Linguistic and intercultural excellence in Benin

A language and intercultural professional, Neila DAOUDA has built a singular career at the crossroads of three linguistic worlds. Her schooling began in an English-speaking system, continued in French-speaking secondary education and then led her to study in a Chinese-speaking university environment. This experience shapes her understanding of languages as tools for international communication, openness and bringing cultures closer together.

After initial training at the Institut Confucius de l'Université d'Abomey-Calavi, following her literary baccalaureate, she continued her studies in China, where she lived and trained for eight years. At Chongqing Jiaotong University, then at Chongqing Southwest University, she earned a bachelor's degree in Chinese language and literature and a master's degree in teaching Mandarin Chinese to speakers of other languages. She thus developed expertise in Mandarin, language teaching and intercultural communication. She taught English and French at the secondary school of Shenzhen Technology University and works as a Mandarin-English-French interpreter on Sino-African diplomatic missions.

Back in Benin in 2023, Neila DAOUDA put her experience at the service of language promotion and training. She founded the Centre linguistique et interculturel CAIHONG, opened in 2025, with the ambition of offering rigorous, structured teaching focused on practical skills.

The centre supports its learners in English, Mandarin, French, Russian, German and Spanish, while fostering cultural exchange and opening up study and career prospects.