May 13, 2025
I hired R. Danielle Chekaraou for a complex and highly sensitive public health project in the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf, Algeria — a region deeply affected by the protracted conflict in Western Sahara. The population’s needs were immense, shaped by decades of displacement, limited infrastructure, and the intersection of multiple national and international actors.
Danielle was responsible for developing a technical guide and a training curriculum to implement the Care Group model in the camps. Her work covered a wide range of critical health and nutrition topics, including antenatal care, newborn health, child nutrition, WASH practices, screening for malnutrition and common childhood illnesses, sanitation, and household safety. Her ability to adapt technical content to a highly complex humanitarian context was exceptional.
Shortly after the project began, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. All attention from the internal and external ministries, as well as the World Food Programme, was diverted to pandemic response. Field operations were suspended, and we were forced to arrange an emergency evacuation from the country.
Despite these disruptions, Danielle remained fully committed to the mission. She worked intensively up to the final moment on the ground and, after a short pause, resumed the project remotely. She employed creative methods and remote tools that had not previously been used in this context, enabling us to deliver essential training and capacity-building under extraordinary circumstances.
During our time in the field, we spent many hours walking and exercising together, sharing both professional insights and personal experiences. Danielle was generous with her technical knowledge and open to learning from my own extensive experience. That mutual exchange deepened not only our ability to collaborate effectively but also laid the foundation for a meaningful and lasting friendship.
I would actively seek out every opportunity to work with Danielle again—she is an exceptional asset to any team, and I would not hesitate to hire her for future projects.
Bernard Mendy, Project Manager, World Food Programme