Snapshot: 

Abdallah Bah was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and raised in Brooklyn Park, MN. He is a Dreamline Coordinator and Coach in the Metro Region at North High School. He has been with the Sanneh Foundation for 5 months. While he does not have a favorite meal, Abdallah really likes jollof rice or cassava leaf soup with rice. Abdallah loves playing soccer, learning new information, cooking, reading, dancing, and spending quality time with the people in his life. He wants to continue finding ways to grow as an individual and as a professional.

Working with a Struggling Student: 

Recently a student of mine was having a hard time due to issues at home. He mentioned that he had lost his job, wasn’t getting along with his step-parent, and that he would probably need to move out of his family’s house when he turns 18.  Having already had a positive relationship with him, I listened to his story. Knowing that he is interested in photography and videography, I mentioned to him that I would introduce him to my roommate who is a videographer. My roommate also mentioned that he’s looking for a mentee, so I was able to introduce them to each other. I also asked the student if I could bring up his case to the counselor at school. He agreed, so I reached out to his school counselor and she offered an opportunity to set up a meeting together. At the meeting the counselor introduced the student to some work opportunities. The meeting ended up being pretty successful. Currently, this student is working part-time again. He has started 2 businesses through social media, he’s currently fixing his car, and his mood has been much better.

What inspired you to pursue this work? 

I’m inspired to do this work every day because I want to make a difference in the world in any way I can. Growing up, I had so many influential people in my life that had a huge impact on me. These people helped me become the person I am today. I want to inspire the youth in our communities and around the world just as much as others have inspired me.

What part of your job is something people don’t usually see?

Part of this job that people may not usually see is the sacrifice, dedication, and hard work our team members put into connecting with students, families, and teachers. At times, I think the level of connectivity and the amount of work that we put into developing relationships with our students goes unnoticed.

What is a day in your role like? 

A day in my role involves monitoring and supervising myself, my team members, and students. Throughout the day, I find opportunities to connect with students, families, and staff. I work closely with students by attending their Zoom classes and in-person classes. I continually organize opportunities to learn how to better serve my students; I creating activities that challenge them and help them grow. I typically finish my day by updating and filling out data.

What is your favorite quote?

A soccer coach of mine once said to me, “You can’t be a 10 every day, but you can CHOOSE to either be a 2 or a 7”