Interview with Seydou Ambié TOGO - Program Assistant for visual health support at the Fondation Les Yeux du Monde in Mali.

If you had to introduce yourself to someone who didn't know you, what would you say to describe who you are?

Firstly, I extend my sincere greetings to you all. My name is Mr Seydou Ambié TOGO. I am a social worker of Malian nationality. I was born on 31/12/1973 in Péné in the cercle of Koro, located in the 5th administrative region of Mali in West Africa. I am married. I have been working for humanitarian medical organisations since 2001.

Can you tell us a bit more about your career path and what you're currently doing?

I have a Higher Diploma in Social Work from the Collège Coopératif PAM (Pyrénées Aix en Provence) and a Masters in Public Health, option: International Health and Geopolitics from the Institut Supérieur de Santé Publique (ISSP) in Bamako. Dedicated and committed, I have worked with various international organisations in the field of health promotion. I began my career as a community development technician with Médecins Sans Frontières Luxembourg in Mali, working on the primary eye care project from June 2001. I then worked as an information, education and communication officer managing the cholera epidemic from late 2003 to 2004 in the regions of Ségou, Mopti, Timbuktu and Gao. Then, from 2005 to 2007, I was supervisor of the malaria facilitators in Kangaba. Finally, from 2008 to 2010, I was responsible for health promotion in the Malaria and Paediatric Care project in the health districts of Kangaba and Sélingué with MSF-OCB. Since 2011, I have been working as a program assistant supporting visual health for the Fondation Les Yeux du Monde in Mali.

Where are you currently based and how does this influence your involvement with MSF Luxembourg?

I'm currently based in the town of Mopti. This location has a strong influence on my involvement with MSF Luxembourg in more ways than one. First of all, it's a town where I took my first steps in the associative life of MSF Luxembourg in 2002. Secondly, when the MSF-OCB mission returned in 2012, I was the point of contact for the exploratory mission in the Mopti region. This was also the case for the MSF-OCBA mission. The most important aspect of this location is that it has enabled me to participate easily in all the activities of the associative life of the various MSF operational centres: OCP (in the Tenenkou and Koutiala districts), OCBA (in the Koro, Douentza, Bandiagara and Bankass districts) and OCB (in the Niono district).  This brings me into close contact with the members of the associations and the Asso focal points in each health district, so that I can easily discuss the direction of the association movement. 

If you had to sum up in one sentence what MSF means to you, what would you say?

I would say that Médecins Sans Frontières is a beacon of hope for anyone in a situation of health vulnerability caused by disasters of any kind, while respecting their dignity.

Can you tell us how and when you joined MSF Luxembourg?

I joined MSF Luxembourg in 2001 following a job advertisement for a senior social action technician called TDC (technicien de développement communautaire). I was talking to Dr Maïmouna Koké Traoré, a doctor by profession, in a ‘grin’. She pointed me to where the advert was posted. That was the first time I heard about MSF. I applied for a job with MSF without knowing anything about the organisation until I saw its charter, missions and values on the notice board at its headquarters in Bamako.

What do you find the most rewarding, and the most demanding, aspects of your involvement with MSF Luxembourg?

The most rewarding aspects for me are the debates during the MiniAGs, which have become FADs, the General Assembly, the OCB's internal newsletter ‘contact’, the reports on the first field missions and the Newsletters. The most demanding aspects of my involvement with MSF Luxembourg are: getting the whole community to understand the role and benefits of MSF's social mission, reassuring donors that the resources mobilised are being properly managed, innovating and building the capacity of staff in operations without any discrimination, and taking into account career development management for those who want it.

What is your role at MSF Luxembourg and how do you contribute in practical terms to the organisation's various projects?

My main role is to make a significant contribution to ensuring that MSF Luxembourg remains a better model in the global voluntary movement, not static but dynamic in the face of reality and global change. In concrete terms, I am available to exchange ideas that will positively change the organisation's various projects and to advocate with other associations so that operational research is used to provide immediate access to humanitarian medical actions in all MSF missions.

Can you tell us about the commitment of the former members in Mali?

I noticed that the former members in Mali were very motivated and determined to support any MSF action, and in particular that of MSF Luxembourg, for which a large majority had very fond memories, before its definitive withdrawal from Mali. And above all the impetus that MSF-OCB has given to the national organisation Alliance médicale de lutte contre le paludisme -santé population (AMCP-SP). The proof of this is that former members contribute to the debates of the Bamako FADs and to the organisation of associative activities, such as blood donations during periods of high transmission, initiated by the other MSF France, MSF Spain and MSF Belgium sections each year, despite the absence of an ongoing project by MSF Luxembourg in Mali.

How do you think we can strengthen the links between MSF Luxembourg members and with the MSF movement as a whole?

There are a lot of members, on average 80 people already connected on a Whatsapp group, with more support staff than medical staff. We can strengthen the links with them by, among other things: sharing the important decisions in the life of the association with them; dividing into small groups to take part in the association's mission activities before each FAD and pre-FAD depending on their proximity to the OCB, OCP and OCBA sections and, if possible, finding them a small fund every six months to organise a social project ourselves by inviting the other MSF associations.

What makes MSF Luxembourg unique or special within the global movement?

MSF Luxembourg is unique thanks to the dynamism of its associative members and the strong involvement of its Board of Directors, who regularly listen to the Director General at its monthly statutory meetings. Special mention should also be made of the availability of the public engagement coordination team and the Chair of the Board of Directors, who actively participate in many of the association's forums. It is also thanks to the transparency of governance through a single Board of Directors, MSF Luxembourg asbl and fondation.

What actions or initiatives do you think could strengthen the sense of community and the bond between members?

I propose two large hybrid meetings (face-to-face and online) a year in addition to the AGM.

The motion on operational research will be presented at the AGI in 2025. What do you think?

It's an extraordinary step forward that the motion on operational research will be presented at the 2025 AGI. The added value of operational research lies in the fact that the results of each commissioned study will have a direct impact on operations in all missions. The second advantage is that operational research can be applied on a project-by-project basis. It is my fervent hope that this motion will be approved at the AGI 2025.

What role can operational research and innovation play in improving MSF's humanitarian response?

Operational research and innovation can play a very important role in improving MSF's humanitarian response because they will increase the channels of communication on access to healthcare and vary the quality of medical and surgical care provided, including strengthening the skills and technical facilities of our partners. Yes, they have a fundamental role to play in constantly nurturing the idea of improvement in the services we offer to populations in precarious socio-health situations.

How do you see the future of MSF Luxembourg in the coming years, and what role would you like to play in it?

My vision for the future of MSF Luxembourg is to have a humanitarian organisation with no doubts about its good governance, with sound and rational management of all the resources mobilised from donors for the benefit of populations in need of quality healthcare assistance. I envisage MSF Luxembourg systematically integrating into its medical activities the dimensions of reducing the environmental impact of climate change.
I would like my role to be to strengthen social cohesion within the MSF team without discrimination and to advocate so that the objective ‘MSF is what we want’ is a reality forever.
Thank you for your interest.