grantees » Reine Fadonougbo

Reine is a hard-working young African passionate about sustainable development, environmental preservation, and the promotion of women’s entrepreneurship. She is the Assistant Executive Director for Actions en Faveur de l’Homme et de Nature – Côte d’Ivoire (AFHON-CI), where she oversees completion of the organization’s projects concerning environmental advocacy and resource conservation. Reine’s structured and professional approach to her work helps define her as a leader, and allows her success in pursuing equitable sustainable development for targeted communities.  

After applying for the JWH Initiative grant, Reine took a training course at CERAP (Centre de Recherche et D’Action pour la Paix) that encourages professional growth in the areas of sustainable development and environmental management. Proud of the experience, Reine recalls how the course “opened our minds on the prospects for sustainable development in Africa and the capacity of youth organizations to contribute to the development and adaptation of vulnerable communities.” She also participated in English language courses to fine-tune her speaking, reading, and writing skills. Her English skills came in handy when she participated at the GPS (Global Power Shift) event in Istanbul where the main working language was English. Reine also completed an Internship at AFHON- Togo in order to better understand the operations and organization of this successful organization that is parent NGO to AFHON-CI. Reine considers her internship to be the most rewarding activity yet after having the chance to immerse herself in a strong and motivated work environment where she took part in projects aimed at vulnerable communities and women in particular.

Reine aims to become a well-rounded and strong  leader in the field of environmental protection, equipped with skills to effectively aid vulnerable communities in the Ivory Coast. She says she wants to “be able to work in [her] country as a resource providing solutions to environmental and social problems”. The activities she completed with her JWH Initiative grant are expected to help her do just that.