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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.
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.
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.
