Folly Bah Thibault is a journalist and works as a Presenter on Al Jazeera English. She is well-known for her work in education, particularly for her advocacy on behalf of girls’ and women’s education.
Folly Bah Thibault is the founder of Elle Ira à l’Ecole Kesso Bah, which promotes the education of girls in Guinea. She has had an impactful career working in different news organisations around the world.
Folly Bah Thibault is married and has three sons. She and her family live in Doha, Qatar, from where she works for Al Jazeera English.
Molly was born in Conakry, Guinea, West Africa
Folly Bah Thibault was born in Conakry, Guinea, in 1987 and is 47 years old. She spent her early years in Guinea before moving to Nairobi, Kenya, with her parents at the age of 9. Folly Bah Thibault earned her first bachelor’s degree in French Literature.
Subsequently, her second in Broadcast Journalism at Howard University in the United States of America. After this, she attended The American University to pursue her master’s degree in International Communication.
Folly Bah Thibault is fluent in Puehl, English, and French. She also speaks Swahili and Spanish.
She started her career at Voice of America
After completing her education, she began her journalism career at Voice of America in Washington, D.C. Her show focused on reuniting families that had been separated during the conflicts in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Political instability and a range of other issues had exacerbated problems in the two countries, leading to conflict.
Many families had lost loved ones, and Folly Bah Thibault, in the show, tried to help those looking for missing loved ones find them.
After her time at Voice of America, Folly Bah Thibault moved to Paris to work at Radio France Internationale and then France 24.
Folly has covered historical events as a presenter on Al Jazeera English
She made a name for herself and, in 2010, was hired by Al Jazeera English as a Principal Presenter.
Folly Bah Thibault remains with Al Jazeera, having covered conflicts in Libya, Yemen, and Syria. She also covered the Arab Spring.
She has made a name for herself, covering crises that are often overlooked around the world. Folly Bah Thibault has achieved success through focused, honest, and non-partisan news coverage.
Due to this, she was selected to moderate the first-ever debate between candidates for the post of United Nations Secretary-General in 2016. Folly Bah Thibault also co-hosted the Nobel Peace Interview in Oslo in the same year.
In addition, she has moderated discussion panels for the African Union, the European Union, the Brookings Centre, and other high-level organisations.
Her notable moments include interviewing Nobel Peace Prize laureates and presidents
She has interviewed Nobel Peace Prize laureates, including Kailash Satyarthi, Denis Mukwege, Juan Manuel Santos, and Nadia Murad.
The renowned journalist has also interviewed presidents such as Uhuru Kenyatta (former President of Kenya) and Macky Sall (President of Senegal).
She has also interviewed other prominent leaders such as Amina Jane Mohamed (UN Deputy Secretary-General) and Marine Le Pen (French Far-right Leader).
Folly Bah Thibault has also spoken to Akon, the Senegalese-American musician, and Wole Soyinka.
In 2004, she extensively reported on the Tsunami, and when Barack Obama was elected in 2008, she played a significant role in covering the historic event.
Her work went on to encompass not only headline news but also humanitarian issues, including immigration worldwide.
She runs her own charity
A passion for education drives Folly Bah Thibault, and she established the Elle Ira à l’Ecole Kesso Bah in 2019. Kesso Bah aims to support and promote the education of girls in Guinea.
The organisation pays for the girls’ school fees, school supplies, meals, and transportation. It also provides career advice to young girls, ensuring they make informed choices and achieve success.
The organisation is named after Folly Bah Thibault’s sister, Kesso Bah, who passed away in 2014. She was passionate about the education of girls, and Folly Bah Thibault chose to honour her in this way.
Her work did not go unnoticed, and in April of 2023, Folly Bah Thibault was appointed Global Champion for the UN’s Education Cannot Wait global education fund.
The fund aims to support education for children during protracted crises and emergencies. It ensures children have access to education even during difficult times in their countries.