I was hired by African Parks Network (APN) and l’Association Villageoise de Gestion des Réserves de Faune (AVIGREF) for an evaluation of their one-year partnership and a community assessment, both to be used for the review and potential reconstruction of their partnership agreement. APN is a regional organization that was hired by the Government of Benin as a private entity to manage the Park of the Pendjari. AVIGREF is a network of 37 village associations that had traditionally worked on co-managing the Park to support the adjacent communities dependent on it. This evaluation project was to be key in determining whether or not the non-traditional co-management model was to continue to be used as opposed to a straightforward agency (APN)-led management model.
I worked with both organizations to identify a comprehensive list of stakeholders to interview for the assessment. Through the interviews, I collected data and information pertaining to the Park, the community and their various stakeholders (from village chiefs, community associations, City Mayors, State officials, current staff, funders and others). I also used a number of studies developed by local experts and conducted various focus groups.
The result was a 50-page comprehensive report that documented the evaluation’s findings and presented the recommendations and priorities of the various stakeholders for their organizational development plan and strategic planning consideration.
“Je voudrais à travers ce mail vous exprimer notre reconnaissance pour la réalisation de la mission de prestation de l’évaluation du partenariat entre l’Association Villageoise de Gestion de la Réserve de Faune (AVIGREF) et le Complexe du Parc National de la Pendjari (CPNP) pour le compte de l’ONG African Parks Network, Bénin ; mission effectuée du 20 octobre au 20 décembre 2018.
En effet, les résultats de ladite mission réalisée dans le délai contractuel, sont conformes aux exigences du contrat qui nous a lié. Merci à vous et bon succès pour la suite.”
Jean-Yves Koumpogue, Director, Parc National de la Pendjari
Marie-Rose Romain Murphy 