We’re trying to translate as many posts as possible so you too can read the amazing stories from every corner of Madagascar. But we realized many of our bloggers are trilingual and very fast-learners. In 6 months the FBC have grown so much we can’t thank everyone enough and overall the amazing work of Lindsay, Stéphane and Hery ! English blogs : http://karenichia.wordpress.com/ http://mielmanja.wordpress.com/ http://cylnice.wordpress.com/ http://zouboon.wordpress.com/ Translated posts :
A testimony from an underemployed Underemployment in Majunga by Cylnice
“I earn a little”
RAKOTONIAINA Jean Paul is a 50 year old economist and a taxi driver. He is parked downtown near Mahabibo market and is waiting for clients. He has been working as a taxi driver since 1994. However this job has nothing to do with his competences and experiences.
“I was warehouseman for the state-owned building company and I was also a qualified office employee at SOTEMA (textile state owned company) for 15 years”. He was lucky enough to be able to take care of his 5 children with his little salary.
” I couldn’t find something which could fit my degrees, like many others who are jobless here , we all have to take the first one which offers to us.”
“I used to be a renter and had to pay a certain amount to the owner each time.” What he raised wasn’t enough for his household.
“But now I own my car and it has been 6 months, It is more profitable because I don’t have to give any boss the money I earn anymore. Even with my degree in economy and my professional experiences, I couldn’t find anything that would fit with my diplomas”
On the other hand working a taxi driver doesn’t need degrees but only communication skills : “Sadly my life didn’t go the way I dreamt of it, it has nothing to do with my studies.” He didn’t expected this position and really desperate. It is the wet season, it means no tourism. When it is at its lowest level, there are no clients for taxis in town. He still wants to get back in the economy field and leave his taxi driver job for good.
Who is to blame ? by Zzouboon
Eliza is only 7 years old and is already working because of poverty. Tsimialozafy Eliza is still a child and has a 9 years old sister named Faniry and a little brother. They live here in Majunga with their mother, Sahondra, a self worker; her husband left her 5 years ago.
She was pregnant with her little boy at this time : ” I did everything at this time : I washed people’s laundry, I was a maid ; but it was never enough and now that the kids are older they have to help me even if I’m feeling guilty about it”
Eliza and Faniry have to sell bontamo (a kind of doughnut made of rice and peanuts) at the ” Bord de la mer”, the highly touristical borderwalk on the seafront.They start working at 7 in the evening after school and don’t go home until they empty their merchandise.
Sahondra is of course carefully watching for them for this time. And this little interview was taken during Eliza’s work time.
- Do you have many bontamo left?
- Eoa !!! (yes) says Eliza
It was 10 pm when we met her. Sahondra gives them about 20 bontamo a day for sale.
- Are you tired? Do you want to go to bed? we asked
- Eoa, but mommy won’t let me go home until I finish selling them.
- But where is she?
- She’s over there with her friends waiting for us.
We felt so sad for little Eliza we boutgh all her stock and we were surprised that our little friend was unable to count our money and give back the right amount.
Who will be responsible for her situation? Who is to blame?
Motivated and comitted, all 16 joyfully attended their December 4th ceremony with the American embassador in Ambaranjana Antananarivo before they leave for different regions in Madagascar. This is the 22nd test for American volunteers from an accomplished a 10 weeks formation. They had to learn Malagasy, living under very modest conditions and endurance. The people from Mantasoa and Mahitsy are thanking the young people for the warmhearted work they’ve done and given . Their stay last 2 years and these Peace Corps are giving a lot to help the country. They have different fields related to development and poverty : healthcare, education, human rights. “The work of the Peace Corps is the fruit of a close relationship between Madagascar and US” said Jean Louis Robinson, the Ministry of health “like in their accomplishments in reducing mother and child mortality “. They also interven in the fight against the epidemies from mosquitoes. Peace Corps have been in Madagascar for 46 years and many realizations were made. “Our cooperation is now mature and we hope to pursue our work in these great conditions”
August 2007, Philomène Georgine gave birth to wonderful twins : a little girl who was perefectly healthy and a little boy. He was born with a very difficult condition (please take a look at his picture) a flesh lump on his forehead between his eyes and on the top of his little nose. It masks his eyeshight and gives him respiratory problems. ” During a month and a half, my kids and I had to stay at the hospital because of this disease. But during this time, nobody cared for us and you are the first who really shows interest in my children’s well-being. And the first one to smile at them. You know, everybody hate us.” I am a washerwoman and I don’t have clients anymore because people rejected us. My husband left us when I was still pregnant. And doctors didn’t diagnose my son and nobody helped us finding a solution to cure him. ” said the mother Everywhere in the country there are hundreds of children malformation but Majunga is a little town and most people must have heard about our story. Why do people hate us? She wasn’t ask for what is happening to them. there are beggars, people with no food, … but they are not in this situation. What can a woman with no money, work and husband with 1 sick kid to care about can do? And nobody care for them. How did I met this kid? I took the Bus no 5 from home to Bazar Mahabibo but I was too dreamy or maybe it’s this kid’s destiny, I missed my stop. We were already at the City hall stop when I realized my mistake. On the way back to the market, I saw this lady who was bearing a kid on her back, one in her arms and a big red bag on her shoulder. The one in her front was shielded with a green sari. (I was wondering why did she has to use such protection under the very warm Majunga weather). A wind blow discovered the child’s face. I couldn’t believe what I saw before my eyes and couldn’t keep myself for expressing my surprise with a “My Godness”. Of course the mother turned back to protect her child and started to walk very fast. But you can’t escape this easily from Diana chamia. I followed her and told her to rest a little away from the heavy sun. She stared at her child and accepted to get under the City Hall centenial Flamboyant tree. It was there when she told me about her story and asked me to help. I took my promise and went to the Leo Club of Majunga president. He told me to get to his fundraising on April 26th at Lycée Philibert Tsiranana to show the picture and bring Georgine’s story to these well-intended people.
On April 15th was the official ceremony for the three graduates from “fitiavana” promotion. The governor Boeny region DOLSAIN Guy himself came to honour them. There were also all the journalists in town, students and parents. Mr Jean Laurent VITA was the first to introduce the event and salute the guests. Father Serge ANDRIANJAVA from the Capucins congregation was the one who gave the diplomas to these excellent students. The communal representant made this appealing speech : ” The Commune represents the state for this ceremony and shows its support for the works of the journalist in Mahajanga region. The school is open to everyone who wants to become a journalist. Not only the Boeny region needs your work but for 6 years the entire country has been enjoying the works of the 2 previous promotion. We hope a great future for the third one and the many more after them.”
We have the CDE here in Majunga (Commission for children rights) were many associations for children protection and rights reunite. The police is also working very hard with them. But they realized that the young girls are the ones who are enduring the most.
Among the 331 cases the CDE has to defend in Majunga, we saw many were little girls were victims of violence. They were 224 and represent 70%. The average age is from 9 to 13. Sadly 50% were victims of sexual abuses. In Majunga particularly you may be mistaken very easily when you see that many are already mother at 15. It has to do with their physical appearance which make them look older. But most of the time they leave because of the atmospehere at home said the CDE from the many cases they had. This commission is closely working with the police and the children tribunal. This kind of work is very efficient and doesn’t need the state intervention anymore.
Marriage should stay a personal choice. One should keep the right to marry who he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Arranged marriage has already caused a lot of rebellions and revolutions. This is normal because it goes against autonomy and freedom.
It’s an old-fashioned practice when parents get into their children’s life and impose someone to be their futur son or daughter in law.
Happily many young people these days are refusing their choice. Nathan a boy to whom a bride was proposed by his parents fought back ” I would never marry someone I never met in my life, it’s my life that is involved and my parents have nothing to say ”
Parents must understand the unecessity of arranged marriages and at least what people need when they marry is their consent.
[...] in three languages : Malagasy, French and English. Take a look at the posts, translated in English here. Subjects range from the universally controversial one of abortion, to posts dedicated to Malagasy [...]
[...] articles, pictures are starting to appear, amazing. translated posts online on Club blogs. http://club.foko-madagascar.org/2008/04/19/mahajanga-translated-posts/ Youth group in charge of Foko Blog Club ! Stéphane wrote that the last FBC with new [...]
[...] in three languages: Malagasy, French and English. Take a look at the posts, translated in English here. Subjects range from the universally controversial one of abortion, to posts dedicated to Malagasy [...]
[...] From the Madagascar English Journal invitation to contribute to their weekly publication distributed to all the schools on the island, we managed to get our English speaking bloggers a dedicated column. Mrs Annelie Rozeboom from the American School of Antananarivo has kindly edited 4 articles from Cylnice and Zouboon when at the same recommending the authors to share more stories from the provinces and most of all touching interviews like this one with little Eliza. [...]
Greetings. My name is Chris McCann, and I am a representative of Family Radio. Family Radio (www.familyradio.com) is an international, non-commercial, non-profit Christian broadcasting ministry which is based in Oakland, California, USA. I am helping to locate translators and voice workers in the Malagasy language. We are looking to have Bible studies, our ‘Open Forum’ program, and/or other programs translated from English into Malagasy and recorded in Malagasy.
These services are needed on an on-going basis, with as much or as little time that you would be willing to offer. As Family Radio requires that translations strictly adhere to the English text, an identification with or a background in Christianity is not required.
If this may be of interest to you and you would like to get further information, please contact me via frtrans_cjm@yahoo.com. Thank you for your time and consideration, and I look forward to the possibility of hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Chris McCann