Sarah Deckenbacher

Sarah was born in Styria, Austria, in a small village near the forest. After graduating from high school, she moved to Upper Austria, where she pursued her education. She holds a Master’s degree in social work with a focus on intercultural competence.

At the age of 21, an internship in Ghana profoundly transformed her life. Witnessing the injustice and poverty there made it impossible for her to return to Austria without dedicating herself to addressing the world’s significant challenges. In 2009, she co-founded the award-winning NGO Braveaurora, which operates in Northern Ghana, providing children with better living conditions to ensure they can grow up healthy and with dignity. Sarah is particularly passionate about combating illegal orphanages, voluntourism, and the exploitation of poverty as a tourist attraction.

During her studies, Sarah led a youth center, where she found great fulfillment in working with teenagers, often encountering them at their most vulnerable. This experience emphasized the importance of an ethical and careful approach in her work.

With an open mind, heart, and will, Sarah served as the Executive Director of the human rights organization SOS-Menschenrechte in Upper Austria for nearly a decade. Together with her team, she renovated and opened the first House of Human Rights in Austria, providing a safe space for over 50 refugees.

After becoming a mother to her daughter Valerie, Sarah made the bold decision to transition from the non-profit sector to the banking industry. She believes that meaningful, impactful change in society can only occur through collaborative dialogue between the social and economic sectors.

At Sparkasse Oberösterreich, she embraces the strong founding mission of the bank, which emphasizes social responsibility to enhance the quality of life in the region. Sarah firmly believes in the principle: “I am because we are.”