October 2010, InMaLanka visited “Akany Avoko” and “Graines de bitume”

InMaLanka could visit the Akany Avoko NGO’s center, located in the North-West of Antananarivo. After several visits in the center, InMaLanka was given the opportunity to follow for one day the NGO’s welfare officer while she was visiting families whose children benefit from the project. This working day was important for InMaLanka because it allowed us to confront the diverse local realities.

InMaLanka could also attend some activities carried out by another local NGO, “Graines de Bitumes”. In one of the two centers owned by this NGO and located at Ampasanisadoda, different activities linked with school support are carried out to provide help for vulnerable children. “Graine de Bitumes” consistently works with and for young kids and teenagers who are obliged to beg or to accept temporary jobs for earning their living, despite an unsecured context in the streets of Antananarivo. 240 people aged from 5 to 22 years old, benefit from the project (110 under “Graines1” and 130 under “Graines2”). During a whole morning, InMaLanka participated to the NGO’s activities by notably attending a lesson for school stiffening. This very enriching moment allowed us to be in contact with the children and their reality.

During the lastdays, InMaLanka visited Dieudonné ‘s center, which is located in Mandroseza village, South-Est of Antananarivo. Created about 10 years ago, this center is worth being taken into consideration because of the relevance of its actions that really fit the local context. It is not an NGO but a company created by Dieudonné. After several years of efforts and work with thecommunity, the company succeeded in creating a center where iron is salvaged and worked on by local men and women trained by the center. The initiative was completed without any foreign backer support and is therefore totally autonomous. A part of the project is linked with education since the worker’s children attend the school’s center lessons, near their parents. There is also a vegetable garden where local products are cultivated. Afterwards, these products are sold on the local market but also in Europe.

InMaLanka takes advantage of this article to thank all organisations named above for their availability and the opportunitydeepen the knowledge on their projects.

Fabrizio De Angeli, traduction Yoann Cancan