Meet Haddy

Haddy was born in Brufut, a coastal village in The Gambia's Western Division. This was where she raised her three children and managed the family property along with a small business selling household goods and prepared meals. She loved to cook Ebeh, a traditional West African porridge of cassava, fish (she prefers red snapper!), spices, and palm oil that she says must be finished with a splash of lemon.

Some of her favorite memories are from her time at school before she got married. She studied English, Arabic, Science, and French. She especially loved learning to write on a typewriter, “as you did in those days,” she said, laughing.

Haddy arrived in Minnesota in 2014, staying four months before returning to Gambia. After receiving asylum in 2021, she resettled in NYC and eventually Rhode Island. She liked the big city but prefers Rhode Island, where she can walk in the park near her house and has a community.

Haddy has been a wonderful addition to our recent kitchen cohort, helping cook for communal dinners and excelling in English classes. She’s had some experience as a home health aid but hopes to find a job cleaning, washing dishes, or even cooking when she graduates–as long as she can support her family. She’s currently working with a lawyer to bring her daughter and granddaughter to live safely with her.