Sterenn believes that lasting change begins with the people closest to delivering services. Frontline workers hold invaluable practical knowledge, yet their experience too rarely shapes the policies and decisions that govern their work. She believes stronger systems are built when frontline staff have the opportunity, recognition and support to influence policy and practice.
Sterenn works with frontline workers, governments and organisations to strengthen the workforce delivering water and sanitation services. She designs learning strategies and professional development programmes that equip individuals and teams with the skills, confidence and evidence to influence change. She also helps organisations capture learning from programmes and research, turning evidence into stories, resources and conversations that help the right people reflect, learn and make informed decisions.
She combines this ability to bridge different worlds with a deep interest in how people learn and communicate. She is fascinated by the different perspectives, roles and professions that shape the water and sanitation sector, and enjoys helping practitioners, researchers, engineers and decision-makers better understand one another. She recognises that every audience brings different experiences, motivations and ways of learning. By listening first and adapting her approach, she designs learning that is practical, engaging and grounded in people's needs—whether delivered through formal training, on-the-job coaching, peer learning, or accessible knowledge products, and whether in person, online or through blended approaches.
Some highlights
- 14 years of experience
- Focus on faecal sludge management
- Worked in West Africa and South Asia
- Fluent in English and French
- Flagship assignments:
- Researcher and capacity development specialist for the design and piloting of the Sanitation Capacity Building Platform for National Institute of Urban Affairs (BMGF, India)
- Consultant for the Initiative for Sanitation Workers (ISW), including research, knowledge management, and technical assistance (WaterAid; Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia)
- Published work: