Esi Buobasa (Fuveme, Ghana) is a Ghanaian fishmonger, environmental migrant, and climate activist.^[1]

In 2023, Buobasa was distinguished as one of the most influential women in the world according to the 100 Women (BBC) for her efforts to build resilience against climate change.^[2][3]

Career

Buobasa was born and raised in Fuveme, a coastal village near Keta.^[3] Between 2000 and 2010, the territory, located between Keta Lagoon and the Gulf of Guinea, eroded to practically a thin line of sand due to the rising sea level.^[4][5][6] The town also is periodically flooded by the Volta River.^[6]

The loss of buildings and increasingly frequent cycloans and floods forced Buobasa, a fisherman, with her husband and five children,^[3] to migrate inland and recreate their lives.^[6][7] However, this deprived the family of their main source of income: fishing.^[8]

To mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the environmental migration, Buobasa founded an association to support female fishermen in her circumstance.^[1][3] The alliance sought to train them for other jobs and provide economic recovery.^[3][7] It also provided a resistance fund to finance damage or loss of income due to further storms or climate disaster.^[8] Buobasa's leadership led to her inclusion in BBC's 2023 list of 100 Women (BBC).^[1][7][8]

References