Loes Mellink
YEP period 2020 - 2022, batch 21
Young Expert at Waterschap Aa en Maas - GhanaFirst position after YEP
Regional Manager Blue Deal at Waterschap Aa en Maas, Ghana
YEP Role
Blue Deal is a program initiated by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP). The program aims to assist 20 million people around the world to gain access to clean, sufficient, and safe water. The program operates in 14 countries and will run until 2030. The focus of the program is to 1) exchange knowledge and expertise between Dutch and local water experts, 2) to advocate good practices into official plans & policies, and 3) to implement improved water management and/or policies.
The main part of my job is to facilitate stakeholders to establish a River Basin Board and to support them in writing an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) plan for the Lower Volta Delta. Facilitating stakeholders means data gathering, assisting to develop policies and governance, and doing monitoring and reporting activities. Aside this, it includes networking and connecting with universities, water organizations, local communities and community leaders, civil society organizations and NGOs. Furthermore, I assist in several water projects in the north of Ghana, for the White Volta Sub Basin Board. A project that recently started is the planning of trees alongside the riverbeds in collaboration with local farmers to combat erosion. Finally, I am serving as a liaison between the Water Resources Commission in Ghana and the water experts from the Water Authority of Aa and Maas in the Netherlands.
Skills
- Project planning
- Managing multicultural teams
- Networking & connecting
Nationality: Dutch
Education: BSc. International Development & MSc Urban Environmental Management from Wageningen University
Experience before YEP
Before YEP, I worked at a waste company in Ghana where I established new collaborations to collect waste. I also worked as a project manager of an international team that developed an urban greenhouse in an old prison building in Amsterdam. As a data analyst I worked for CARE NL for a while. During my studies I did an internship at RVO in a team called Orange Corners. This program supports young entrepreneurs in Africa and the Middle East. At RVO, I organized a big conference for all partners from 13 different countries. I was also involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the program. In short, I am always on the hunt for new perspectives and innovations to move forward in a sustainable way!
