Heureuse Danonde

2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: STOP WANTUNTUN!Benin

Heureuse Danonde holds a master's degree in language and communication sciences. She is also a journalist, presenter and television host for the Office de Radiodiffusion et Télévision du Bénin (ORTB). Heureuse is also a health communicator, specialist in public management and member of several associations.

She is the director of communication for the New Type of Citizens Movement (NTC Movement). Heureuse was twice selected as the Best Director of Communication for the NTC Movement, once in 2021 and again in 2022. She works for freedom of expression, respect of the other and for a community of peace.

IVLP Impact Award Project: STOP WANTUNTUN!

The "STOP WANTUNTUN" project means "Stop Hate Speech and Misinformation.” It aimed to motivate digital media actors to create content that strengthens social cohesion, to sensitize the population to the dangers of fake news, to detect and deconstruct fake news related to hate speech, and thus to promote social cohesion through the fight against disinformation in Benin. In the Beninese context, the implementation of this project was very important because electoral periods are characterized by hate speech, which sometimes includes manipulations of candidates’ words and the consequence of which is national instability. In December 2022, there were new municipal and legislative elections. The goal of the project was to reduce hate speech and to promote peace. The project reached 20 journalists, five web activities, six bloggers, and five influencers, empowering them to dispel disinformation and provide quality content surrounding the election cycle.

IVLP Exchange Experience

Heureuse was a participant in the IVLP Project Edward R. Murrow Program for Journalists - Media Responsibility in Age of Disinformation, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Mississippi Consortium for International Development.

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually

Huntsville, AL; Washington, DC; Tampa, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Columbia, SC

"IVLP, although virtual, allowed me to meet colleagues from other nations, to understand the challenges of journalism and investigation in their countries and to learn strategies to bypass barriers in order to make real information accessible to the public." - Heureuse Danonde

Country: Benin

Click here to go back to the IVLP Impact Awards Main Page