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(eng) Selection translated : Bloggers on Malagasy culture and traditions

Saturday, July 5th, 2008

This time we will not put translations for this simple reason…these posts are already written in English !

ON CIRCUMCISION

http://clairesttuburn.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/circumcision/

It is originally a custom in wich a boy becomes a man , but for pratical reasons, in the Madagascar of to day, it is practised already with boys of very young age (two to three years on the high plateau) .
It is practised during the dry and cold season. Depending on the family and the tribe, people go to the doctor or still celebrate it following the tradition such as Sambatra in Mananjary (east cost )
The circumcision is usually celebrated with a family party . If you see a parade along the street with people carrying sugarcanes , banana leaves and a Malagasy flag ; this usually is a circumcision party.

ON FAMADIHANA

By Layshiyuu (Patrick)

http://layshiyuu.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/famadihana/

Best season to see Famadihana is August, september and october. Famadihana is a “turning over the bones” consisting in wrapping again the dead with new sheets. Mainly silk sheets. It’s very important traditional family event. Depending on each family, the Malagasy celebrate this event between once a year and once in ten years,with a party that can last three days during which some families spend their whole savings. During Famadihana, most families have little parade along the street( to show to the dead what has happened in the meantime), where they carry the dead body along, often accompanied by a brass hand.

ON TROMBA

By Rondro (the cultural journalist)

http://rambelosonrondro.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/malagasy-tradition/

Have you ever heard about a Malagasy tradition called « TROMBA « ?
This tradition has existed in many different parts of Madagascar for centuries.
What is a TROMBA?
According to the practice, it’s the continued existence of the king’s ancestors’ spirits in their descendants or other people. That means that when these kings were alive, they were famous, they were the chief and all people respected them .
The hierarchy was divided into:
· Kings and Queens
· Court
· Commoners and slaves
The royal family were at the top of the hierarchy and they were sacred. They had anything they desired, they were happy during their life and they wanted to continue living forever through their spirit. Only their phisical body died but their spirit survived. They borrowed human bodies, came into their mind and survived through their body.That why « TROMBA » appeared in Madagascar . The kings, their descendants or a famous spirits chose a person they wanted to enter into continue to exercise their power as a medium between death and life
Description of the TROMBA :
The spirits must borrow human bodies. The objectives of the TROMBA is to make the possessed person happy ; someone may be wealthy and happy because of the TROMBA. This person can see the future, can cure illness or undo poisoining.The spirits can make others happy or they can bring evil, they can cure differents sorts of diseases.
When a TROMBA enters in your body, you perfom his or her death-throes , when the spirit is in the body your mind changes to theirs and the spirits is alive in your body and can speak again. It can talk and exchanges ideas ; people call them « DADILAHY or DADY . »
So, we can find « TROMBA » in many parts of Madagascar but its name changes in each region and it’s always the same.

SOATOAVINA

By Karenichia (the guiding girl)

http://karenichia.wordpress.com/2008/03/04/save-the-malagasy-soatoavina/

In the past, Malagasy people used to obey and respect the raiamandreny. They held a very important place in the society and to this, they proved to be trustworthy and honest. The youth trusted in their intelligence; they gave good advices to those who needed it, they were fair in judging civil quarrels,.. there was no use defying them because most of the time they were right.

Nowadays, the soatoavina malagasy disappears little by little and we can see it in our everyday life. I know it’s because of the influence of the rich countries with their development and new technologies.Thus, everybody knows that we, malagasy, are not obliged to adopt the wa they live given the fact we wre not equal to them, I mean economically speaking. We can copy them sure, but within moderation, we have to consider the fact we have a limit to respect.

On one hand, the youth become very rude, impolite, rebellious and claim a certain freedom. They say they want to be independent too and they are eager to learn from their own failures. They totally ignore what they will have to face but unfortunately, they don’t want anymore the parents’ advice. Some parents who tried to give them the total freedom they claimed regret it because not only their daughter had to give birth to a baby at the age of 17 and their son became addicted to druggs. Both of tyhe two had to stop their studies and the parents couldn’t afford anymore to feed 5 persons without jobs, besides the cost of the treatments were very high. Those who treated their children as prisonners and gave them no liberty regretted too because their kids run away from home and never returned. Or even have become delinquent and criminals when the police could found them. Each parents know they have to adopt the medium kind of educationh rebellious young people need, they just don’t know how to deal with it, nor do I.

Moreover recently, it’s thye grandfathers ad married men who became infected by an unknown virus. They became sex addicted and prefer to rape little girls.It’s very sad but it’s the truth.You can’t disagree with me in that point, the newspapers are there to prove it. Instead of giving good advices and showing the youth a good model, they become worst than the criminals.

Where has gone the malagasy fahendrena and the respect of the malagasy soatoavina?

Posted in Translation | 9 Comments »

(eng) Translated Posts : How do you have fun in Madagascar ?

Thursday, June 19th, 2008

Thanks to our Foko coordinators Lova and Mialy for translating these wonders from FBC !!!

Zouboon Lomelle, and Diana hanging at Majunga most popular spot : the borderwalk.

Witched from FBC-UN Club

What do young people do for fun in Madagasikara ?

As technology evolves in Madagascar, it is a good idea to let you know what young people do for fun here. We will see two groups of young people in genera, rural young people and urban ones.

Young people’s ways of having fun depend heavily on their parents’ upbringing and means. It should be clear that urban and rural youth have fun in completely different manners. Even in the twenty first century, many are still holding on to the ancestral ways.

Rural youth do not know many ways of having fun, due to lack of development, they all rush to early marriage, so that there are not many ways of having fun apart from soccer, television… They do not have much fun !

In the capital we all can see, depending on one’s wallet though, right now many young people love going to night clubs, hanging out outside, apart from the well off who go to casinos etc… And then there is a lot of interest in computers and internet, which many people in Madagascar love, even the older ones.

In short young Malagasy people are up to date with technology, and we are following foreign ways of having fun, although sometimes it can have negative effects, because some youth get distracted and fall behind on their studies.
Fun is good guys, but do not have too much ! I swear that’s the truth !

Karenichia from FBC-UN Club

Mary , Everyone claims they are the first to….

I am talking about the slang used by the youth of our generation,

What is that ?

When new words or phrases are used by everyone at home, in the streets or within an institution, college and high school students always say that they were the first to use them or even that they created them. It’s crazy, but I saw two groups of students from two different schools get into a fight because of two things: first, because the girls from high school X went out with guys from high school Y and the second reason as it appears, is because a guy from high school Y has called a guy from high school X as homosexual but using a word that is a very specific youngster slang that is not very well-known. Unfortunately both knew what it meant and this is where the fight began. I did not watch the end of it because these things do not appeal to me but it intrigued me for a shortwhile.

However, there is another type of slang that everyone has been using since year 2000:

It is “Ra Marie” (Miss Mary) which means to be hungry or very hungry. Everyone without exception used the word when they were hungry, even in the streets. We discussed the origin of that phrase between friends and a college girl who knows enough of the city said it was a group of young hungry guys who wanted to break bread at the cafeteria who invented the phrase because the lady at the cafeteria was Mary and the group made it a code word, when they did not want others to know when they wanted to eat. A few days later, a student from another school swore that that they first came up with the words because one day he and his colleagues had made a prank to the owner of a grocery store near the school and she also was called Mary. Other versions have also been rumored about the origin of Miss Mary so we finally will never know who is to credited for it, and I’ll leave you with that because Miss Mary is going after me.

Patricia from FBC-UN Club :

A Failed existence

Do you believe there is such thing as a failed existence?
We all dream of what we can become one day ! An engineer, a physician, a professor… who has not dreamed of becoming one as a child? Those are often the first professions one aspires to, simply because these are the ones seen on a daily basis or most often.
As we grow up, our ambition is confirmed and we choose all ways necessary to fulfill it! This change of ambition and goal with age has been provoked by our experiences, our abilities and most of all by the examples we discover little by little in life. Our idols change us and manage to convince us easily.
At a certain time in life, we all ask the same questions “What did I want to become?What have I become?” We all think that if at one given time, answers to those questions are compatible, we have succeeded our life and we are at the top! But if the answers do not match, does that mean that we have failed our life? Everybody has an answer to that question, but personally, I would not believe so !
Nobody fails his life. We just feel a bit lost compared to the others sometimes, but this moment is also aprt of ourlife ! Maybe we have become the one we did not waht to but so many what to be what we are at the moment ! So life will not stop because we think we are at the wrong place, in the contrary, many people do all they can to win our place. At that moment, it is up to us to fight to defend what we are, even if we are far from our idols ! We should not feel lost because we think we have failed, because it is true, we never fail our life; we just get some food for thoughts sometimes to wake us up and to help us get our life in order.
“It is never too late to become what one could have been”

Naydou from FBC-UN Club

The scouts of Andravoahangy fivavahana.

All scouts organization are worthy of praise whether in Madagascar or around the world. So what is so special about the scouts of Andravoahangy fivavahana ? There is no doubt that there are a not enough guides at the moment yet they still manage to fulfill their duties. What are their duties you ask ?

The goal of training with the scouts is to help young men and women grow into adulthood ready and humble: with a passion for God, his/her country and helping others, his own person coming last.

The guides are trying hard to entertain the young scouts and develop their young minds. Their responsibility are a heavy burden yet they also gain a lot from their work when they share their respective experience with other guides during meeting. Everyone benefits from their time with the scouts. Let’s not forget the committee who are relentlessy looking for new guides, looking for funds to support activities for the children and the meeting. A message for those considering to be a guide for the children, come to the office at Rasalama high school around 2:30 PM. There will always be someone to welcome you so don’t hesitate. Hoping to see you soon,

Posted in FOKO BLOG CLUB 6, Translation | 2 Comments »

(eng) Bloggers’ Poems translated

Sunday, June 1st, 2008

Many of our bloggers have shown poetry skills, please find some translations of their great posts :

Rondro : The River

The river is flowing down from its source high up, in the mountains. It is making its way down the hillside, through the woods and into the valley. Now it is flowing through the country side, through fields and pretty villages. Men are fishing and cows are drinking in its quiet waters.

The river has reached the suburbs of a large town. Gardens go down to the edge of the river, and boats are tied up along the bank. Some people are swimming and others have taken their out and are rowing down the river.

The river is getting wider and wider. It is flowing through a large town, past churches and high building. On the bank is a restarant in the middle of a beautiful park. People will go there for dinner as soon as they leve their offices. A pleasure boat is taking children for a short trip up the river. Towns have become more and more frequent.

The river is getting nearer and nearer to the sea. Boats are bringing coal and grain from foreign countries to the port near the mouth of the river. When the river reaches the estuary, it will be lost in the sea.

Diana Chamia : Eden Garden

Lomelle : S’y attendre

Zouboon : À mes yeux

Cylnice : Lost

I ‘ m accepting the day
When my love left me
But don’t forget
I still love you mon chéri
Today you’re leaving me
Despite my sorrows
I want to keep faith
That one day you’ll come back
And whn this day arrives
I won’t forgive
Your betrayal
Because you walked away
But I won’t hate you
Because of the memories
Which are keeping me happy
Because you used to be lovely

Posted in Translation | 2 Comments »

(eng) Selection of post-blogging contest posts

Monday, May 19th, 2008

We let Simp a blogger friend of us who took the time to select 5 posts from the dizains our members published during the mini-blogging contest which wnet between February and April. He first chose 20 must read articles from the entire FBC archives then gave his top 5 to translation :

http://as2coeur.wordpress.com/2008/04/15/vendeur-mandehandeha/ by lomelle

Peddlers

One can hear shouts of « filao é, filao é, filao é » . A woman shows up : a basin half filled with fish on her head. Her child is tied with a lambaoany to her back. She is the traveling fishmonger. She criss crosses neighborhoods daily despite the scaldering heat. However she is not the only peddler in town ; other people do it elsewhere in town. Others sell coffee, glasses, samos ; fruit, belts sellers also go across town on foot in the hope of selling their precious wares.

This type of trade has become a real trend in Majunga. Sella is a filao peddler who says that her fish sell much faster this way and she can add 500Ar to the price compared to the non traveling seller. A traveling milk seller shares his tricks :”by virtue of peddling I have made myself customers on my trails and with time I have become a delivering seller”.

Even with non negligeable benefits things are not always rosy for peddlers. Ravo who peddles glasses shares “when trade is good we can sell from eight to twelve glasses daily, but sometimes we do not sell anything during the day, and we are not even mentioning tiredness from having walked all day long”.

These peddlers can be divided in two : during the day they invade Majunga’s streets, their basins on their heads, their trays on their arms, their baskets in their hands. Once nighttime falls, they are still at their post and go to the boardwalk in the fresh sea breeze.

http://dianachamia.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/je-suis-la-pluie-et-la-comedie-est-mes-goutes/ by diana

I am rain and theater are my raindrops:

Since my childhood, I have always loved theatre but it was only when I was in high school that my dream was finally realized; But time and success among other things may not be enough. When I had my baccalaureate, it effectively terminated my dream because the college I went to did not have theatre courses, college is truly the goddess of dreams killers. Now I miss theater much, I feel like a retired singer. All my beautiful memories come back to me:

“It’s Wednesday as usual, it is necessary that all the actors of a group called ZoLoBE teen should be present in the grand amphitheater of the French alliance in Diego Suarez has already made several spectacles that makes everyone smile. As my uncle always said to me: my little Chamia, you know what make people laughs, you know how to draw and paint, you’re the artist of the family so take care of your talents. But the problem is that here in Madagascar, theater and painting do not mean much, if one knows how to cultivate rice, it would mean more to the people around me.

Some time ago, I almost died of joy because I saw a poster on the door of the alliance school in Majunga that there was a Theatre workshop. So I jumped over the several hundred stairs of the alliance school, but then my inner little penguin told me: ” hey, did you read the whole page ?” So I turned around and went to call my mother to tell her that I will resume theater. Then, ba boum, my big bubble got crushed because the workshop had an entry fee. This is nonsense, acting is a talent, a gift from heaven. Why don’t they do it like us in Diego, it’s free to enter but when the shows have an entry fee then everyone shares the revenues.

I so wanted to see the teacher and tell him my thoughts about making money from this. I I am sad that while it will cost me, I still want to play. My mother was the seamstress for our drama costumes back when I was in Diego and it is with the money from the spectacle that we paid everyone. Money really makes the word go round, our dreams can be before our eyes but we must pay for realizing it.

http://gazetyavylavitra.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/59255-9-25/ by avilavitra

http://patiettoi.wordpress.com/2008/04/04/qui-doit-lutter-contre-le-vihsida/ by patricia

Who should participate in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic ?

HIV / AIDS are two words that we, in Madagascar, hear almost on a daily basis through events or awareness campaign, may it be in the media or street conversations. However, are people in Madagascar really aware of the current situation with respect to HIV / AIDS? Is the awareness campaign really effective with our population ?

In recent years, people keep talking about this phenomenon all over the island: in the street, in the media, in schools, through associations etc.. At this point, almost everyone knows what HIV / AIDS is, how to fight against the spread of the disease and how to prevent it!

But it is rare to find people who are aware of the problem and who know that they are indeed playing an important role in this fight. The fight against HIV / AIDS is not restricted to an affair of the state; it starts at the individual level! Therefore, everyone must always be aware of what they do because a brief moment of foolishness could affect the lives of at least one person; that’s not too nice, especially from our part, the youngsters! Then, remember that the fight against HIV / AIDS is not only a question of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns but HIV first affects us!

Speaking of current media awareness, it is apparent that some tools work better for urban Malagasy! They always expect new things, new approaches but they are not satisfied with hearing the same message everyday! When I say that this, it is not to encourage readers not to pay attention to what the campaigns are saying now, but it is mainly to encourage these campaigns to always be more creative for us young people!

We should not forget that, while HIV / AIDS is a well-known phenomenon in Madagascar but the more it is known, the more it spreads, so the onus is on us to stop it. The duty to fight HIV / AIDS belongs to all of us !

http://karenichia.wordpress.com/2008/04/25/toe-tsaina-tsy-mampandroso/ by karenichia

Is this an inevitable trait of character or do Malagasy dislike development?

It is great that social graces and ethics are back in schools’ curriculum.

It is true that there is some pleasure in expressly doing things that are prohibited, but there are limits.

Some Malagasies are not ashamed of going to the bathroom in public or throwing their garbage right under signs forbidding these : IT IS PROHIBITED TO URINATE OR MAKE MESS HERE UNDER PENALTY OF FINE. FINE : 5000 Ar. Try to tell these people not to ! They will insult and beat you up. Some just laugh at you. It is not surprising that people steer away from these scenes. Yesterday I visited a friend whose house had a sign saying “IT IS PROHIBITED TO SELL ANYTHING HERE”. Right in front of her house there is a whole market. One cannot open her front door because there are street vendors in front of it and one has to go through the backdoor when visiting her. I took a picture and will post it here next time. She has been to the fokontany (Translation note: the office of the officials in charge of the neighborhood) not once but numerous times but her complaints were always turned down. They say street vendors have nowhere to go, they are disadvantaged people who have no other means of support and it benefits the neighborhood to have them there because the neighborhood can shop without going too far. Street vendors are indeed worthy of our pity but it is the ones in charge who should remove them who are those defending them and allowing them to circumvent laws. As our teacher said in our final year of high school : our country has become lawless. It should not surprise anyone if Madagascar is still at this stage of development if this is how we are conducting things. Free destruction of public goods. Doesn’t it bother you ?(e

Posted in Translation | 3 Comments »

(eng)Mahajanga translated posts

Saturday, April 19th, 2008

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 :

http://cylnice.wordpress.com/ : Underemployment in Majunga

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.

http://zouboon.wordpress.com/ : Who’s fault is it?

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?

http://rambelosonrondro.wordpress.com/ : Peace Corps

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”

http://dianachamia.wordpress.com : Help me helping them

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.

http://jombilo.wordpress.com/ : Three new graduates from the school of Journalism

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.”

http://mielmanja.wordpress.com/ : CDE in Majunga : 70% are girls who are hurt the most

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.

http://as2coeur.wordpress.com/ : Arranged mariage

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.

Posted in FOKO BLOG CLUB 4, Translation | 5 Comments »

(eng) FBC Mahajanga translated posts

Thursday, April 10th, 2008

Mielmanja http://mielmanja.wordpress.com/

The River

Rambeloson Rondro http://rambelosonrondro.wordpress.com/

Peace Corps

On December 4th, 16 young women and men were meeting the American ambassador at Ambaranjana Antananarivo before they spread all over the island.

This is the 22nd time and the 46th year American volunteers have come to Madagascar and their training last 10 weeks. They learn to speak Malagasy, endurance, ingeniosity. The people from Mantasoa and Mahitsy are greatful to these young people for teaching them in return. The Peace Corps live 2 years in Madagascar and their goals are very humanistic : teaching democracy, helping the poors, etc. They also work in different fields like healthcare, education and empowerement.

Dina chamia http://dianachamia.wordpress.com/

Mobile phones in Madagascar

Since 2000, mobile phones use have increased from 45% to 99%. We know the relation between development and the populairty of mobile phones and Madagascar shows its specifities. It is useful to commercials and busineesmen but not for teenagers under 18 years old who are the using them the most. They spend too much of their little money on their mobile phones and don’t make good use of it but playing around. There is also heatlh threats with brain cancers when using too frequently. But life can also be saved. What is the best balance?

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