Since mid-April 2018, Angelo Rabearisoa is a member of the NEXUS Madagascar Company (NEMACO)-Team, supporting us in the role of Community Outreach Officer. Rural infrastructure projects depend strongly on the commitment of the local population. Angelo’s efforts ensure that the communities learn to carry responsibility for the longterm success of the project. His expertise in nature conservation and ambition to impact the livelihoods of coastal communities are valuable assets for NEMACO.
Angelo, where are you from in Madagascar, what language do you speak and what is your family structure like?
I’m from Antananarivo, the capital, and I speak Malagasy as my native language. I further know French as well as English and I can understand German when reading but am not able to speak the language. I also speak some of the main dialects from the northern to the southern part of Madagascar. I have one son called Tsiaro (8 years old), 2 brothers and 2 sisters.
What do you cherish about your country?
In Madagascar, people are genuinely nice and always welcome you with a smile, even in the coastal zone, where poverty defines the main hardship of the people. Living here feels like being part of a friendly community: you can interact peacefully with people of different cultures, life is pretty simple, and no one is particularly stressed.
Our biodiversity is unique and the only way to sum it up is the term “Paradise Island”. The people, the nature, the cultures, and the large variety of landscapes – they are breathtaking to me on each field trip I get to take around this amazing country.
What are the biggest challenges Madagascar faces?
I believe the biggest challenges are to eradicate poverty and illiteracy. The main reason for chronic poverty is the lack of education, prevalent in the coastal areas. Those who are able to visit school develop an understanding why and how to achieve something in life, which gives them a perspective for their future. They acquire and explore personal skills and interests, they are able to understand concepts like money management, or that their living conditions must not remain this way.
What was your path to become Community Outreach Officer for the NEMACO Project?
During and after university, I was passionate about nature conservation. Starting in 2008, I worked as a consultant for WWF Madagascar mainly conducting surveys and inventory for future protected areas. In 2013, I was recruited as a socio-economic officer for an NGO called Reefdoctor. That position sparked my interest in the community approach that I perceive as one of the most important factors in locally managed infrastructure or protected area projects. After my contract there, I decided to apply to NEMACO as a Community Outreach Officer. The job allows me to use all my skills and experiences acquired during my professional path to address the communities we work with. My main advantage is that I speak their dialect.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
What fulfills me the most is to make people happy by resolving their main problem or helping them to improve their way of living. Furthermore, I am keen to improve my skills and experiences in community approach and development.
What do you want to achieve working for NEMACO?
I want to contribute to the success of NEMACO by establishing sustainable infrastructure – NEXUS Centers that store and process fish, sustainable fishing techniques and cooling solutions – and services – clean drinking water, solar energy, logistics and transportation to regional markets – in this area that is understood and carried by the local population. For the well-being of the community I want to share and use my skills to train and empower people in rural villages.
Source: nexus ch
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