Reisverslag

Madagascar

Simon, 4 december 2006
Madagascar , Antananarivo

Salama!

Finally an update after a long period of radio silence from my side! This could mean that nothing very interesting happened. But that is fortunately not the case.

The week of the 16th of November I’ve been on a very interesting field trip with my colleague Stefanie. We’ve visited projects in the South and have travelled all along the road from the east coast to the west coast (Fort-Dauphin – Tuléar on the map); a dirt road of 600 kilometres which we crossed in 6 days.

It was no coincidence that we’ve visited the south last week. The lean season has started, and especially the people in the south are highly affected by the lack of food, since the south is extremely dry. We’ve visited communities were it had rained only once during all of 2006. People therefore could not harvest during summer, and have no food supplies left now to bridge the period until the next harvest in February/March 2007.

Because of that reason, WFP now has put into place many extra Food For Work projects, in order to assist the communities in the south bridging this gap. Food For Work projects are those projects where people work five hours a day on a local infrastructural project. This can either be a pond, a road, an irrigation system etc. In return, they receive a food ration. I had the opportunity to talk to beneficiaries and see some of the projects, both finished and in course.

The current problem for the people in the south is that WFP’s resources are extremely short. After mid December we will not have any food anymore to help the people in the south survive the drought. In order to obtain more resources, the government has to declare both nationally and internationally that the situation in the south is critical, and that external help is required in order to prevent a disaster. But, since the presidential elections are held next Sunday, the 3rd of December, the current government wants to avoid negative publicity and therefore does not make a call for help yet. Good example of how personal interests completely block those of the people in a country. Luckily, the government has announced last week that they have bought 8900 tonnes of rice, which will be partly sold at lower prices and partly donated to aid organizations. Hopefully this can solve the crisis. I’ve uploaded pictures and stories of the people in the south, so that you can get an impression of the life people have over there.

Besides, the contrasts you experience in life here are still quite amazing. After completing our mission to the south, my colleague and I stayed in a pretty good hotel (still very cheap though). After arriving the first thing we did was take a dive in the swimming pool to freshen up. So much for the drought in the south.

For my last three weeks some more interesting things are planned. For next weekend I’ve rented a scooter with two friends of mine. We’ll go make a drive around the countryside and stay for the night somewhere in a hotel. The scooters are 125cc and their top speed is 90 km/h, but that I do not have the proper drivers license is in Africa not a problem at all. The fact that the scooters say ‘Made in China’ is not a safety guarantee either, but anyway. We’ve already rented them last weekend for a day and it was great fun.

Now I am almost forgetting something very interesting: the visit of the Prime Minister of Madagascar, Jacques Sylla, and the French Ambassador to a CRENA (nutrition centre) in a poor neighbourhood of Antananarivo WFP supports with food aid. The visit was organized as a ‘thank you’ for a French gift of 500.000 euros in April this year, and the announcement of a new donation of 400.000 to help the south. I was in charge of the logistical part of the organization of the visit, which was very interesting to do. The visit went very smooth and I cashed loads of compliments for once, so now I finally know how that feels.
Also very interesting were the safety precautions for Mr. Le Premier Ministre. Or better said: the lack of safety precautions. Anyone with a bended third-hand Chinese sniper rifle could have caused a political crisis. Luckily, since Madagascar is an island, it is pretty isolated so not many arms make it into the country.

The last week of my stay here I will probably go to the south again, but then travel up along the east coast. I will be visiting school canteens there as well, which must be great for pictures and beneficiary profiles. The road is very, very bad, so 160 kilometres will take us probably all day.
If the trip can take place depends on the safety situation after the elections. There has been some unrest lately; an army general even did an attempt to take over control. I don’t know whether you’ve heard anything about that in Holland (or you country), but I don’t think to much international attention was given to it. The guy, general Fidy, has not been successful and is now on the run for the authorities. Lesson one: do never try to take over power with a Malagasy army.

Than the latest news: a delegation of USAID is going to inspect the situation in the south and will make about the same trip as I did last week, but then in 2,5 days with a little private airplane. Let’s see if I can join in …

Since you will probably now know I have been able to prolong my stay here with another month. I haven’t returned the 25th of November, like foreseen, but will now return the 19th of December. It’s great to have some extra time here, and will hopefully see some of you around Christmas (Kerstschuit Albertus?).

Veluma, Simon

Foto's bij reisverslag

Vorige

Volgende

Tombs in the south bigger than a house

Road to nowhere

Lang leve 'ontwikkeling'...

Girls getting water at a WFP-pond

Tomb (not the local airport)

Pond constructed with the aid of WFP

Sharing your bath with the zebus

Rural village

My colleagues Stefanie and Achilson

Mango paradise

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