Aboubacar and Isabel: a YEP dream team

The YEP Programme bureau encourages organisations to apply for a YEP Duo - a Dutch Young Expert together with a local Young Expert. A Young Expert duo often proves to be more effective in their working environment. Aboubacar Diallo and Isabel van Klink are such a duo, who closely work together for World Waternet in Mali. Aboubacar: “Together we work as a team taking part in a relay race, making sure the outcomes are satisfactory. Where I lack skills, knowledge or expertise, Isabel comes in and vice-versa.”

Increasing sustainable access to drinking water for 10 million people by 2030. That is the goal of  WaterWorX. WaterWorX is a public-private partnership collaboration between the 10 Dutch and 24 local water companies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Both Isabel and Aboubacar are involved in activities of WaterWorX, which in Mali consists of a Water Operator Partnership (WOP) between WorldWaternet (the Netherlands) and SOMAGEP-SA (Mali). The aim for Mali is to increase access to drinking water for 500,000 people. Aboubacar elaborates on the specific projects they are involved in: “Isabel and I are involved in different activities. Together we organise workshops, meetings and the supervision of specific tasks like writing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and auditing.”

Both Young Experts are pleased to see the impact of their work in the empowerment of the local communities. Aboubacar: “Empowering young people is what makes me proud. Seeing so much hope and enthusiasm in these young people, who have few opportunities, is something that really stands out to me.” Isabel adds: “Within meetings, new ideas are born and those make both me, and my SOMAGEP colleagues feel involved and enthusiastic. Also, steps are being undertaken to empower women within SOMAGEP. We are in the process for a UN Women Certification and on the 8th of March we celebrated International Women’s day together with WaterWorX, one of the highlights of the year!”

YEP Effect

Isabel: “Because of the YEP Duo position, we have managed to improve the relationship between World Waternet and SOMAGEP a lot. From both sides, people are welcomed with such hospitality and joy. It is becoming more and more a team, which we personally really enjoy!” Aboubacar mentions their involvement in the YEP Global Network: “We are both very close to other Young Experts worldwide, and we try to play an active role by, for instance, attending YEP meetings, drinks and intervision weekends. Recently, one of our other colleagues -Thierno Amadou Sissoko- also
became an official Young Expert, we are happy to add him to our YEP family! At the moment, we are organising an intervision weekend in Mali. We hope many of our fellow Young Experts will join and have an inspiring weekend!”

Ripple Effect

Isabel and Aboubacar have been involved in many activities to promote YEP Programmes in both Mali and other places in the world. “Because of the experiences with Aboubacar and I, and another World Waternet YEP Duo in Burkina Faso (Ewoud and Etienne), Waternet decided to involve more Young Experts in their other WOPs.” During a recent visit from a high delegation of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aboubacar gave a presentation about the WOP and the contribution YEP makes. Also, he had several conversations for promoting YEP Programmes. Isabel adds: “In October 2018, I attended the Water Science for Impact Conference and promoted YEP Programmes there as well. I received lots of interest from companies that are eager to (and hopefully will!) join YEP Programmes as well!”