...Veloma Mada!

For the ones of you who don’t know, I already left Madagascar the 12th of February because of the approaching coup d’etat. After heavy riots and shootings the weekend of the 10th, the WFP HQ in Rome decided that I had to go. I didn’t want to, partly because of the interesting project I was working on, partly because of the great time I was having, but most of all because I didn’t want to leave alone my friends and colleagues in Mada. Unfortunately though, without being able to properly say goodbye to them and to Madagascar- the country that accommodated me for 5 months- I had to pack my bags and not much later I set foot on Dutch territory again.

In the last month the coup d’etat has become reality. 34-year old ex-DJ Andry Rajoelina succeeded in breaking down Ravalomanana’s popularity amongst the Malagassi people, let “his” soldiers take the presidential palace and claims to be the new President of the big island in the Indian Ocean since.

The EU condemned the power grab, the US halted all non-humanitarian aid and the African Union renounced the transition of power as being “unconstitutional” and suspended Madagascar’s membership.

In the meanwhile life in Tana goes on. Supporters of the old President organize demonstrations to get him back in power. It seems that peace has not been restored yet. And the people in Madagascar who already suffered the most, now suffer even more. Food prices have gone up, instability drives foreign companies and investors out of the country and people loose – once again- their faith in living in a stable country that – maybe one day- will become a little bit easier to live in. Every president promises to develop the country and take better care of its people and every president lets them down. Dreams are being shattered once again.

I can describe my time in Madagascar as one of extremes: I’ve seen children almost dying from hunger, people digging wholes in dry riverbeds looking for a drop of drinking water, parents being ashamed of the fact that they were not able to offer their families at least one decent meal a day.
But I’ve also seen baobabs, wandered around streets smelling of vanilla, ate fresh shrimps at the most paradisiacal beaches in the world and stood eye-to-eye with the weirdest animals I’ve ever seen.
It made me realize how lucky I am to have been given so many chances in life. And that I should take advantage of it. I don’t know yet which steps I will take next. First finishing my thesis and then… A career at WFP? Working for TNT? (Props to the TNT GEP-team for taking care of all of us so well!!!) ;-)
Unlike so many other people, I have the possibility to make choices, get the best out of my talents and follow my dreams. I have opportunities. Something I now realize more than ever…

Veloma Mada! I had a great time! On se verra!