Migration, leadership, and purpose: A lesson from Ousman Umar

“Success is a series of failures without losing enthusiasm.” That’s how Ousman Umar defines success when it comes to leading with purpose. In this conversation, the founder of NASCO Feeding Minds and Esade alumnus shares his views on social leadership, the importance of the third sector, and the value of hope as a driving force for change. 

Umar inaugurated the 2025–2026 academic year at Esade. In this interview, he invites us to rethink the role of social organizations in an interconnected world and to recognize that meaningful change is built on the ground—with respect and humility. He also offers a reflection on migration and coexistence in Europe: “Europe has been the largest migrant factory in history. Welcoming and integrating people is the future; everything else is just cheap excuses to win votes.” 

Like so many others who migrate in search of a better future, Umar traveled on foot from his hometown in Ghana to North Africa, crossing the Sahara Desert. Of the 56 people who began the journey with him, only 6 survived. From there, he crossed the Mediterranean in a small boat bound for Spain; once again, three boats attempted the journey, and only his arrived safely. Once in Spain, as a minor, he lived on the streets until he was taken in by the family who would become his adoptive parents. He learned Spanish and Catalan, studied at university, and became a social entrepreneur. 

In 2012, Umar founded NASCO Feeding Minds, an NGO dedicated to providing access to information and education in Ghana. “Through this, I try to prevent young people in Ghana from embarking on deadly journeys like the one I took myself. If I had been aware of the distances, the risks, and where Europe really was, I would never have left Ghana the way I did,” Umar explains. Today, he has already installed 17 computer classrooms in rural areas, and more than 50 schools have joined the project. In 2024 alone, more than 6,000 students attended these classes, gaining access to job opportunities in European companies without having to leave their country.