Emma Marleau, International Development and Globalization with Minor in Political Science, 3rd year
Country of fieldwork: Benin
Canadian NGO: CECI
Local NGO: Association Nationale des Femmes Agricultrices du Bénin
As my internship in Bohicon draws to a close, I feel a mixture of gratitude, pride, and nostalgia. These three months in Benin have been as demanding as they have been enriching. They have allowed me to confront the complexity of working in international cooperation, while consolidating both personal and professional learning. I am leaving a changed person, marked by the encounters, challenges, and reflections that have shaped my journey.
The last few weeks have been particularly formative. I was able to complete several mandates that I had started earlier in the internship, including supporting the drafting of a strategic plan for a rural women's organization, holding a participatory workshop on inclusive governance, and finalizing an advocacy framework to support the formal recognition of the economic activities of women soybean processors. I have come to understand that the lasting impact of a project often depends on less visible elements: patient discussions, gradual adjustments, and active listening to local partners. Working in the field has allowed me to see the gap that sometimes exists between the theoretical approaches learned in the classroom and the reality of local dynamics. For example, while the concept of “local ownership” seems obvious on paper, in practice it requires external partners to truly let go and have great confidence in the communities' capacity for initiative. I saw how the women we worked with were experts in their own reality and had concrete solutions to offer, but that this knowledge is too often undervalued in so-called participatory processes.
Beyond my professional tasks, this immersion allowed me to reflect deeply on the role of cooperation and what it really means to “work with” rather than “for.” There were moments of doubt, discomfort, and mistakes—but they were essential in challenging my reflexes and unlearning certain preconceptions. The analytical and reflective attitude I learned to develop in my development courses proved invaluable at several points during my internship.
On a personal level, I am leaving with sincere and lasting connections. The informal exchanges with my colleagues, the discussions over a meal, the shared laughter despite the language barrier and cultural differences, made me feel truly connected. Even the moments of solitude had their place: they allowed me to slow down, take a step back, and anchor my intentions and values more deeply. This internship not only confirmed my interest in issues of social justice and women's empowerment, but also made me want to get more actively involved in concrete initiatives for change, both locally and internationally. It reinforced my belief that development practices must be part of a decolonial, ethical, and listening-based approach. As I leave Bohicon, I feel deeply grateful to the people who welcomed, supported, and trained me. I am leaving with a more nuanced perspective, a more humble attitude, and above all, a renewed desire to contribute to a more equitable world, not by pretending to have all the answers, but by engaging in dialogue, learning, and collaboration.
Thank you to the University of Ottawa, CECI, and all the local partners for offering me this invaluable learning opportunity.
See you soon, Benin!
The blog photo
The photo was taken during a field visit as part of the participatory assessment for the project to formalize the soybean cheese processing sector run by rural women in Bohicon. We visited a local cooperative where several women processors came to meet us and discuss their situation. During this meeting, we took notes on the main difficulties they encounter in their daily work, including challenges related to access to equipment, the quality of raw materials, the profitability of their activity, and product storage conditions. They also shared with us their proposed solutions, based on their direct experience, such as pooling resources, access to technical training, and the creation of a legal framework to better structure their activity. This field visit allowed us to better understand their concrete needs, while placing their voices and expertise at the center of the project design process. It was also a highlight of my internship, as it perfectly illustrates the importance of an inclusive and participatory approach in development projects.