RAZAFINDRASOA Louise Marguerite, known as (Margot)_Case study_Economic Justice_Summit 2019

RAZAFINDRASOA Louise Marguerite, known as (Margot)

 « THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CALLED « FANAKA MALEMY » (MALAGASY WOMEN STEREOTYPE: WOMEN ARE COMPARED AS A WEAK FURNITURE) WITHIN THE FAMILY AND SOCIETY.”

 Our organization is named Hope for the future. It takes care of children, young and women on health, educational, economic levels; develops them mentally and spiritually and above all, protects them from violence. It educates them on GENDER views as well.

What distinguish it from other projects is that its work is mainly based on biblical verse (worth to mention that the organisation is not belonging to any faith or church organisation). It teaches english and norwegia, puts sport and leisure as main areas of work, helds a weekly home visit. Well to notice that we are talking about our KELIKELY: the branch of the hope for the future organisation.

Our goals are :

• Improvement and development of women’s life,
• Establishment of women’s rights and application of the right GENDER concept
• Fight against violence
• Helping mothers to have income by the management and entrepreneurship training
• Reviving talents, giving importance to all realized works and prompting women having their own VISION.
• Developing more women by increasing their sense of self-confidence and courage
• Weaving solidarity within society
• Bringing hapiness and leisures to prevent from difficulties and reproductive’s thought

We have convinced the local population through approach and discussion with them. This is highlighted by the participation in their daily lives and their needs’ identification and got information about their lives in general and gave them advices and temporary solutions.

Moreover, we have tied a link with these people, especially in the fact that we have entered, helped them in their works and prepared an enough meals for all of us. Example: we have visited the stone worker and the laundrymen. In that case, we have divided into two groups: the one went to the river and the other to the stone-pit. We have helped them and had lunch together afterwards.

On one hand, the ability to sensitize remains the very best strategy. Then, forging links with different partners was important as well. On the other hand, paying for an expert in a given field was entirely worthy in order to get good product.

Until now, we do not have neither a specific lasting partner nor a prominent funder but the organization leads fundraising activities on itself. As we said above, we are working with local hotel which buys the products and handcrafts we produce. There are also those who visit and give offering to support the organization. Then, those who feel concerned by the activities support us sometimes. Apart from all of these, all members pay an affording membership fee to make the work well functionning.

The difference between points of view and the difficulties on one another conviction in front of the problem remain a great challenge. Most of the sensitized people were afraid because they thought that the organization will just use them as tools for earning money. Some of them found the fact of letting down their daily works as an issue. Therefore, even the 3 hours weekly training represent a problem for themselves.

Some others are very impatient that they used to earn little money to buy their daily needs such as salt and petrolum. Hence they do not pay much intention for anything that would not bring them amount right away. We do not blame them because that is life, most of them are also illiterate.

There are also those women who were threaten by their husbands owing to jealousy. In that case, we have run to another method to convice these women in question. Then, we have concetrated a lot on the behalf of their children who these last are easier either to communicate with or to achieve a success. This methodology has worked, the moment the mother saw their children’s progress, they tempt to enter in the organisation as well, so we relaunched the call concerning women’s support and many are those who answered it.

 We perceive great result as far as violence is concerned. Physical violence happening to women within household has decreased. All members who were quarelling for a long years are now in good term and the society lived with the concept of gender, especially the people who have followed the training on it. On the employment level, the quality has improved and the surronding people begin to make their order.

The handcraft’s training is passing on a higher level. Training in room decoration, cut and seam, training on ginger’s culture, cooking’s training: these are the planned program for the next six months. These aim at giving women a job and have their own choice on a basic work.

There is also the training on child instruction method, this aims for increasing love within household. We will reinforce gender awareness through professional training, so that it can be reflected on each member, each household and the society as a whole.

 According to the program we have planned, we always need an expert person leading the training for members in order to stop rumour, anxiety and doubt in the realization of the work. It is better if the organisation has a vision that resolves problem in a sustainable way. Establishing a plan and discussion on how to accelerate the house building (used for the realization of the work) and to fulfill the members’ needs to keep them staying in the organisation.

Besides, the organisation needs lots of materials like sewing machine, cooking materials. One of the problems to be solved is the lack of raw materials needed in the production of the handcrafts. One reason that stucks and limits the work is the lack of the materials and the financial resources.