After finishing my degree in English and Cultural Studies, I did my voluntary service in Côte d’Ivoire. After that, it was pretty clear to me that I wanted to work in French-speaking Africa. I joined GIZ in 2019 through two internships. One was in Germany. The other was in Togo and Benin, which helped me get to know and appreciate the region. When a position became available in Benin, I applied directly.

I started off in Parakou, the biggest city in the north of the country. For the last year, though, I’ve been working as a communications expert for a water project in Cotonou, mainly on UN Sustainable Development Goal 6, ‘Clean water and sanitation’. Water pollution and wastewater management are two of the main challenges in Benin and are made even worse by climate change. We are currently working on a pilot project that turns faecal sludge into agricultural compost using hygienic and environmentally friendly methods. Contaminated water damages not only the soil and plants, but also our health. That’s why protecting water against contamination is such an important part of our work.

My role is to ensure that specialist information is communicated in the most appropriate way for each target group. For example, a printed flyer is of little use to someone who cannot read. One of our initiatives is the ‘water bus’. We drive the bus out into rural areas and use it there to meet local people and discuss how to prevent water pollution. It’s one of the ways in which we try to make knowledge accessible, involve the local population and ensure that our work goes on having a positive impact even after the project has ended.

What I like about Benin, besides my work, are the little things – being close to the beach, where you can do yoga, and the delicious food. As a vegetarian, I’m a big fan of all those leafy vegetables, a bit like spinach, that you can get here. If I fancy something sweet while I’m at the office, I can get fresh coconut water from the market and ask the stallholder to fill my water bottle.

All the best,

Carola Jacobs

July 2023