Aid makes a difference

Sahateza is a village of new settlers from the jungle of the Marolambo region, located just half an hour’s flight southeast of the capital, Antananarivo. An elderly couple have given these settlers access to their extensive land. In return, the villagers are honoring them by building them a house. 

This year the RMM (Real Mission Movement) gave the village of Sahateza the following challenge: every unit/family should plant 80 banana trees and as many manioc plants as possible (manioc has green leaves that are popular as a side dish to rice). 

When we left, we were able to see the work for ourselves and indeed found the surrounding hillsides green and full of young banana trees and manioc plants. In addition, one ambitious resident had planted 800 cups of rice. With the expected harvest, this would be able to meet Sahateza’s needs for a whole year. With all of the other villagers also growing their own rice, there is likely to be plenty of surplus, which can be exported to larger villages and towns. In this way, RMM is encouraging them to think not only for themselves or “the next day”, but to plan for the long term and, above all, to work profitably in order to build prosperity.

On our way to the fifth and final village, Ambodihazomamy, we picked up Michel in his village of Niarovana to discuss strategic points for agriculture. Michel was a mayor of his district of twelve villages a few years ago. He is now standing for election again. RMM encourages and supports capable people to take up political leadership positions in order to influence the sustainable and their natural resources. At the same time, traditional practices that are destructive or stem from ancestor worship are being abolished. These include animal sacrifice to promote better harvests and the senseless burning of rainforest to appease the ancestors.  

Our first village Sahateza is a good example: the current mayor wanted to force the village to rebuild the sacrificial altar that had been removed. However, the village asked him not to do this because they confess Jesus Christ and turned away from these harmful practices. The mayor only backed down because of the good reputation of the Sahateza village for their successful farming, hard work and good behavior. What a wonderful testimony of holistic change! Dear readers, thank you so much for every donation which makes such changes possible in Madagascar.

Ernst, pilot