Linked with Consortium de Solidarité avc Madagascar CdSM.
She is one of the 1000 women proposed for the Nobel Peace Price 2005.
She says: “The people possess the cultural wealth and know-how and have unexploited potential and they must be supported so that they can take control of the country’s development”.
She says also: « The peoples possess the cultural wealth, know-how and unexploited potential that must be supported so that they can take into their own hands the development of their territory”.
Lalao Flaurence Randriamampionona – Madagascar
She works for
* the Coalition of Women Associations DRV (not any reference found by Google in english, allowing being sure of the text).
* also for the NGO Fiantso (Fikambanana Andrin’ny Tambazotra sy ny Olom-pirenena = Support to Citizen Networking), mentionned:
- – on ‘Astrid in Madagascar’;
- – on icco.eu;
- – in the annual report MISONGA;
- – on euforic;
- – or on diam penina.
* and for the NGO Taratra, mentioned:
- – on madatsara.com;
- – on ropepump.com;
- – on auzoma.com.
(I have strongly re-structered this peacewomen-text): For the last ten years, Lalao Flaurence Randriamampionona (64), an anthropologist and sociologist, has been actively involved in diverse development activities involving women, children and the most impoverished in Madagascar. She lives in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The last born of five children, she was born to two teachers. She is married to an engineer, has one child and one grandchild.
Lalao delegates some of her duties to her team members in the organizations she leads or is a member of. She advocates teamwork and participatory approaches from members of her team and the local population, who are the prime beneficiaries of the development projects she has initiated. She considers them a source of untapped knowledge.
Her academic credentials are impressive: a Doctorate in Philosophy, with specialization in History; a Diploma in sociology, cultural ethnology and a BA, ès Lettres. She is a member of the National Academy of Arts, Lettres and Sciences. For the last ten years, she has been involved in activities in four major areas: the empowerment of women in all aspects, cultural heritage, access to resources and governance.
Her target groups are women, children and the most impoverished members of society. The NGOs she works with, TARATRA and FIANTSO-ARC, look into the development and implementation of fair economic systems, access to resources and protection of the environment and ecology.
The most destitute rural populations whose food supplies are threatened are prime objects of assistance. TARATRA, which she has chaired since its inception in 1994, intervenes in rural areas with integrated development. These areas are the most devastated areas of the country, notably in the south where the majority are poor. The NGO works to improve hygiene, sanitation, and access to safe drinking water; protect the environment; and support local development initiatives.
The results and the impact of the work done by TARATRA in improving the conditions of the rural communities and villages have been remarkable. Hundreds of villages were provided with water and bore holes. Water committees were set up in the villages, and latrines were built in collaboration with families. Centers were also built to provide training in plant nurseries.
The World Bank, Water Aid and other organizations also sensitized the rural communities on hygiene.
Since 1994, she has been the Chair of DRV, a Committee for Coordination and Coalition of Associations and Women NGOs in Madagascar. DRV deals with the protection of vulnerable people, particularly women. It has branches in six provinces. The NGOs under DRV reflect the aspirations of the majority of the people of Madagascar. DRV is a network of more than 650 associations, which aim at realizing three strategic objectives: gender equality in access to resources, decision-making, and the empowerment of Civil Society.
In 1996 Lalao headed a team of national independent consultants charged with writing the
first national strategic plan on poverty eradication. The government adopted the plan in its national development policy.
Mrs. Randriamampionona subsequently acted as a technical adviser for successive ministers. In 2001, she represented Madagascar at the African Forum on Poverty Reduction Strategies organized by the World Bank, the IMF, and UNDP and was elected the representative speaker of several delegations and private sector representatives from 34 African countries.
From 1995 to 1999, she was among a few specialists who provided training on gender to executives and members of different organizations in Madagascar. She facilitated various workshops, working partnership with different fund-raising organizations. Her activities also include promoting good governance, transparency, dialogue and understanding between the different development partners and reinforcing the civil society at sub-regional, national and global level.
She similarly defends and promotes traditional Malagasy culture and the musical heritage of the different ethnic groups. Not only does she advocate teamwork and participatory approaches from members of her team; she also encourages the local people, who are prime beneficiaries of the development projects and a source of untapped knowledge. A dedicated team works with her to carry out all the activities.
Lalao considers the people involved in the different areas she works in as the principal development actors. She is very close to the local population in the different regions where she spends most of her time. She speaks their dialects, has knowledge about their living conditions, problems and aspirations. As a professional anthropologist, she understands the physical, anthropological, historical and socio-economic characteristics of most regions in Madagascar.
All the organizations Lalao has led – namely, DRV, TARATRA and FIANTSO – have become reference points at national and international forums.
She works under harsh conditions. She hardly sleeps or rests and leads an extraordinary family life. Despite all absences, her family gives her all the support she needs.
Some regions she travels are isolated, inaccessible even on bicycle or helicopter. Access is only possible on foot, a five-hour roundtrip which involves wading through rivers with water reaching armpit levels. This does not deter her in her quest to better the lives of her fellow citizens.
Hopefully, when she will be ready to rest a bit, there will be another great man or woman to take over from her. (1000PeaceWomen).