Hervé DOSSOUMOU -  Land Management & Gender Expert for PMAF

Economist, project manager and Geography and Environmental Management graduate. Expert in local development, land management and gender.

"Participating in the inclusive and sustainable development of local communities; an exciting and noble mission".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Hervé en français.

Sylvie YETONDJI – Director of Operations

Sylvie holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in project and programme management, with further training in project financial management and procurement. Since 2003, she has worked on various development projects funded by the EU (European Union), CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency), MAE-France (French Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and MAE-Netherlands (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), in administrative, financial management and procurement roles. She joined the VNG international Benin team in March 2015 as Administrative and Financial Manager. In this role, she was responsible for the administrative and financial management of the Local Land Management Support Project (PFL, 2015-2018), the Land Administration Modernisation Project (PMAF, 2019-2022) and the National Cadastre Scaling Project (PPMEC, July 2023 - December 2024). In addition to her current duties, she has been Director of Operations at VNG International Benin since July 2023

« Good governance is the foundation of all development »

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Sylvie en français.

Bène TOSSENOU – Chartered Surveyor Engineer for PPMEC

Since 2019, Bène, a chartered surveyor, has been working as an expert in topography, cartography and RIS management as part of a multidisciplinary technical team for VNG International, through the Land Administration Modernisation Project (PMAF), which in January 2024 became the National Cadastre Scaling Preparation Project (PPMEC), supporting the National Land and Property Agency (ANDF) in the creation of Benin's digital cadastre.

Bène, who is a member of the Ordre des Géomètres Expert du Bénin and has been a land surveyor for more than 12 years, has extensive experience in topography, cartography and land information systems, as well as in quality control of land data in line with international standards.

He has worked for over 12 years for international organisations, where he has held a number of qualifying positions and provided a range of services, including for GIZ IS in the PFR/MCA Benin project as Senior Assistant to the Senior Technical Advisor in Mapping and Topography, on behalf of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Benin. His experience and knowledge enabled him to be selected as a national expert for the "Test d'utilisation des technologies nouvelles pour l'établissement du PFR" in 2014 in Boukombé.

With his mastery of modern land registration technologies, in 2015 he co-authored the manual of procedures for implementing the Rural Land Plan in Benin, for which the interministerial adoption order was issued in December 2017.

« One of the cardinal conditions for the real development of agriculture and the property market is the security of land tenure. The various studies conducted as part of the fight against poverty have identified land issues as one of the causes of poverty. Together with VNG International, we are committed to making a gradual contribution to reducing land tenure problems»

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Bène en français.

Victor AGOGNON - Project Coordinator for SDLG Water Benin

With more than 16 years' experience in local and community development, Victor was previously in charge of planning and local development, secretary general and public procurement for the commune of Boukombe. In these positions, he provided technical advice to the Executive Secretary and the Mayor in the identification, design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of local and community development projects, and in the supervision of administrative staff. As a result, he has worked closely with various stakeholders, including government departments, local and international organisations, including VNG International through the implementation of the Local Governance Capacity Programme (LGCP) from 2012 to 2016; and has endeavoured to have a positive impact on the governance and management system in place in the municipality. He holds two Masters degrees in Community Development and Local Development and Decentralisation, and is also a member of the global Mandela Washington Fellows and Obama Leaders networks.

He is currently Coordinator of the "Sustainable Development through Improved Local Governance" (SDLG Water) Project for VNG International Benin.

"I dream of ethical and concerted governance that can help build a community or a country with greater justice and effective flood management".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Victor en français

Thierry TCHEKPO - Coordination and Local Planning Advisor for DURAGIRE

Thierry holds a master's degree in urban planning, development planning and forecasting, as well as a master's degree in the management and evaluation of public policies. He previously worked for a 6-commune intercommunal authority as a project manager responsible for coordinating partnerships and calls for projects. He was also recently Director of Land and Property Affairs for the Abomey municipality. He quickly specialised in drafting, setting up and managing projects, and in regional development strategy and land development.

He joined the VNG International Benin team in January 2024 and holds the position of Coordination and Local Planning Adviser on the DURAGIRE programme. He coordinates the work of the VNGI team of 4 experts and 5 operations facilitators, within a consortium comprising SNV and ANCB.

"My professional wealth lies in the diversity of the communities I work with and for. I learn more from them than I give to them."

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Thierry en français

Monique Z. GBAGUIDI - LED Programme Officer/PartiCiP au DEL

Monique holds a Master's degree in Innovations, Development & Societies (IDS) from the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2IE) in Burkina Faso, with additional training in Public Policy Analysis and Evaluation (CAEP). She is a socio-anthropologist graduated from the University of Abomey-Calavi (Master degree). With over 15 years of experience, she specialises in promoting the local economy and WASH in all its forms.

Since 2002, Monique has worked for various organisations including GIZ, JOIN FOR WATER (formerly PROTOS) and HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation on local development, natural resource management and large-scale water and sanitation projects.

She joined the VNG International Benin team in October 2017 as National Technical Assistant (NTA) on the OmiDelta programme. In this role, she was an expert in Decentralisation and Institutional Support in Water and Sanitation for the exercise of Project Ownership in twenty-four (24) communes in Benin (2017 - 2021). From 2022, she became DEL Programme Officer for the Citizen Participation in Public Policies for Local Economic Development programme in Benin (PartiCiP au DEL).

"You have to show the change you want through examples, thus the barriers and resistances will fall one after another to make way for the desired development".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Monique en français

Baldomer Agbodové MIGAN - Integrated Water Management Expert for SDLG Water Benin

A trained environmental geographer specialising in water and the management of associated ecosystems, Baldomer has 15 years' experience in the field of water management and associated ecosystems. With extensive experience of managing multidisciplinary teams in the planning and implementation of projects aimed at improving the sustainability of water resources, he has in the past coordinated stakeholders, managed budgets, and thus operationalised, created and implemented systems for monitoring and evaluating the impact of projects.

"We didn't inherit the land from our ancestors, we borrowed it from our children".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Baldomer en français

Arsène J. S. AKOGNONGBE -  IWRM Advisor on the DURAGIRE Program

Arsène holds a Master's degree in Water and Environmental Sciences (MREE) from the University of Montpellier II. He also holds a Master's degree and a Bachelor's degree in Geography, obtained at the Department of Geography and Territorial Planning (DGAT) at the Faculty of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences (FASHS) of the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC). He specializes in Hydrology (Water, Hygiene and Sanitation), IWRM, Climate Change in relation to Disaster Risk Management, Gender, Resilience, Health and Community Development. He is also a national trainer in climate change and disaster risk management, and has taken part in several missions in the field of the environment and climate change.

He has gained experience in climate change and community resilience, in multi-actor exchanges on vulnerability and adaptation to flood risks, and in adaptation strategies. He has also conducted several capacity-building activities for institutional players and environmental journalists on the notion of IWRM and climate change.

He has also worked with several organizations on the implementation of IWRM-related development projects (OmiDelta and others). All this has enabled him to develop solid expertise in these fields, especially in water and environmental policies and standards, stakeholder mobilization, technical expertise and diagnosis of climate change, vulnerability and adaptation of populations, and the drafting and management of development projects.

“Contributing to an inclusive world resilient to climate change and disasters”.

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de All-Glory en français.

Prisca Sylvie SODEGLA - Integrated Water Resources Management Advisor for DURAGIRE

Prisca holds a Master's degree in Project Management and Local Development and a Professional Degree in Water Science and Technology, with technical notions in project management. She specialises in Integrated Water Resources Management, climate change, gender and local governance, territorial diagnosis, sanitation and basic hygiene.

She joined the VNG International Benin team in April 2019, where she held the position of Junior Integrated Water Management Expert-Monitoring Evaluation Capitalisation as part of the implementation of the PSL Water project under the OmiDelta programme. She is currently Junior Integrated Water Management Adviser in the implementation team of the Sustainability for Integrated Water Management programme (DURAGIRE).

''Development is a commitment that goes hand in hand with freedom. Supporting grassroots communities through the development of inclusive adaptation measures means ensuring the economic development of local authorities and contributing to poverty reduction''.

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Prisca en français

Martial Ifêoluwa AFOUDA - Integrated Water Management Junior Expert for SDLG Water Benin

Martial holds a Master's degree in Agroeconomics and is currently a Junior Integrated Water Management  and Monitoring & Evaluation Expert with VNG International Benin for the SDLG Water project. With previous experience in monitoring-evaluation and communication for the Promotion of Agriculture (ProAgri) project funded by the German Federal Ministry, he is passionate about water-related issues and determined to contribute to the well-being of communities affected by flooding.

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Martial en français

Monondé Chirelle R. HOUNDELADJI - Monitoring, Evaluation and Capitalisation Assistant for DURAGIRE

Chirelle holds a Professional Degree in Project Planning and Management and specialises in project monitoring and evaluation. She previously worked as a monitoring and evaluation assistant on various development projects. As Monitoring, Evaluation and Capitalisation Assistant on the DURAGIRE programme, she joined VNG International Benin in February 2024.

"Contributing to capacity building and improving the well-being of communities means actively working for their sustainable development".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Monondé en français

Marlaine Linedor A. M. AGOSSOU - Finance Manager

Marlaine holds a Master's degree in Audit and Management Control and a Higher Technician's Diploma in Business Management. She has more than ten years' experience in financial and administrative management, including mastery of the rules and procedures for financial, accounting and administrative management of projects.

"VNG International's actions for the benefit of communities have a real impact on grassroots development through the social services provided to the community for good local governance. I'm passionate about providing solid support to the experts through the implementation and regular monitoring of tools that are essential for the effective and efficient management of activities, in compliance with standards and procedures, and thus contributing to the achievement of results for the benefit of the beneficiary communities".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Marlaine en français

Sena Vicentia KPEHOUN - Finance Manager

Sena is an accountant and financial analyst, with solid experience in client portfolio management and accounting management, applied to the retail, agri-food and automotive sectors. In her quest to add value and cross-fertilise her previous experience in an international not-for-profit organisation, she joined VNG International Benin and holds the position of Finance Manager.

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Sena en français

Oswald Sègla Bonaventure ACAKPO - Land Tenure Assistant for PPMEC

A legal officer by training, Oswald holds a Master's degree in Legal Sciences, with a major in Business Law and Judicial Careers. Since February 2010, he has gained experience in the field of land tenure on several projects/programmes focusing on securing land tenure in both rural and urban areas in Benin.

Within the PPMEC project, he holds the position of Land Tenure Assistant where he mainly supports the Deputy Project Manager and Land Tenure and Gender Expert in monitoring all the project's land tenure activities, with the mission of securing land tenure in the various communes where the project is active in Benin.

"Working to ensure compliance with the gender approach to land tenure by effectively taking into account the specific needs of women, young people and migrants with a view to an inclusive and sustainable land registry in Benin is a noble mission in which I am passionately involved".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Oswald en français

Donald BALLO - Operations Facilitator for SDLG Water Benin

Donald holds a Master's degree in Language and Communication Sciences and a Master's degree in Gender and Development Project Management (pending), both from the University of Abomey-Calavi (UAC) in Benin. He brings with him previous experience in education, literature, languages, civilisations, web writing and journalism, as well as a great passion for issues relating to the environment, climate change and communication for development.

"Facilitating communication and community dialogue for local development is an exciting and noble task".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Donald en français.

Chérifatou AKAKPO - Operations Facilitator for PartiCiP au DEL

Chérifatou has a Master's degree in sociology, specialising in the healthcare system. She has experience in teaching, running youth clubs on Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASYRH) and in human resources management.

"Making stakeholders responsible for implementing development projects is difficult and takes time to produce visible results, but it remains the best way of ensuring the sustainability of interventions".

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de Chérifatou en français.

All-Glory Morelle Sèmèvo QUENUM - Finance and Administration

With a master's degree in management control, audit and finance, All-Glory has several years' experience in accounting, administration and financial analysis. In her view, administration and finance are more than purely organisational aspects. These functions are essential for optimising the internal workings of the organisation and make a significant contribution to the smooth running of impact projects.

"True impact is measured by the transformation of lives and the sustainability of the changes we bring about."

Veuillez trouver ici la biographie de All-Glory en français.