Ensure that quality healthcare and education is a right.
Hawa Gakou grew up between two worlds: the deep-rooted traditions of her West African heritage and the vibrant, fast-paced life of New York City. Raised in a large, deeply connected family, she developed a bold sense of justice and community. Living with lifelong health issues, Hawa was no stranger to hospitals—but one near-miss changed everything. A glitch in a COVID test delayed a planned trip to Gambia by one week. Two days later, she was rushed into emergency surgery in New York for appendicitis. Doctors told her that had she gotten on that plane, she likely wouldn’t have survived. When she eventually traveled to Gambia and experienced the same symptoms, the contrast in care was devastating: no testing, no diagnosis—just vague instructions and mystery pills. That moment revealed a brutal truth: access to quality healthcare should not depend on where you are.Her relentlessness surfaced when she raised funds, built resource guides, and organized meals for hundreds of West African refugees—all while navigating school, family expectations, and personal health challenges. She envisions a world where quality healthcare isn’t determined by geography or privilege but by collective humanity. By studying medicine, she plans to combine clinical care with advocacy to build systems that empower the voiceless and treat justice as essential to healing.
As founder of the EASE Initiative, Hawa supports immigrant and refugee communities facing systemic healthcare barriers. Her long-term vision is to create a global network of teaching hospitals, starting in West Africa, to improve healthcare competency and ensure that people no longer have to cross borders just to survive.
Leadership:
- The E.A.S.E Initiative, Founder
- Student Government, President
- The Ramadan Project, Logistics Coordinator
