In Madagascar, barriers to achieving gender equality almost seem insurmountable. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by poverty, discrimination and exploitation. They live in a deeply patriarchal society that continues to perpetuate gender stereotypes and socio-cultural norms, limiting their opportunities and excluding them from the political and economic spheres. According to research, Madagascar is also one of the countries with the highest prevalence of sexual violence in the world:1 in 3 Malagasy women aged 15-49 has already experienced at least one form of gender-based violence in her lifetime.
The Good Shepherd sisters, who have served local communities across the island for over 40 years, have been confronting these injustices and inequalities head on. Their programs provide protection, psycho-social support, economic assistance and educational opportunities, helping women and girls living in conditions of vulnerability lift themselves out of an intergenerational cycle of isolation and exploitation.
In Antsirabe, the sisters accompany women and youth who have experienced violence and exclusion and often find themselves in situation of financial dependence. To change this reality, our economic empowerment project enables participants to take part in tailored skills training in baking, soap-making, candle-making and wine-making, equipping them with the skills and knowledge to launch their own small business. This training is the first step on their journey towards economic independence – a path the sisters are committed to walking alongside them, every step of the way. In addition to technical training, the participants receive financial literacy training, where they learn to read, write, budget, invest and save, to help them make sense of their money and feel secure doing it.
Harsua, a young mother of three, is one of the participants whose live has completely changed since she met the Good Shepherd sisters. Through the Good Shepherd training course in culinary arts and entrepreneurship, she has learned to bake cakes, brioche and other pastries and today she runs a flourishing pastry shop. Previously, she made a living by buying snacks and light meals from others to resell – a precarious business that offered little stability. Now, Harsua no longer worries about what the future holds for her and her children: she can provide for the needs of her family, invest in her children’s education and well-being, while pursuing her own aspirations. Grateful for the guidance and compassionate support she received, she promotes the Good Shepherd training program and encourages women in her community to walk the same path of empowerment and independence.
One hundred kilometer away from Antsirabe, in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, the Good Shepherd Fihavanana Center helps hundreds of girls to shape their future, giving them them the knowledge to take informed decisions regarding their lives. The center teaches girls up to 6 grade, and conducts an important work of awareness-raising to protect them from dangers such as child marriage and sexual abuse. In Madagascar, almost 40% of girls marry or enter a union before their 18 birthday and many are victims of violence at the hands of the men they are forced to marry. Poverty, gender inequality and traditional social practices still make forced marriage one of the most prevalent women’s rights violations in the country. In Fihavanana Center, girls aged 15 to 18 follow training designed to prevent early marriage, unwanted pregnancy and sexual abuse, empowering them to know their rights, identify situations of risks and violations of their rights, and seek support when needed.
In the city of Morondava, on the Western coast of the country, the Good Shepherd sisters support fisherwomen in accessing dignified income and building resilience. Fishing is a crucial source of income for the local community but fishers – especially women – face many challenges in the exercise of their activity. Most of them work informally, without contract or social protection, and have limited access to alternative employment, training or financial services. Artisanal fishers use obsolete tools and unsustainable practices, engaging in low productivity activity, but women in particular lack access to modern equipment. To improve the living conditions of fisherwomen, sisters and partners have recently launched an ambitious project that combine training in sustainable fishing techniques, financial literacy, access to saving systems, and professional training in alternative activities, such as weaving, tailoring, pastry-making and livestock farming. Women will acquire new skills to diversify their source of income, increase the productivity of their activity thanks to modernized fishing equipment and more sustainable practices, while learning to manage financial resources, invest and plan for the future. At the same time, the project encourages women’s leadership by encouraging some participants to take on roles as peer educators, making them active actors of change, capable of influencing community decision-making and serving as role models for other women and girls in the community.
These projects are only a few examples of how change takes roots in Madagascar. While each project is different, all are designed to address the problem at its roots and empower women and girls to become actors of their own transformation. By combining protection, education, economic empowerment, and emotional support, the Good Shepherd sisters concretely help women and girls in vulnerable situations reclaim their rights, their voices and confidence. While the road is still long, sisters, partners and program participants – with the support of GSIF – continue to move forward, guided by the values of care, solidarity and compassion that lie at the heart of our common mission.
