Misadventure in Analakely

Oh my goodness! I have been assaulted by a pickpocket this evening. It was 6.30 p.m. It started to be dark yet the streets were crowded. In Analakely, I stopped by a streetseller to buy some mangoes. While bargaining, someone touched my shoulder, for a second I thought it was someone I know… but suddenly, this person pulled my ears violently. When I turned back, I saw a guy running and disappearing behind a shop. Then I understood that he wanted to rob my golden earings. Thank God, he could not get the earings. That happened so quick and it was so amazing that noone had noticed this act. (Actually, I did not yell)

I had to meet my husband at the bus station, though the way was dark and quiet so I was afraid to go there alone in case the guy was still following me. I then called my husband from a taxi phone to pick me up. People there could hear me telling my misadventure. Then, they said that it was not safe to be around this place in evenings, they have witnessed some other cases of assaults these last days. And I said, how come??? My earings were not even big!!! But the lady said that gold are expensive now and since there are these buyers in Analakely, those pickpockets become more and more dangerous.

Tahina and I wanted to take a pic of those “buyers of gold” all along the sidewalks near Lycée JJ Rabearivelo but we believed that it was not safe so we gave up. If you go by this place you will see cars parking there with the right side doors opened. As you will pass by, you will not miss them asking  wether you have gold to sell with you. I am wondering if the authority may someday react to such situation because this really increase the insecurity in Analakely and surroundings.

By the way, I am thinking of selling my earings to them now to avoid wearing them and being attacked again because next time I may not be luckier. [joke ]

Repairer of pots

Rakotonanahary is the name of the guy on the pic above. His job is to repair pots, buckets, or any items made with steel or aluminium. And during rainy seasons, he also repairs umbrellas.

He is married and have two children who are both at school. He lives in Alarobia – 3 or 4 kilometers from where I met him. And every day for more than 10 years now, he is leaving home early in the morning,  with his tools, moving from neighborhood to neighborhood – doing sometimes more than 10 kilometers a day – trying to find pots to repair.

On the video below, he is repairing a cup with a hole for 200 Ariary. “If I am lucky, I find 10 customers a day or even more”, Rakotonanahary said “but sometimes, only 4″.

He has learnt this job from his elder brother and they both fixed the tools he is using now by themselves. “Uh…. [smile]… I never thought of doing something else… I’ll keep this job”. This is how he answered when I wanted to know if he liked his job.

Afrobasket women 2009: Malagasy supporters

I am not good at Basket Ball and I’m not sure I know much about the game, the rules, the techniques and stuff. My friend Tahina who’s found of this game has already talked about this championship and some good Malagasy performers. Though I was there.

I was there watching the Malagasy performers… yelling to death when they scored… missing some mistakes but I was there like these other Malagasy people queuing at the gate for supporting our team.

Malagasy people are not really used to go out on workdays. And it was quite amazing to see the crowd lining up at the entrance gate of Palais des Sports Mahamasina to watch the game at 6.00 on a Tuesday evening.

What Diana and I could hear touched our heart. In fact, we were going to follow the match between Senegal and Madagascar. Everyone already knew the performance of this Vice-champion of Africa team. -  and  the winner for this Afrobasket Women 2009.  Everyone already  anticipated our failure. Though the stadium was amazingly full that evening and this dynamic public was there to encourage the Malagasy team, an attitude I feel proud of.

Climate change… Whose fight is this???

One day, Tahina and I proposed “Climate change” as a discussion topic for our club. We were so astonished (or shouldn’t we???) that all the members felt reluctant so we could guess that they were not interested in it. I believe that a lot of people around the world behave like these members  when it is to talk about “Climate change”.

I have registered to this Blog Action Day (BAD) because first of all, I feel concerned about it, and also it is so great to see the numerous blogs which are taking part in posting articles about “Climate change” – BAD’s topic of this year. This makes me feel NOT ALONE

Since this morning, I have deeply thought about what I will post this evening. And on my way home, I saw this big truck which smokes. I took out my camera and came nearer the driver and asked if I could take a pic. The big guy hesitated as I explained that it was for my blog. He could guess that I will talk about environment so he said “Make  sure you don’t put me and the number of the truck in.” So I took the pic and showed it to him. Then I asked a “silly” question: Why he didn’t want to appear in the pic. He laughed and said: “I know that this smoke is bad but this truck is my money resources so I have to do with it… Anyway, I’m not the only one [shy smile]“

I lived that guy cuz I started to cough with the smoke. I went home and I have noticed that my neighbour is using charcoal. And bingo! here is our topic. Most of Malagasy homes  (I am tempted to say 90%) use charcoal. Why? Because this is cheaper and you can buy it at any time in small quantity. Though if you use gas you have to pay it once. Don’t even think of electricity!!! But where does the charcoal come from??? Peasants in countrysides cut trees of forests to make the charcoal. Though none of them thought about re-planting trees. They prefer to move on to the nearby forests and so on. We, who are aware of the environment, know what goes with this act: no rain, endemic fauna and flora disapear, heat, erosion…

I think that the main problem here in Madagascar is that people are so busy to search for what they are going to eat today. We then become selfish and just think of ourselves.  We forget our neighbours and our future generation.

One day, I really wanted to watch a documentary movie about “Why have we waited until it is too late to save our planet?”; yet, many believe that they still have time to think about the problems of climate change tomorrow or even later. People are not aware at all. Though, here in Madagascar, we should now be in hot and rainy season. I remember, when I was a kid, in october like this it rained almost every day… but this october 2009, till today, we only had 5 or 6 rainy days. Some may feel happy cuz they won’t need to buy and bring umbrella; peasants are not cuz of their farming.

I hope that the Bloggers’Action of today will wake up millions… billions of people… governments… poor countries… rich countries… and then, we will altogether rescue the Earth. What I can and already do now is planting my own trees

DagoTiako celebrates its first anniversary

September 21, 2008, DagoTiako was born. One week before, Joan from FOKO had contacted us, guys from ICE Club. She talked about FOKO project which is to promote citizen media in Madagascar by sensitizing people to create blogs. As you can read on my introduction in “About” page, I’ve always dreamt of becoming a journalist and a photograph. I immediately fell in love with this FOKO project.

September 21,2008, DagoMC, Moonlightgirl, Fara, Moma, Tahina, Andry and I were then invited to join the workshop led by David Sasaki and Joan who showed us the way to create a blog. And today, I am thankful to  Joan, David Sasaki, Lova, Tahina, Andry, and all FOKO.

September 21, 2009. What have I realized???

• 103 posts
• 439 comments
• 16,574 hits
• 98 fans on Facebook
• 433 tweets and 141 followers on Twitter

The craziest moment was during the crisis on January – February – March 2009. Listening to the radio on my phone to check the news. Going to the rallies, taking pics and recording the speeches of leaders of each team (TGV in the Place du 13  Mai and TIM in Mahamasina and Ambohijatovo). It was so exciting to be among the professional journalits and see what they do and try to copy on them. It was so great to be able to take pics of wellknown politicians. It was so wonderful to talk about the events and to have the “world” following your posts. It was just mad to spend 3 hours a day… late… I mean VERY LATE in a cybercafé just because I felt the need of sharing. But the greatest feeling is that thanks to my blog, I do EXIST now in this world. I just googled my nickname “ariniaina” and… wow… I can’t find the word to express my feeling… kind of proud… but that’s not humble at all … Like few weeks ago I discovered an article which talks about me and blogging… I have to admit that I felt so happy…

I’ve been interviewed by a journalist from Wall Street journal about twitter and the crisis of Madagascar. I remember, the day of the massacre in Ambohitsirohitra. My husband (well… my fiancé at that time ) and I decided to co-work. He went on the “battlefield” and let his phone on so I could hear all the speeches and plans and then tweeted them. It was a great team work… Well, but now that I’m thinking of it, it was just so crazy and risky.

One more crazy thing, I’ve burnt my skin by sitting under the sunshine just to wait for Andry Rajoelina’s speech. I tell you, a whole week it hurted.

One thing that I call success and I’m so proud of is my friend Lay Andriamialy who has become addicted to this blogging because of me. In fact, everyday, I had nothing to do but talking about blog, blog, my blog, twitter… and on February we wanted to teach someone we love to blog so I’ve chosen this friend. The funny thing is that, now it’s his turn to talk about blog, blog, blog, his blog… lol

DagoTiako has now one year old… too young to die… so I’ll keep on

Cockfights

One Sunday, my family and I wanted to have a little picnic outside Tana. We were not sure of where to go but finally decided to take the National Road #3 wich goes to the North part of Antananarivo and leads to Anjozorobe. We stopped by Talatamaty to buy some “koba” which are really famous  and delicious . Well, people also stop by for buying sausages but we were not in for them on that day.

A few kilometers from there, we were attracted by a crowd so decided to park the car and join this crowd. Wow, in fact they were watching cockfights.

My sister and I were so happy ‘cuz this made us remember our childhood. My father used to love cockfights. He had two or three roosters that he feeded and trained everyday. It was a real passion. My sister and I used to come with our father every sunday afternoon for “his” cockfights.

I was so impressed. The cockfights still took place on sunday afternoon and wow, even the rules did not change apart from the amount of the placing .

The first rules are for the cockfighters owners. The organizers choose by toss whose rooster will start the fight and its opponent. After the fight, the winner will get a prize (money).

How to define the winner? The two cocks are put in the middle, the  public stand around in a circle. The cocks start to fight. The one that will run away and give up the fight will loose the game.

Meanwhile, the public do not just watch the fight. They also gamble. They decide between them the amount of the placing and then support the rooster that they believe will win.

Ahhhhhhh, sweet memories! I think, I will come back and watch these cockfights again some sunday afternoon just like when I was a kid.

Homeless people sleeping in the streets

One night, my friends and I were hanging out and had a lot of fun. At around 4.00 a.m., we decided that it was high time to go home. On our way home, we still felt so happy cuz of the great evening we had together. We laughed, we listened to great music… Suddenly, this happiness turned bitter cuz I noticed poor people sleeping on the sidewalks near tunnels. I felt so sad though powerless in front of such picture. I have to tell you that we are now in winter in Madagascar and on that morning we all felt so cold.

I asked my friend to stop the car so I could take one or two photos of these poor people. I wanted to share this poverty to people who do not feel comfortable enough with what they have. What you see in these pics are not dead people, they are poor homeless people who have to take a rest facing this so hard life. For their bed, they gather all plastic bags, newspapers or old clothes that you and I throw in the streets or in trash bins.

A little brick house in Countryside Vs. a little wooden house in the Capital City

The situation above makes me remember a story I read in a book. This story talked about a little family who had a little brick house and a peace of land in countryside of Antananarivo. The little house had only one room where were the bedrooms and the kitchen at the same time. They had one cow and a few chickens. They had a little rice field and planted a few vegetables. The crops and the milk were their resources.

One day, the father decided to sell the cow and the chickens because he wanted to bring his family downtown and see the so called Capital City. This father believed that life would be beautiful once they would arrive in the big city.

Few days later, the family arrived in town. They came and see an uncle who already lived in Antananarivo. The father and the little family were astonished once they saw where this uncle lived: in a little house made with wood and plastics. Well, the father who was really courageous and motivated, invited his little family to fix a little wooden house near the uncle’s and said that this would be the beginning of a new life and a brighter future.

The father helped the uncle driving rickshaws; the mother became a laundress and the kids picked up all bottles and plastic bags in trash bins for resell. Most of the time, it was hard to find money to survive because jobs were so rare but the father convinced the family to stay because this would be only a start for a great life in a very near future. Years after, their financial situation and life conditions worsened and the children missed their little room of the countryside but the father did not want to leave “his” Capital City.

I attended a great concert of Vilon’Androy

Since the beginning of this month,  I saw from a brochure of Alliance Française d’Antananarivo (AFT) that they would schedule a free concert of Vilon’Androy on July 17th. I already wanted to attend this show.

Friday evening, I invited my friends to come with me to the Vilon’Androy concert. Dago Mc was not convinced to enjoy this plan at the beginning but finally we all loved the whole show. Tahina,  DagoMC and I even took part in dancing the Southern part of Madagascar rythms. I loved it so much.  Andry didn’t dance, I guess that was because he didn’t know the moves but he took some pics. I have taken a few pics and set a video for you to be convinced as well that the Vilon’Androy is a great musical band.

The concert shared not only a Malagasy musical show but also culture of the South of Madagascar: hairstyle, dress, jewelleries, musical instruments… And one more time, I loved it.

When we started to get the moves, the lead-singer announced that it was time to end the show so we all shouted “NOOOOOOO” and so the band kept on performing again and again. Finally, as it started to be late at night, the concert came to its end. The Vilon’Androy has just released a new album “Pelake”and brought some CDs. Fans were so happy to buy some. My friends and I took the opportunity to get on the stage and take some pics with the band. That would remain a wondeful souvenir.

Will Tiko products be back?

Since Andry Rajoelina and the HAT have taken the power, they brought into court the case of “TIKO Group”, the companies of the ousted president Marc Ravalomanana. In fact, this group did not pay their due taxes during the presidency of Ravalomanana. The tribunal has given their verdict; the group has to pay the amount of Ariary 25 billions to the Malagasy state. Since then, all the companies of this group closed.

When we heard from Andry Rajoelina that he would never sell oil to “his” people (Malagasy people), Friday morning, I was a little astonished when I heard the statement of one of his ministers during the morning news on radio. The Minister of Finance and Budget, Benja Razafimahaleo, admited that the Group TIKO played a big role in the economy of the Island. Due to its closure, many people are jobless: not only workers from the companies, but also all the providers of raw materials (milk, … ), transporters… Convinced by the role of the company TIKO, the government of the HAT is offering the following solution. TIKO will get back to work with all their employees, with the same techniques, the same products, but the debt due to the state will be inferred from the result of the company. Then, everyone will profit from this coming back of TIKO.

The minister said that they did not know yet if TIKO would agree with this proposal. Until then, some big new groups took benefit from the crisis by importing the “missing” basic foods – mainly oil and butter. The home-made yoghurts are invading the groceries. And it is amazing to see all those butter sellers in the streets without refrigerator or good condition for preserving food.

Barcamp Madagascar 2.0

The second edition of Barcamp Madagascar  was held on saturday, July 4th, 2009 at Ivotel Ambohidahy. Bloggers, journalists, citizens wanting to know more about new media attended the workshop.

Lova Rakotomalala

This year Foko has choosen the topic “Crowd sourcing info in Madagascar” presented by Lova Rakotomalala. The new media which is a digital communication tool for spreading information using blog, twitter, youtube, flickr… The new media which is more and more appreciated due to its quick and instant flow is also growing in Madagascar. The need of new media has been highlighted during the crisis of Madagascar.  Some boggers then took the floor to share their experiences. We could hear Andry (Foko Antananarivo), Jentilisa, Avylavitra, Stefane (Foko Antananarivo), Jaona (Foko Fianarantsoa), Patrick (Foko Toamasina), Gaetan (Foko Antsirabe). The main purpose was about the Madagascar crisis. It seems like all of these  bloggers exactly knew that they were running into troubles and big risks trying to take pics and eye-witness riots but could not restrain themselves from blogging.

We also had the priviliege to hear about different social networks: twitter, facebook, friendfeed… the web 2.0 by Thierry Andriamirado. By the way, it was the first time for me to meet @tandriamirado and I was really pleased. A blog is not enough if none knows about its existence, we do need social networks to get the interest of the followers, to share and to spread information.

The former Minister of communication, Tsilavina Ralaindimby attended the Barcamp 2.0. He acknowledged that Malagasy bloggers have done a great job throughout the crisis.

After a short break, the workshop kept on with Chris and Afick from the region of SAVA. They talked about a current project of establishing social radios in  remoted areas in Madagascar.  Working with Radio Active and BBC, Radio Ciel of Antalaha is now efficient.

Claire Ulrich

Claire, from Global Voice in French, talked about different cases of censorship all over the world. She said that nowadays, governments are aware of the power of internet and new media. This is the reason why they have created new systems to block disclosure of some information that may harm them. We recently heard about the case of Iran elections and the arrest of bloggers. Other cases of censorship are disappearance of the site or the bog, or some articles of the blog, or censored names which will be changed into unknown letters. How to avoid censorship? Claire advised each blogger to make sure to know the laws and regulations of their country in order not to give reason to the government to arrest them. Herdict.org has been created for each one of us about websites or blogs that do not run properly.

I attended the first edition of Barcamp Madagascar but blogging and stuff were too new for me to get really involved. This year was exceptionnally different because I sincerely felt concerned. Tahina and I should have even participated by presenting Foko-Ushahidi but I do not really know why at the last moment another guy has been invited by Stefane to talk about it. Anyway, it was cool.

Ushahidi which means “Testimony”is a social network which Foko has decided to work with inviting all citizens of Madagascar to report and to share any event, case, abuses… they  have eye-witnessed by logging on http://foko-ushahidi.com or sending sms to (+261) 33 40 691 11.

Patrick and I

I was so glad to meet, for the first time, Patrick from BUEC Toamasina. Nice to meet you dear

A big hand to all of us guys

More pics on My Flickr