Khonemany Innoukham

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Laos

Khonemany Innoukham

Khonemany Innoukham, known as Khone, is a community development practitioner focused on advancing food security and promoting gender equality for ethnic minority communities in Laos. As the Country Program Coordinator at the Swiss NGO Fastenaktion, she collaborates with local non-profits to empower marginalized communities through capacity building, sustainable resource management, agroecology, and income generation initiatives. With years of experience working at the grassroots level, Khone has seen firsthand how food insecurity perpetuates a cycle of poverty and health disparities, particularly among women and children. She believes that true community transformation requires a delicate balance between international development standards and the preservation of traditional practices. Her efforts have led to the successful implementation of sustainable, community-led programs improving food security across five provinces in Laos, fostering resilience and self-reliance among ethnic minority groups. Khone is passionate about creating opportunities that uplift the disadvantaged and facilitates greater participation in civil society for the communities she serves. Khone strives to transform the approaches towards supporting ethnic minorities in Laos, moving from a deficit-based model to one that recognizes and builds upon their unique strengths and traditional knowledge. Through the Equity Community, Khone looks forward to engaging with like-minded changemakers, sharing best practices, and driving impactful, community-centered solutions for long-term social change.