The Founders

SaiMar Future Leaders Academy was founded on a shared belief that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Behind the Academy are two founders who bring together science, enterprise, law and a deep commitment to developing young people. Their complementary experience shapes everything we do, from the standards we hold to the values we pass on.

Sainabou Laye Ndure – Co-Founder & Director

Sainabou Ndure is a genetics researcher, science communicator and social entrepreneur. She is a Commonwealth PhD Scholar in human genetics, and was the first Gambian admitted to the University of Oxford’s MSc in Genomic Medicine, as an AfOx–Mastercard Foundation Scholar. Alongside her research, she is the founder of the Human Genetics Awareness Association (HuGAA), a nonprofit advancing science literacy and representation across Africa. Sainabou is driven by a conviction that young people flourish when they are given knowledge, mentorship and belief in their own potential. At the Academy she leads on learning design, personal development and the standards that define the SaiMar experience.

Omar Saine – Co-Founder & Director

Omar Saine is a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of The Gambia and the Managing Director of SaiMar Investments. He is also the founder of Apex Legal Advisory. With a background spanning law, business and governance, Omar brings discipline, strategic thinking and a strong sense of professional integrity to the Academy. He is also the Co-Founder and Managing director of SAIMAR Investements. He believes young people are ready for far more responsibility than the world often offers them, and that the right structure and mentorship can unlock remarkable growth. At the Academy he leads on enterprise, professional readiness and organisational strategy.

Our shared vision

Together, Sainabou and Omar share a vision of an Academy that takes young people seriously: as future professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders in the making. They want SaiMar to be a place where ambition is matched with structure, where mentorship is genuine, and where every young person is helped to see and reach their potential.

Why we started SaiMar Academy

The founders saw the same pattern repeatedly: bright, capable young people held back not by ability, but by a lack of access to guidance, exposure and practical skills. They created the Academy to change that, building a home where young people can develop the confidence, competence and character to lead.

The values that drive us

• Excellence: we hold high standards and help young people rise to them.

• Integrity: we lead with honesty, responsibility and respect.

• Opportunity: we open doors and widen access for those too often left out.

• Growth: we believe in the potential of every young person to learn and change.

• Community: we build networks and lift as we climb.

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