error, Barrow perfected his craft by 2017, creating 17 varieties of organic soap using natural ingredients like moringa leaves, “Yongo,” baobab oil, Neam leaves, and coconut shells. His chemical-free, cold-process soaps preserve the benefits of the ingredients and have won over customers, especially Black British buyers who purchase in bulk for Europe.
He also produces moringa, Neam, and baobab oils, tapping into a global organic personal care market projected to hit $25.1 billion this year, according to Grand View Research.
Barrow’s ingredients align with Africa’s growing role in the natural beauty industry. Moringa oil, rich in antioxidants and antibacterial properties (Journal of Food Science and Technology), and vitamin C-packed baobab oil are prized in skincare worldwide. Yet, challenges remain—without his own pressing machine, Barrow relies on others to extract oils, sometimes buying them outright. “I pay others to press moringa and baobab seeds for oil,” he said, highlighting a financial hurdle he hopes to overcome with investor support.
Despite this, his business thrives. In peak seasons, Barrow earns up to D40,000 ($570) monthly, though off-season sales can dip to D5,000 ($71). His soaps and oils attract Europeans, Americans, and Gambians abroad, with a growing local following. Beyond personal success, Barrow trains youth—mostly women—in soap making, offering an alternative to the 37% of Gambian youth not in education, employment, or training.
With ambitions to scale up, Barrow seeks a pressing machine and partnerships to expand into international markets. His journey reflects a broader trend of African entrepreneurs turning local resources into sustainable ventures, bolstered by government efforts like Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs. From a migrant’s struggle to a beacon of hope, Alieu Barrow’s story is a testament to the power of perseverance and ingenuity.
