The deep & dry south of Madagascar

Text: Rojo Rapanoelina

These photos were taken in the middle of National Road 13 after torrential, if not happy, rain.

Here, vehicles are implored not to drive into puddles to keep them "clean" and to prevent water from being lost through splashing.

This RN13 had the honor of laying several foundation stones for his rehabilitation, but what do we have from it today, or what has become of it since?

Almost 4 hours of travel time to cover 100 kilometers... and yet billions in donations are deposited here every year for projects... it's disgusting!

Speeches and promises to embalm hearts and finally reassure our countrymen that begging is the only way to ensure their survival.

The city of Ambovombe, the emergency center of Madagascar, is today a city of a thousand beggars!

They are taught that when answering surveys, you have to ask for rice for today and if possible for tomorrow, ask for more.

All these years we have always known how to keep them alive!

But who are we to condemn an entire population to depend on our help?

We wait for emergencies, and we dare to act only when our interests and potential votes are at risk.

The South is not a graveyard for projects, no, on the contrary!

It is this region of Madagascar that suffers from poor governance and corruption in the upper echelons of society!

The South is a land full of potential that we deliberately ignore to protect our own interests, our soft seats, and the comfort of city dwellers.

We have come here to share images of beggar children and adults desperately trying to make more and more millions, billions of euros and dollars every year.

The RN13 is about 490 km long (a little less than Antananarivo-Mahajanga), but we cross from Ihosy to Taolagnaro in 2 days by jeep... or even more if it rains... while here we want rain and road.

Would it be too much to ask?

Would it be the future of children spoiled by humanitarian aid?

There are nearly 50,000 km2 of watersheds in the south.

They are also rivers that flow into the ocean every year, but is there really no way to let the population benefit?

This population that is willing to invest every year to replenish itself at the slightest promising sign for the season, despite the failures of previous seasons?

The South is a diverse culture!

A population that has always vibrated to the rhythm of a rich and impressive culture, a Culture that has managed to preserve previous generations. The very culture that is being lost today in the name of globalization...

This globalization, which has introduced varieties of plants and diseases that have invaded resistant and protective native...

No solution for the south?

It is rarely shown that there is excess rainfall here as well, but that there is not enough infrastructure to retain all this water and distribute it properly in time and space.

We forget to show that the South has a different microclimate from one municipality to another, which makes it an area rich in biodiversity....

Above all, we forget that the population here is no different from the other populations of Madagascar.

They are as Malagasy as we are, as are those who come here to bring their help and do "good deeds" in times of crisis. They are Malagasy people who deserve to be taught something other than problems and solutions without a future.

They are our compatriots, and they deserve to benefit (in return) from their wealth!

And in the end, 20 liters of this water will cost an average of 500 Ariary (11 cents)....