Two women, one vision
That’s where Hadi Toure Guindo and Eleanor Treadwell stepped in. Hadi, from Mali, is an environmental engineer with a master’s degree from the University of Central Florida. She is a consultant with +7 years of experience in water management, participatory research and youth engagement. Eleanor, originally from the UK, has a background in environmental management and geography and brings experience from research and education roles around the world. Together, they worked on WaterWorX, which is a water operator partnership programme between Dutch and international drinking water utilities. Recognising the gap in youth employability, especially for women in the water sector, they combined their expertise and passion to design a mentoring program for young women in water. Their idea became SUFESEA: An acronym for ”Support des Femmes dans le Secteur de l’Eau et l’Assainissement.”
Finding the right partner
To make this vision a reality, they needed a partner with experience in training, facilitation, and building trust-based partnerships. Through local networks, they connected with iCRA, who was already active in the region through the Master’s degree in Integrated Water Resources program (in French GIRE for Gestion Intégrée des Ressources en Eau) and well known for working closely with universities and TVETs to create practical and relevant training programs.
Collaboration in action
Together with iCRA and other local (including the Young Water and Sanitation Professionals organization (AJPEA Mali) and international partners, they co-created a program that went beyond technical knowledge. iCRA’s unique facilitation approach brought people together in new and creative ways. From the very first activity, a cooking workshop led by a local chef, with our very own Myriam Perez leading the way, a safe and welcoming space was created where participants could connect, share, and laugh. This set the tone for deeper conversations about challenges and opportunities in their professional journeys.
As the program evolved, iCRA played a central role in adapting its design. When male students voiced their desire to participate, the team helped reshape the project to include seminar sessions for all students, while keeping the mentoring component focused on women navigating extra barriers in the sector. This flexibility ensured the program stayed relevant and inclusive.
The result? A strong, vibrant network of young professionals and mentors who continue to collaborate and grow. Participants spoke of the skills, confidence, and connections they gained thanks to this experience.
The birth of AFR’EAU
For Hadi and Eleanor, who were inspired by what they had achieved together, they founded AFR’EAU (Action Formation Recherche en Eau) in 2022, based in Bamako, Mali. AFR’EAU blends action on the ground, implementing water and sanitation projects with local communities, with training for young professionals to deepen skills and gain meaningful experience, and applied research that combines scientific and local knowledge to improve water governance and practices.
“Our advice? If you’re looking for an open, adaptive and creative consortia partner to work together in the implementation of projects, we would certainly recommend connecting with iCRA to explore working together’’, say Hadi and Eleanor.”
Today, four former SUFESEA participants are consultants working with AFR’EAU, proof of the continuity and ripple effect sparked by the project in which iCRA played a key role. You can learn more about their work at Afreau.org.
At iCRA, we are proud to have been part of their journey. We have no doubt that AFR’EAU will continue to make a lasting difference in water management and education in Mali and beyond. We wish Hadi, Eleanor, and the entire AFR’EAU team the very best as they take this important work forward, and we look forward to seeing where their vision and leadership will take them next.
