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 cyclones 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]