Soaking Up Life in Madagascar

I’ve heard it said that Africa “gets in your blood.” One month after arriving I now understand the meaning of this phrase...

Life here has a rhythm and a vibrancy all of its own. It’s difficult to describe, but once you experience it for yourself you begin to realise how values and priorities in this part of the world are very different to those in the West.

When 90% of the population are living on less than $2 a day everyone is grappling with the same issue; working hard to simply put food on the table. Yet despite the grinding poverty there’s a contentedness and almost a joy about life itself. You see it in the faces and the way people live their lives. We can all learn something from this humility to enrich our own lives...
 

Working hard to put food on the table.

I bade farewell to Sam Lucas and the Onja students last Sunday. It’s always hard saying goodbye after spending three weeks so immersed in the teaching programme but I have so many great memories of my time with this inspiring social enterprise.

 

Being able to help the students with skills such as confidence building, motivation and goal setting was particularly gratifying and a reminder that young people the world over have to traverse the same hurdles moving into adulthood; though in developing countries I believe these issues are much more pronounced because the barriers to success are so much greater.

Last Friday was a particular highlight. My sessions with the class over the last three weeks culminated in each student having to deliver a 3-5 minute speech in English, without notes. Bearing in mind these students have only been learning English for just over five months this was quite a challenge to impose on them. As you can well imagine, they were all extremely nervous at the prospect of having to speak in front of their peers and teachers in a language they are still learning.

Yet I knew they all desperately wanted to pass what I described to them as the ‘ultimate confidence challenge.’ And pass it they did, with flying colours.

It was so impressive to see the progress they had made in just a few weeks and the confidence they exhibited.  To say everyone, including the students themselves, were blown away by their talks would almost be an understatement!

On my last day I received letters from each of them and to read the impact this experience had on them is to realise the extent of their personal development in recent weeks and what they have achieved.

Here are a couple of quotes from some of the letters I particularly liked:

I had never thought I could talk in front of such a large group of people. I was completely amazed at myself – Manjaka

At school I was absolutely terrified about speaking in front of people. Now I am proud of myself that I am no longer afraid to speak in public – Fanilo

Confidence has now become my new best friend. Thank you for making that happen for me - Prisca

To have contributed in a small way to these student’s futures is and humbling. I know they have some big challenges in front of them in a few years as they seek to break into the world of professional work but I have come away inspired by their focus and dedication and enriched by their commitment to their studies and the goals they have set for themselves. I know each of them will do well.

But none of this would be possible without the visionary efforts of Onja founder Sam Lucas and his team.

 

My time getting to know Sam over the last few weeks and watching him in action made me realise the scale of the challenge he has taken on and the dedication required to pull off something like Onja.

This isn’t just a short term, overseas posting. It requires the same 24/7 dedication and commitment as any start-up business...but with all the added complications thrown in operating in a developing country; including having responsibility and guardianship for 26 talented young people most of whom are only 5-6 years his junior.

But it’s also what you give up to establish a project such as Onja: being close to family, having a decent salary, being able to spend time with friends and all the other trappings that we take for granted living a comfortable life in NZ.

Very few people can do it. I know I couldn’t. I told the students I wouldn’t have the patience!

It takes a special type of person to do what Sam has done. I’m looking forward to writing Onja’s story as the subject of a Herald feature on Social Entrepreneurship when I get back to NZ and spreading the word about what he has created here. Hopefully it will inspire a few people to contribute financially to the foundation he has established.

If you would like to do so yourself, here’s the link to his website www.onja.org It also details more about the project itself, including some great profiles of some of the students undertaking the two year programme of studies in English and computer coding.

After leaving Mahanoro I spent a few days in Toamasina, home to Madagascar’s only major port. Amazing to think virtually everything that comes into this country of around 24 million people has to pass through this city and most of it is then transported 7-8 hours by road to the capital Antananarivo (single lane in each direction, no passing lanes here!) The result is almost torturous, constantly being stuck behind large truck and trailer units transporting shipping containers to and from the port. Dangerous overtaking manoeuvres are the norm on a road that is riddled with potholes while young children take their lives in their hands walking to and from school with trucks hurtling past just centimetres from them. It’s extremely nerve wracking to watch. I can’t imagine what it must be like for the students who have to experience it every day.

Students in rural areas walking to school each day face constant danger...

 

Trucks hurtle past within centimetres of them.

 

Last Sunday, I also got to experience for myself Madagascar’s unique public transport system called the taxi-brousse. The name literally translates to “bush-taxi.” While it’s cheap (my 7 hour journey from Mahanoro to Toamasina cost just NZ$9!) it comes with its own set of challenges which included a scheduled departure time of 7am that in reality turned out to be 8.30am, seating that gives you almost zero leg room and a configuration that can literally squash 24 passengers into a van. It would certainly give New Zealand’s Land Transport Safety Authority nightmares.

Madagascar's infamous taxi brousse, though this is a 'luxury' version

 

The taxi brousse also acts as a public bus service constantly stopping to pick up and drop off passengers on route. While it’s chaotic and not particularly comfortable the service provides an important life line for those who would otherwise have no transport at all; which is basically most the population. With gendarmes placed seemingly every 50km on route checking for overloading and unauthorised operators, it defies belief how it would be possible to jam any more people into what is already a travelling sardine can!

However, living here does have its compensations. Restaurant meals are inexpensive, generally costing around $2-3 per person; and that usually includes drinks. Cheaper street food is also available and while the standard can be a bit inconsistent, few NZ restaurants could match the pricing.

Mahanaro's leading café! 25c coffee

Haircuts are cheap too at around $1. He wanted to cut my hair but I politely declined!

Always impressive to watch the women walking and balancing at the same time. Now that's really multitasking!

Speaking of eating out....this week I had lunch with possibly the only other New Zealander living in Madagascar. I first met Salvis Laurenson a few years ago when I spoke to a group of business students at Aorere College and since then Salvis has kept in touch with me. Putting his university studies aside last year, he is six months into a two year mission here with the Mormon Church. I was amazed at his fluency in Malagasy after just six months and he was very useful when it came to bargaining for a few souvenirs in the local markets. (Oh, quick side note. Have you ever wondered if those Mormon missionaries you see around actually have any success converting people they meet on the streets to their faith? I was surprised to discover they do; though NZ is considered pretty tough going! When you think about it, they have to be the world’s most extensive religious conversion team in action with more than 70,000 full-time LDS missionaries serving in 421 church missions throughout the world at any one time.  Missionaries are expected to converse in the local language where they are based and Salvis tells me that the Church’s language training centre in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he spent eight weeks undergoing extensive training prior to arriving in Madagascar, is one of the largest language training facilities in the world with more than 80 languages on offer. I was impressed with his dedication and commitment with only one day off each week for two years and wearing the distinctive white shirt and tie is compulsory - even on days off.)


With Salvis Laurenson. I'm sure he's the only Samoan kiwi in Madagascar!

 

We had lunch at a local burger restaurant (very few and far between in Madagascar) and I don’t think I have enjoyed my meal of sausages and eggs with baked beans and bacon so much after almost a month of only eating rice and beans.  So a bit of meat was extremely welcome. I was also very surprised to find the restaurant adorned with rugby jerseys from around the world only to discover All Black rugby jerseys here are particularly sought after. It seems the former French association is responsible for rugby being followed here with a great deal of interest, particularly if the ABs are playing France; though the locals are the first to admit they’re all too small to play the game themselves! Football is very much the sport of choice...

 

Very surprised to find an All Black jersey in a bar in Madagascar

 

Don't think this woman really understood why we made such a fuss of her or the significance of the t-shirt she was wearing! Seems she purchased it in a local second hand clothing stall and had absolutely no idea where NZ was...

If there’s one thing you associate with Madagascar its lemurs. Earlier this week I got to meet a few of them in person...

 

These guys are always hungry. Lemurs eat around 5-8% of their bodyweight every day.

 Lemurs can only be found in Madagascar. There are more than 100 different species many of which are sadly threatened with extinction due to deforestation.
 

 

This is a huge issue in Madagascar. Stoves are extremely rare here. Just about everyone in the rural areas, where the majority of the population live, uses open fires for cooking. Just consider how much firewood is required every day to feed around 20 million people and you quickly understand why Madagascar’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. This of course leads to serious erosion issues and a vicious cycle of land degradation is very apparent when you travel around the country.

A common sight in the rural areas. Huge piles of firewood for sale

And this is what deforestation looks like...

The current situation is unsustainable yet there seems to be little in the way of alternative cooking options being considered. I'm aware that in other parts of Africa attempts have been made to switch people to using kerosene stoves; yet they also come with their own set of safety hazards.

However, it’s obvious that a commitment to environmental issues is a low priority in a country when poverty is so prevalent, yet it’s an issue that is already causing serious damage and will continue to do so in the future.

 I’m now back in Antananarivo spending my last few days here before heading to Kenya for the second part of my African adventure.

Madagascar is a fascinating country with so much to offer visitors. Vast areas of the country are virtually uninhabited and unexplored. But this is a country where nothing comes easy and the thrill of an adventure off the beaten track is still apparent. It’s what makes Madagascar special but also what holds it back. If it could fix it’s roads and upgrade some of its tourism infrastructure it would go a long away to improving its attractiveness for visitors while creating obvious economic benefits and employment opportunities for the country as a whole. With world class beaches, an eco-tourism product that is truly unique and a culture that is welcoming and friendly, there is no reason why Madagascar should be so poor. Time will tell if the country’s new political leadership can improve its prospects for the future; though corruption also remains a huge problem.

I know these are issues uppermost in the minds of the students I met at Onja. If they are not addressed they are likely to vote with their feet and take their valuable, hard earned skills offshore. That would be a real pity.

 

Farewell Madagascar. I'll certainly miss those beautiful early morning sunrises from my deck!

 

 

 

 

 

First Week in Madagascar

 
Madagascar isn’t the easiest place to get to from New Zealand. After a 20,000 kilometre journey via Singapore and Ethiopia, lasting 36 hours, I finally arrive in Antananarivo (or Tana as it’s known locally); Madagascar’s bustling, chaotic capital.

I have long wanted to visit Africa, my fifth continent, and I’m excited to finally be in a part of the world that has such a rich cultural diversity and much to offer visitors.

Top of mind as I take my first steps on African soil, did my bag make it? There’s always that anxiety that goes with checking your bag in at Auckland Airport - knowing it has to be transferred twice on route - but thankfully it’s there and after purchasing my 30 day visa I’m soon through immigration and outside the main terminal.

Leaving the airport on route to my hotel you’re immediately struck by the harshness of life in this isolated island nation. Located approximately 1000km east of Mozambique, Madagascar is the world’s fourth largest island but is also ranked by the UN as one of the world’s poorest countries. Everywhere you look people are eking out a daily existence selling a few items from tiny stalls; you wonder how anyone could possibly live off the proceeds. Others are forced to walk everywhere because they can’t afford the one or two dollars required to use the vast network of minibus taxis that cover the city. And of course there are the inevitable beggars and children with nowhere to live. But there’s a quite humility to their existence; rarely asking for money but instead doing so with their eyes.

It’s the moral dilemma every visitor to third world countries faces. What do you do in the face of such overwhelming need and how do you decide who to give to? For me it’s always random. Give what you can to those who seem to have the greatest need. But it’s never easy. I’ve always believed more people from first world countries should spend time in the third world to deepen their sense of gratitude for what they have.

I’m always amazed at how nothing is wasted in these countries. Everything is reused and recycled....from car tyres to small pieces of electrical cable. A visit to the local markets reveals a surprising array of items you might think would have no resale value at all. Once again you are reminded of the extent of wastage in the first world where our consumer driven society of dispose and repurchase is all pervasive. When you have very little, everything has a value.

A former French colony, its influence is still present almost 60 years after Madagascar gained its independence. Despite being unpopular colonial rulers for 77 years, the French language is still widely spoken; traditional baguettes and croissants are plentiful in the markets and the game of petanque is a national obsession. Madagascar secured the title of world champions in 2018.

My hotel is comfortable and welcoming with a commanding view over the city. I enjoy the facilities and the food knowing the next few weeks will be more challenging.

Antananarivo - Madagascar's capital city

After a ‘recovery’ day and 10 hours of much needed sleep the hotel organises a guide for me to see some of the city and surrounding sites.

We visit the King’s Palace on the outskirts of the city, used by former kings of Madagascar as their summer retreat.

With dramatic views of the surrounding region it is more traditional than grand and offers some interesting insights to a monarchy that lasted for just 87 years ending in 1897 with Queen Ranavalona III being banished to Algeria after France took control of Madagascar as its new colonial power. However, my guide is quick to point out this was not the understanding of the country’s rulers at the time believing instead that Madagascar was intended to become a French protectorate. Instead the French quickly seized control helping itself to the rich array of minerals and natural resources on offer.

Like many other African nations, the road to independence was a difficult one. France initially was unwilling to give up power but in 1960 it finally agreed to do so and next year, in 2020, Madagascar will mark 60 years as an independent country.

It is doubtful though if it will be called a ‘celebration.’ In the time since gaining its independence GDP has declined, poverty rates have increased and like many African countries corruption is rife. For the average Malagasy there will be little to celebrate as life continues to be one of limited means and day-to-day survival.

After my two days in Tana it’s time to embark on the next leg of my journey to meet up with Sam Lucas, the founder of an innovative social enterprise project called Onja (Malagasy for “wave”) which is to be the subject of an article I’m writing for the NZ Herald and the main reason for my trip.

I first connected with Sam in 2018 when I wrote about him as part of series of articles for the University of Auckland focusing on graduates under the age of 40 who were already high achievers in a range of endeavours.

Onja Founder Sam Lucas

Onja is based in the small coastal town of Mahanoro. Located 365km from Tana, it’s a nine hour road trip which is largely uneventful until we reach the town of Vatomandry; just short of our destination. From here it takes us almost three hours to cover the final 60km of our journey on a road that has more pot holes than tar seal! Many of Madagascar’s roads are legendary for their poor condition and lack of maintenance. It’s yet another example of basic infrastructure which inhibits economic properity.

We finally arrive just before 3pm having left the hotel at 6am that morning. Sam is there to meet me and what makes our meeting all the more significant is that after a year of emailing and video calls on WhatsApp it’s the first time we have met in person! Having not eaten since breakfast a plate of locally caught shrimps cooked in a delicious curry sauce from a nearby local restaurant is particularly welcome and we make our way to the school he has created in a two-story villa style home he has leased from a local owner.

Onja HQ & School complete with NZ flag!

Class in session

It’s compact but practical with the classroom located downstairs and offices and living quarters upstairs, along with an adjoining balcony with views over the tropical garden below. Complete with wifi, data projectors and all the amenities of a modern school it’s a world away from the majority of Madagascar’s local schools, many of which are housed in buildings that contain little more than a blackboard and a few battered desks. A supply of donated reconditioned laptops is expected to arrive from NZ in the coming months which will certainly be welcomed by the students.

Born and bred on Auckland’s North Shore and then gaining a degree in Engineering before backpacking around the world for almost two years, it was Sam’s quest to make a lasting contribution to this part of the world which led to Onja’s formation. His vision was to create a different type of school that would focus solely on an intensive programme teaching recent high school graduates just two subjects: English and computer coding; and doing so in just two years. The students receive the education at no charge but following completion of their studies they will be bonded to Onja for a period of time where their newly acquired coding skills will be outsourced to the first world and the income generated used to fund the next intake of students. It’s an innovative model that Sam is hoping to scale into other third world countries in the future.

But in order to maximise the impact of his initiative he needed students with the academic ability to maintain the rigorous pace the programme requires. This involved embarking on a recruitment tour giving students from hundreds of regional high schools throughout Madagascar the opportunity to sit a formal entrance exam. Almost all of the students sitting the entrance exam come from very poor backgrounds so this opportunity has the potential to completely change their lives.

Such projects come with their own set of challenges in the third world; particularly when communication is so difficult. It even involved using local radio stations on occasions to invite students to sit the entrance exams.

Six months after launching the programme the 26 students fortunate to gain entry are already half way through their year-long English programme. They have all decided for themselves that the best way to learn English is to speak it exclusively in all their communications; both inside and outside the classroom so it’s a fully immersive learning environment. Next year they will focus exclusively on learning coding.

With all the students living onsite, their dedication is impressive with many rising at 4am to fit in extra study three hours before classes begin at 7am. Apart from a two hour break in the middle of the day classes continue until 5pm with regular exams and testing built into the programme.

The pace is unrelenting and I’m full of admiration for their dedication knowing that many students back in NZ could learn from their example.

I meet Alex and Kirsten, a couple from the Netherlands who have volunteered their services for a year along with Izzy from the UK who is using the experience towards the service component of her Duke of Edinburgh Award. I also meet Mitantsoa a teacher previously based in Tana who serves as the school’s academic director and Rina who acts as the office manager and operations co-ordinator.

Mahanaro, where the school is based, is a coastal town with a population of just a few thousand people. It makes for an ideal setting with the beach just a few hundred metres from the building housing the school. The sound of waves constantly crashing on the beach ensures the atmosphere is relaxed and unhurried.

My own accommodation is idyllic. A private bungalow just a few metres from the beach, and just $NZ15 a day! It would easily rate as the best value accommodation I’ve come across on any of my overseas trips.

My digs

                   

View from my deck. 50m to the beach!

Sleeping well is a given here. With little to do after 8pm turning in and sleeping for 10 hours every night is something I don’t think I’ve done since I was in primary school! Amazing how quickly your system adapts to the change in sleeping pattern and the impact all that extra sleep has on your overall health and well-being.

The food here consists mainly of rice which is consumed in large quantities, usually supplemented by beans. Meat is rare and if it is served its Zebu, a local animal a bit smaller than a cow and very lean. I did bring a small jar of Marmite with me but it was consumed by the students in about two days. They loved the taste. Wish I’d brought more of it...

Truth is I would kill for a steak right now...and a nice red wine but I'm hardly starving! Beer is cheap here with a brand called Three Horses Beer (or THB as it’s known locally) the big favourite.

Also missing my favourite snack: Pics Peanut Butter. Reckon it would be a big hit here...

The local markets are fantastic. Fresh fruit and vegetables are plentiful and cheap. Pineapples for a $1 and tomatoes here have amazing flavour. It’s become a ritual to start each day with a plate of fresh pineapple watching the sunrise from my deck...

Amazing that for all its remoteness I have full connectivity with excellent Wifi. Even though its appearance might have that “number 8 wire” look, it actually works very effectively.

Internet connection with battery charged by solar panel for power outages

While Madagascar is very poor the one thing the government has done right is to invest in good mobile technology. It’s a reminder of how connected the world is these days. Despite the poverty most young people have mobile phones. Solar panels are also cheap here and you can buy them in the markets for around NZ$5-10. Outside many thatched houses you will see them being used to charge phones.

The simplicity of the daily schedule is a reminder of how uncomplicated life can be. As in many developing countries the absence of wealth is replaced by a lifestyle that is enviable. Everyone has just enough to live off and life goes at an unhurried pace. Readjusting to life in NZ in a month’s time will certainly come with its challenges!