Henintsoa Ranto and two young Malagasy, participated in the volunteer program of WWF Madagascar and the Indian Ocean. An experiment of discoveries, encounters and sharing, physical challenges and challenges, mutual support and understanding of others, surprises and wonder. It is a human experience, those that change a life ...
" Madagascar is an entirely different that I did not know who opened up to me, through volunteering. "From the outset, Ranto, volunteer, suggests that the experience of volunteering was for him. "Although I am Madagascar and I live in this country, I realized that there, Madagascar, other ways of living, feeling, understanding things that are very different from mine " . Ranto spent three months Vondrozo in south-eastern Madagascar. It is part of volunteers hosted by WWF in Madagascar in 2010. These young people, originating from Mexico, the United States, Canada, France, Portugal, Madagascar and many other countries, spend three months on the ground alongside the villagers, sharing their daily lives.
Living with the villagers
Among the tasks assigned to volunteers from WWF, he comes to train villagers on new practices are environmentally sensitive. Ranto has participated in the training of farmers to build a home green and clean coal production. " With this type of house and what type of coal, farmers use less wood for construction and less of firewood as well. In my opinion, these practices are a key point for the conservation of the environment because they reduce substantially the pressure of communities on forest resources. "
The training of volunteers allows the villagers to take the actual measurement of these new methods. It is through these activities that Ranto volunteers and friends understand the importance of their role because if behavior changes are not immediate, the presence of volunteers is challenging for the communities that host them. "The grassroots appreciated that the volunteers are interested in them. This supported the importance of the issue of environmental conservation and gives villagers a sense of being more important in the roles they play " Joel says Raveloson, project manager for WWF Ivohibe (2010), where other volunteers have settled.
Challenges, openness and understanding
For the volunteers of the environment, sent to remote and inaccessible, it is a commitment that is also extremely physical. Henintsoa Ravoala young Malagasy living in France and voluntary Ivohibe WWF, said: "For me who am not accustomed to long hikes, it was a real physical challenge because we had to travel from village to village. He also had that I adapt to local food, climate, living conditions of people. "
Their volunteer experience has led these young people understand the issues and the issue of environmental conservation. Important issues, especially for Madagascar where conservation projects must consider the cultural implications, social and economic activities. "I understand today that it is particularly difficult to reconcile economic demands, the daily survival and ecological interests and environmental " said Henintsoa. "These contradictions make changes are very gradual and that we must keep in mind the long term. "
It was also, for this young Malagasy expatriate opportunity to gather some pieces of the puzzle of his identity Madagascar" This whole experience gave me the elements of understanding of Malagasy culture and my own country. The opening is also "Transnational . Volunteers learn about other cultures through their teammates: American, Portuguese, French, Swiss, Australian, Mexican ... For three months, they were able to reconstruct the world as it could have been in another life, " We learn to be and live as a team, or because through our differences " summarizes Ranto. He could not find a better conclusion.
Through their voluntary Henintsoa Ranto and designed a brochure and a circuit ecotourism in the corridor that connects Fandriana and Vondrozo. In designing the route, they crossed the forest corridor, visiting a dozen communities along their ride " With the help of villagers, one could identify valuable sites, the location Areas of future settlements and identified various local events that could make discoveries of cultural tourists "explains Henintsoa. 120km long, they proposed the circuit combines the cultural environment, and is a basic circuit for novice hikers or means to a circuit of six days, for big fans. " is a project that will benefit the villagers. They will find opportunities to improve their living conditions through a profitable and environmentally friendly tourism. "
WWF - Explore program for young "explorers "
In 2005, WWF launched the Explore Program that allows young people worldwide to volunteer in a WWF project in a developing country such as Madagascar, India, Bhutan , Paraguay and the South Pacific. It's a way for participants to learn and live their own realities of conservation in a developing country. It also wants to form an impregnation which is the environmentalists and ecologists and allowing them to make the inextricable links between nature, people, their cultures and daily life. WWF Madagascar Western Indian Ocean and host since 2006 of young "explorers " volunteers, aged 20-27 years, from around the world. Madagascar receives four groups of six volunteers each year. Their missions
• They support the improvement of living conditions of local communities that host them and sharing technical knowledge on important topics such as management of local natural resources,
• They bring new initiatives beneficial and adaptable to local activities in the field.
• They produce at least two films to serve as an educational tool in Malagasy and French versions in the project home.
• They provide assistance in other activities identified with the project team home.
Visit the blog of volunteers: http://wwfexploremadagascar.blogspot.com
EVIDENCE
Confessions of a voluntary
While most young Malagasy in France would not even consider back here in Madagascar beyond the usual holiday " country, let alone settle there, I wanted to make a volunteering here (...). I already knew some of this hospitality, the kindness, the generosity of the Malagasy population, the wealth of cultural and environmental heritage. But also and especially my country, I am born, I think some Malagasy whatever ... This is not the talking is Malagasy Malagasy identity (although it helps a lot to the communication), much less the act of eating rice three times a day, but the feeling of belonging. And when these same people will understand the issues there for a young Franco-Malagasy to speak Malagasy and the pressure this may create in him (...), so maybe they will show some more understanding towards these children of immigrants. (...). For me, being French and Malagasy means having the chance to have two rich cultures and knowledge combine the best of both and not be lost without reference because not really and not really French Malgache.
So I understand these young Malagasy in France which are underestimated by their own countrymen here at home, just because they do not speak the Malagasy language. I understand they do not recognize themselves in a certain state of mind own those " by " and that "here " does not appeal to more than that, or that this lack of interest by the Malagasy to know the real conditions of life there can irritate the . (...) But I also think that some here were born elsewhere had forgotten where their parents, they have the easy criticism against those who stayed here and absolutely does not live under the same conditions (...). Yes, those same immigrants and children of immigrants have also a vision that may be simplistic and full of prejudice.
So cultivate openness of mind. And for that, and there is nothing better than traveling, cultural exchange and volunteering for a cause and for others. You will get much more personally than you expected. So come to volunteer (...) in Madagascar or elsewhere, whether or Vazaha Madagascar, Malagasy or Malagasy of Mada France.
SOCIAL LIFE
When volunteering supports kinds
Traditionally, the woman does not take the priority and the decision in Malagasy society. If volunteer activities did not immediately shoved this classic pattern, they do have even raised awareness among women. Henintsoa, voluntary Vondrozo explains: " Volunteers offered to women training on healthy eating and balanced for their families. We have shared good practices to improve their income: growing vegetables, formation of associations or groups, supply of seed. They were motivated and aware of their possibility. "Some training provided by volunteers, such as construction of green homes, did not fail to interest the mothers' There they are well invested, because they knew they would be the primary users of these homes . "By diversifying the beneficiaries of their training, volunteers give more opportunities for communities to sustain their gains. But lucid, Henintsoa understood that the targets are the safest and the young child:
" I suggest that we think of a way to train children as early as possible. Here they are very numerous and curious. They learn quickly and things can become habits and reflexes growing up. "
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