Valérie Ouellet

Committed to helping citizens to become more active and responsible

From the Gaspé Peninsula to Québec City, from Vancouver to Lyon, from Jangas (Peru) to Ubud (Indonesia), Valérie Ouellet is the epitome of a citizen of the world, open to other cultures and for whom prejudice does not exist.

Whether it’s in the context of her studies, her taste for discovery or community and international mutual aid, the doctoral student in water science at INRS-ETE in Québec City has developed her mind through extensive travels and asserted her presence through a series of targeted and concrete gestures. “What’s the use of studying if not to improve the world,” she seems to say to herself.

“I firmly believe that, because of my personal course of action, I have prompted other people to follow in my footsteps and that they in turn have done the same. What began as a small whirlpool at the surface of the water has now turned into an ever-swelling tidal wave,” recounts with enthusiasm the woman who dreams of a world where all citizens are active and responsible.

Valérie strives day after day to bring this dream to life, taking concrete action that is for the most part aimed at children and young people. Among other things, she set up a student chapter of the Canadian Water Resources Association, which led her to take the helm of an awareness and educational program about water intended for elementary and secondary schools. The program has already been implemented at a school in Québec City and Valérie has begun taking steps to establish ties with schools in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region.

A native of the Gaspésie region, Valérie made the solemn promise never to forget her origins. As a member of the board of directors of the AVES organization, which promotes the development of greater social and economic justice in Québec and abroad, Valérie works towards establishing a system that will enable young people in the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie regions to take part in cultural exchange trips abroad. “Even though for the time being I live in Québec City, I want young people in more rural areas to have access to the same resources as here,” she asserts, adding that a pilot group has already been established at a school in Mont-Joli.

The 29-year-old student has a special attachment to Peru and chose to pursue a doctorate there, in Jangas, where in addition to teaching English and French to the village children, she gives of her time helping to raise awareness and educate the population about water management and environmental protection. “The activities she has hosted have produced tangible results. The school has adopted a composting and recycling policy, the city council has improved its garbage collection and plans for a recycling centre are currently being assessed.”

In a not too distant future, Valérie hopes to work towards solving problems in water resource management in poor countries. “I want to be able to set up my own projects that are more focused on the needs of local residents than on making profits.”

More recently, Valérie devoted a great deal of her time to setting up a program of mutual aid and support for families with children suffering from leukaemia. A few years ago, she suffered the loss of a close friend and thus hopes to be able to provide support to others who face the same kind of ordeal. “My short life and the people who have crossed my path have taught me that without dreamers and people willing to put their convictions above everything else, the world and people’s mentalities wouldn’t evolve. I am proud to think of myself as such a person.”

Valérie Ouellet