Learning Together, Not Just Advising: Avo Ratoarijaona on Mentoring in WASH Systems

Avo Ratoarijaona is based in Madagascar, where she works as Senior Technical Advisor for WASH Systems at CARE. She supports programmes across Africa in strengthening sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene services through systems strengthening, private sector engagement, and public-private partnership approaches.

Avo takes part in the Women in WASH & RWSN mentorship programme as a mentor.

Giving Back What Experienced Colleagues Gave Her

Avo’s decision to mentor comes from the guidance she received early in her own career. “When I started my career, I learned a lot from experienced colleagues, and I wanted to give back by sharing my own experiences.”

What she finds most rewarding is the exchange itself. “While I share my experience on systems strengthening, private sector engagement, and sustainable service delivery, I also learn from my mentee’s perspectives, ideas, and experiences. The exchange of knowledge is what makes the experience valuable.”

Learning From a Mentee’s Research on Non-Revenue Water

Avo describes mentoring a young WASH professional from Ghana working on a research proposal related to non-revenue water, a topic she hadn’t explored deeply in her own work. “Reviewing her proposal and discussing her ideas helped me learn from her perspective while also sharing questions and reflections that could strengthen her research. It reminded me that mentorship is not only about giving advice, but also about learning together.”

How Mentoring Has Shaped Her

Avo describes the role as sharpening how she communicates her own experience. “Being a mentor has helped me reflect more deeply on my own experiences and how to communicate them clearly to others. It has also exposed me to new perspectives, topics, and approaches from younger professionals.”

She adds that it has changed how she manages her own time. “Personally, the program has helped me develop my listening skills and improve how I manage my time.”

Her Advice to First-Time Mentors

Avo pushes back on the idea that seniority is a prerequisite for mentoring. “You do not need to be the most experienced person in the room to be a good mentor. The most important skill is listening.” She frames the goal of the relationship directly. “Mentorship is not about having all the answers. It is about helping someone reflect, grow, and explore new possibilities. You will likely learn as much from your mentee as they learn from you.”

Why She Believes Mentorship Matters

Avo points to mentorship as a way of accelerating growth across the sector. “Mentorship creates opportunities to share experiences, learn from others, and build professional networks. It helps people grow faster by learning from real-life experiences rather than facing every challenge alone.”

She frames the benefit as mutual. “I believe mentorship benefits both the mentor and the mentee. It strengthens individuals, builds connections across the sector, and helps valuable knowledge reach more people.”

What She Recommends

When asked for a book, tool or resource recommendation, Avo points to several sources she draws on regularly. She recommends the WASH Systems Academy for its practical training on strengthening WASH systems rather than just building infrastructure, covering topics like systems thinking, financing, and market-based sanitation.

She also points to the Rural Water Supply Network Library, which she describes as containing “a wide range of practical tools, guidance notes, case studies, and learning materials developed by WASH professionals from around the world.”

She frequently shares resources from the RANO WASH programme in Madagascar, where she was actively involved, noting that “the program generated valuable lessons on private sector engagement, governance, and systems strengthening. I still refer to these resources today because they provide practical examples that others can adapt rather than starting from scratch.”

Finally, she points to LinkedIn as a source of ongoing learning. “It helps me stay informed about new research, tools, innovations, and discussions across the WASH sector, and it is often where I discover useful resources to share with my mentees.”