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Benin, team Delta Mono

"There seems to be water in abundance, but we must use it carefully."

March 13, 2026

Razaki with his colleagues Gertrude (left) and Gérard (fourth from left) and some people from the “vegetable gardens” project. (c) Join For Water

BENIN – Our colleague Razaki Sabi Zingui is fully aware of the importance of protecting his country’s water resources. His passion for water grew from an early age, and today Razaki works for Join For Water in south-western Benin.

As a teenager, Razaki already knew that he wanted to do something in the water sector “later on”. He grew up in an area where water did not always flow freely from the tap. And through his studies and personal commitment, water became a real passion. He is happy with the insights he has gained and realises the importance of everyone taking care of this precious resource. It makes him proud when he can convince people to join in the solutions that Join For Water develops with them.

Razaki: ‘We think there is water in abundance, but fresh water is only a fraction of all the water available worldwide. So we need to make people aware that it is a privilege to have sufficient fresh water. And that it is vitally important to take good care of it.’

“I grew up in Parakou, a city about 400 km north of the coastal city of Cotonou. Access to water was certainly not a given in my childhood. At times, there was simply no water, and even Benin’s drinking water company, Soneb, could not always guarantee the supply of drinking water. It wasn’t really a dire situation, but it was a reality. As soon as I started school, I told myself that I would go to university to study the water sector. So I studied hydrology and water resource management. Through my studies, I also understood why access to water is less obvious in the north of our country. The soil there is rocky and water is not readily available underground. That is why in my region, where my family still lives, it is important to protect surface water and not waste it. The situation in the area where I lived has now improved, but the need for sufficient water remains. Even in Cotonou itself, where the Join For Water office is located, water does not always come out of the tap; during peak hours, the supply stops.“

‘Studying hydrology also taught me the skills and competencies to convey the awareness that water can become scarce at any given moment. We must take care of that water and monitor its quality.’

Razaki Sabi Zingui - Benin

Testimonial

Water is close to my heart. As a child, I learned how important it is to have sufficient clean water for people and nature. I knew early on that I wanted to study hydrology and water management.

Razaki Sabi Zingui, Delta-Mono project manager, married and father of three children, Benin

Working for water

Before he started working at Join For Water, Razaki had already come a long way in terms of “water” and had made his commitment concrete.

“I worked for a year for the government agency that manages the Mono River basin, where I monitored the projects. And I was very active for three years, including as chair, in the Beninese network of the World Youth Parliament for Water. I met some people from Join For Water there, without really knowing each other. Through the Youth Parliament for Water, I came into contact with all kinds of organisations active in the field of water, climate… and with many government agencies with which we collaborated. I also gained a lot of experience in organising activities in the field, coordinating teams and raising awareness among children and young people, for example, about good hygiene and sanitation practices. At the NGO Bien-Être et Vie, I was the community manager on social media. I also enjoy working in communications, which is something I have really immersed myself in. All of this has given me the experience I need to do the job I have today.

Gertrude Baï N’Bouke, Razaki and Gérard Agossevi, the Join For Water team for the Delta Mono/Enabel project.

 

‘We complement each other well’

Today, Razaki is project manager of the Delta Mono project, which aims to improve the living conditions of people in several villages in the Mono department.

“We complement each other well in the team. I specialise in hydrology and water resource management, Gertrude studied geography and Gerard studied environmental management and spatial planning, and then geography as well. All three of us contribute our knowledge and talents. Gerard and Gertrude also speak the local language, so we can help each other well. We each contribute information and knowledge, and in doing so we seek the common interest that benefits everyone. Another interesting aspect of my job is meeting with all the other organisations to see how we can help each other and exchange experiences.”

Razaki is proud of his work in the Delta Mono project, where communication and consultation are important elements.

‘What makes me particularly proud of the project is that the communities understand what we are sharing with them. And when they succeed in applying what we agree on, I am extremely satisfied.’

Anyone visiting Benin will see water everywhere, with rivers, lakes, canals and marshes alternating in the landscape. Anyone who works there realises that this precious resource deserves even more protection.

 

Read also Responsible fishing supports people and nature | Join For Water, about the spawning grounds being created in south-western Benin as part of the Delta Mono project.

Razaki is project manager of the Delta Mono/Enabel project, which has created two spawning grounds, such as this one in Adimado. (c) Drone Environnement