Ousmane Ba

Senegalese educator who transformed nomadic education through solar-powered mobile schools in the Sahel.

Ousmane Ba (1985–present), a former Fulani herdsman turned innovator, has redefined education access for West Africa’s nomadic communities. After losing his sister to early marriage due to lack of schooling, Ba developed the ‘EduCart’ – a solar-powered mobile classroom mounted on camel-drawn carts that follows pastoralist migrations.

Launched in 2012 across Mali and Niger, EduCart’s modular design includes satellite internet, water purification systems, and tablets preloaded with curricula in 15 local languages. By 2023, Ba’s Nomad Education Network had reached 40,000 students, with 68% girls – a radical shift in gender dynamics among Tuareg and Wodaabe tribes.

Ba’s ‘Education Without Borders’ philosophy earned him the 2021 Global Teacher Prize. His TEDxNiamey talk, ‘Why Classrooms Should Move with the Herds’, sparked global debates on decolonizing education. Despite Boko Haram threats, he continues expanding into Chad and Sudan, proving that radical inclusivity can reshape entire regions.