Madagascar: hope after the dump Poverty can be beat. People who seemed condemned to a life of poverty have found the dignity and joy to live. The example of Akamasoa is important for all of Africa. from Fabio Meloni and Anne Aubert, Friends of Father Pedro, (October 2009).

TOJO HAS JUST RETURNED FROM PARIS WHERE SHE HAS Facts SPENT TWO YEARS IMPROVING HER KNOWLEDGE OF FRENCH THANKS TO A SCHOLARSHIP. Despite a job offer The non-profit Amici di Padre Pedro association (Friends of to remain in Paris, she has chosen to return to her country, Father Pedro) began in Italy 2007 , to be close to her people. When she was nine years with the aim to support Father old, life seemed to have condemned her to an irreversable path. Pedro in his fight against poverty. Thanks to his relentless work, he She had seen five brothers and sisters many families still live there and it is has succeeded in giving dignity and die with her own eyes, her parents had from there that we decided to begin hope to thousands of families and children in Madagascar. no jobs, no money, no house. Along our journey into an extraordinary with her eldest sister, she survived world – a world difficult to imagine Akamasoa is the name of malnutrition and disease. In these after discovering Madagascar under the community Father Pedro conditions, Tojo and her family were the airy gaze of a tourist. We met founded in 1989. It is made up of 17 villagges on the edge of found living in the enormous landfill children who played in the garbage, , where over 17,000 of Antananarivo, the capital. They mothers who nursed, old and young people live. Sunday October 11th rummaged among garbage to find blackend by smoke and dirt, all trying 2009 was celebrated as the 20 year something to eat and slept in huts made to find plastic bottles or pieces of metal anniversary of Akamasoa. of hemp propped between mountains to sell by weight. When a truck loaded To help, you can participate in of waste. It is there that Father Pedro with trash arrived, people literally the events organized by Friends saw them for the first time in 1991, threw themselves into it, hoping to find of Father Pedro, make a donation blackened from dirt, wearing clothes new a treasure. One could not imagine and raise awareness of the work of Father Pedro. made of rags, marked by the absent anything further from such a world. look and sunken faces of hunger. It is here that, twenty years ago, Amici di Padre Pedro onlus The rubbish dump of Antananarivo Father Pedro Opeka’s adventure began. Via dei Prefetti 36, 00186 Roma Tel: +39-06-68136630 is Hell with its stench from mountains He had been sent to Madagascar to [email protected] of garbage and plastic bags, rusted head the seminary of priests from the www.amicipadrepedro.org steel and animal carcasses. Today Order of Saint Vincent de Paul, but

1991: Father Pedro in the dump with Tojo and her family. 2009: Father Pedro in Akamasoa with Tojo and her family. Women rummaging among garbage (Antananarivo, Madagascar) when he saw the garbage dump from brick houses that Father Pedro, who most important national newspapers. the hills of the city, he decided to see was a mason in his youth, taught them His commitment to helping this scene that was part of everyday to build. Over time schools for all levels the poor has been internationally life for himself. People called the of teaching, pharmacies and handicraft recognized: in 2008 he was conferred place “Beirut” because of the violent centers were constructed. Today some the French Legion of Honor and in atmosphere where people killed for a 17,000 people live there and, though 2009 the Vatican awarded him the few crumbs in a fight for survival. most are still poor, they have finally Solidarity and Development Prize on found the dignity and the confidence the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal for a better future. Courageous adventure Bill of Human Rights. It is a true miracle created from Pedro father did not just observe, he Father Pedro is fully dedicated the work of this untiring Argentine mustered the courage to speak with to the aim of giving dignity to those clergyman. Born to a family of those he met, to convince them that neglected and abused from hunger, Slovenian origin who emigrated to they could and should leave that misery to those who have lost all self-esteem after World War II, as a boy and abuse. It was during one of these and hope. The pillars of his activity he worked as a mason alongside his outings in the “Beirut” of Madagascar are work, education and health. father. Like a true Argentinian, he was that he met Tojo’s family. Because life is worthy of its very name, passionate about football and yearned every person needs a paying job, to After 20 years of neverending to become a professional soccer receive an education and basic health work, he has recuperated a great part player. But his vocation won out and care. Although the premises of these of the land that is today inhabited by he became a missionary. For the last principles are simple, they are very the community of Akamasoa (“good 40 years he has lived in Madagascar, difficult to achieve in a country where friends” in the local language): the now his adopted land. His relationship public infrastructure is nearly non- association founded by the poor who with the people of the ”Red Island” is so existent. listened to Father Pedro’s appeal and deep that, during the recent upheavals For a family to become part of the who decided to fight for a better life. The that led to a coup d’etat in March 2009, community, adults must accept to work community is made of small villages of his call for peace was published in the according to their abilities and to send houses of Akamasoa are compared to and superior in quality to similar their children to school. In exchange, many of the shacks in the capital. In the products found around the country. they will have a roof and the services main quarry they are preparing a stone Another of Father Pedro’s miracles: that Akamasoa can offer: medicine, altar to celebrate mass on August 15th. he has transformed the people of the outpatient emergency treatment, help This is what Father Pedro considers the landfill into workers and highly-skilled during childbirth, assistance for the real Cathedral of Antananarivo: not a craftsmen who are proud of their work. elderly and the handicapped. Rules magnificent monument, but a simple And he has given a chance to many must be carefully respected because a place of prayer, carved into the rock young people who otherwise would system of effective rules is the only way by the sweat of many workers, little by not have ever studied and themselves to build dignity and to allow a sense little, every day. become education professionals. Take of community to replace the fight for Zo, a 22-year-old English teacher, who the survival. The association accepts acts as our guide and interpreter during Skilled artisans abandoned mothers, families without our stay. He is cheerful and friendly any means and the sick as a matter of Another important job opportunity, and speaks excellent French. When priority. especially for young people, is in he arrived to the “hills of courage”, The main source of work are the handicrafts. Carpenters manufacture as some have called the area where stone quarries near the villages. We doors, windows and indoor furniture in the community villages rise, he was visit them with Father Pedro. The site the traditional Madagascar style. The 6 years old, had lost his father, his is impressive: thousands of people, quality of the work is excellent and the mother had no job and he had to look men and women, work from dawn furniture can be sold abroad. A French after a younger brother and sister. For a to dusk breaking enormous stones association has donated equipment few months they were housed together that will be transformed into bricks, to make the work easier and more with other families in the shelter. gravel for roads and other building productive. Later, they were placed in a dormitory material. These materials are used by The embroidery workshop is the together with another family. Finally, the community or sold in the city. The association’s true flagship: the large after three years, they had a house to noise of the jackhammers is tablecloths embroidered themselves with blankets and two pots. The pillars deafening, but it is music for with traditional motifs are Like everyone else, they paid a rent of the clergyman mason who, of his action befittingly popular with one euro per month, a symbolic figure in the midst of these workers, are work, visitors. The manager, that serves to empower the people. finds special energy: he Madame Leonide, shows After five years of rent paid regularly, shakes hundreds of hands, education us how it works: everything the home is owned by those living transports stones himself and and health. is done by hand and even there. In the meantime, Zo studied also has us carry some so that the smallest design can be to become a teacher at the middle we realize how heavy they reproduced in a matter of school in the village where he lives are. We scramble higher up the cliffs so days with dozens of copies made from with his family and today earns 35 he can proudly show us how sturdy the a single pattern. The result is beautiful euros a month. With this salary he has

Stone quarries are the main source of work for Akamasoa The embroidery workshop produces top quality products search of fortune, and find themselves alone, without work, and in conditions of great misery. In this country rich in natural resources and arable land, agriculture is underdeveloped and most of the population undernourished, whereas it could reach food self- sufficiency.

Self-esteem and dignity To set an example and encourage families to apply themselves to farming, Father Pedro has created a rural village, Antolojanahary, 80 km from the capital where more than 100 families now live (about 600 people). After the dump and the barren hills around the city, the Father Pedro with Zo, a young English teacher scenery is breathtaking: all around are forests, rice fields and gardens, it could helped his mother decorate the house scholarship in Europe; others, like Zo, almost be in the Alps! The biggest with furniture bought at the carpentry would become community teachers project involves the reforestation of workshop. If he had not climbed the and trainers. “It’s for the future of these Antolojanahary: for the last twenty hill with his mother, showing up at kids that I cannot be discouraged by years, on an area of 450 hectares, trees the shelter, he would have become difficulties, that I cannot stop,” says have been planted, especially pine one of the many children forced to Father Pedro. Some will even to go trees, and the results are now clearly beg on the streets of the capital. Many to university, like the two sons of the visible. Father Pedro is proud of what young people, after completing high hotel manager who are studying to has been achieved, largely because it school in the community, become dentist and general is common in this country to log and become teachers in those practitioner, respectively. burn wild forests in order to grow rice Every year same schools, thus finding The shelter leaves us on the land. a secure and stable job. around speechless. Here all the needy The young people of Akamasoa are Schooling is crucial 30,000 who have been rejected actively involved in the reforestation to Father Pedro – it is by society are listened to, persons get project. During the summer holidays through education that comforted and helped: single youth from other villages come to plant children from the dump assistance women who have just given trees and eradicate weeds. It is good flourish and are formed birth, abandoned and sick from the way to pass on to younger generations to be the future citizens elderly, poor families, even the importance of respecting and who will contribute to shelter in the sick who are refused by loving nature: “burning trees is a little a better Madagascar. Akamasoa. the public hospital and sent like burning our souls,” the priest never Akamasoa welcomes over directly to Father Pedro! stops repeating. In Antolojanahary 9,000 students a year, The staff at the shelter focus there is a school, a dispensary and a from kindergarten to high school. The primarily on emergencies, then try to building to accommodate visitors who percentage of successful high school understand the real needs of people wish to spend a few days immersed in exams is 80%, much higher than the and, after a period of treatment and nature in a place that offers beautiful national average of 54%. Students also care, encourage them to return to walks in the woods. come from nearby villages because the their villages with material support Around the villages of Akamasoa teachers are among the best trained on (agriculture equipment, tools, blankets) we are struck by the warmth and the island. While we were there, final to resume an activity, especially in the hospitality of the people: we are exams were to begin for 105 students: fields. In fact, too many people leave surrounded by smiling children who some, like Tojo, would receive a rural areas to go to Antananarivo in want to play, to have a picture taken. Anyone who has even heard that we Pedro has been more concerned by from many donors from around the are here greets us with: “Bonjour, helping the poor, not in building world, especially from Europe, who comment t’appelles-tu?” (Hello, what’s churches. The mass is exciting, vibrant, believed in a priest claiming that your name?), asks us where we are full of colors. The entire community poverty is not an unfortunate fate, from, is curious to know our history celebrates with all its energy, an energy but a real injustice. The daily struggle and, almost always, tells truly unimaginable in a against poverty is enormous and has us his. Nobody ever asks church of the wealthy West. not yet been won. We realize this The daily us for money or help – It is incredible to see these when we visit Zo’s house: there is still begging is banned. struggle people dressed in their best no electricity or running water, coal None of this is due to against clothes, carefully following is used to cook and smoke blackens the songs and dances with the walls of the tiny kitchen. Essential a particularly easygoing poverty is people, explains Father enthusiasm and surprising services can be obtained only at great Pedro, but to the hard enormous delight. Malagasy rejoice cost in Madagascar. despite the difficulties work that, day after day, and has not There is still so much to do: there for twenty years, has given of everyday life. Mass is are still too many children dressed people self-esteem, dignity, yet been attended by over 4,000 in rags, too many families living in a sense of solidarity and won. people and is so spectacular unsanitary conditions, so many people friendliness to others. that many guides will bring still without proper housing and stable “We have pacified this tourists. However this is not employment. Like the family that we place,” he tells us. “Where there was to attend a show, but to participate in met with Father Pedro in the village violence and brutality, there is now the celebration of praise to the Lord closest to the dump: they are eight a community of free people.” Where for life rediscovered after so much living in a dark and suffocating room. before there was waste there is now suffering. We look out the front door and find a village more welcoming than many This extraordinary work has been that they share that space with two other districts of Antananarivo. made possible thanks to contributions pigs. Father Pedro, making a face torn There are 410 staff in charge of the administration and coordination of Akamasoa activities – all Malagasy, without exception. In particular there is Mademoiselle Bao, the president of the association and the priest’s right hand, who has been here nearly since the beginning of this adventure. She pays the weekly salaries of teachers, nurses, foremen and the rest of the staff. With this team it is now possible to plan for the future: to build new houses and raze those closest to the dump, to provide new classrooms for the school given the growing number of students, to expand the shelter and, above all, to insist on closing down the open landfill. “The day we can close it, we’ll have a big party!” says Father Pedro. The sense of dignity and joy of living of these people is seen during Sunday mass which is celebrated in a huge gym that now serves as a church because, for these twenty years, Father Father Pedro with a girl who lives on the edges of the landfill with her family More than 4,000 persons participate in the Sunday mass. between surprise and anger, turns to The authors On the Web the mother with a questioning look, as she hides her face in her apron, visibly Fabio Meloni and Anne Aubert • Wikipedia page: embarrassed. The husband recovers met Father Pedro during a trip http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ pieces of fabric from the dump that he to Madagascar in 2006. Upon Padre_Pedro sews into large bags and resells to local their return to Italy, they decided farmers. This is their only source of to begin the non-profit Amici di • YouTube channel: income. For them, there is still a long Padre Pedro assocation (Friends http://www.youtube.com/ way to go. of Father Pedro), of which Fabio akamasoa01 Despite this uneven battle against Meloni is president. poverty and injustice, one thing is In August 2009 they stayed in • Photo album on Flickr : always certain: the smile of the women Akamasoa, sharing daily life with who rummage through garbage, of the http://www.flickr.com/photos/ the inhabitants of the village akamasoa children who care for their brothers of Andralanitra (one of Father and sisters from their earliest years, Pedro’s villages in Antananarivo). the old men stricken by sickness • Twitter account : and suffering... the smile is always For more information: http://twitter.com/akamasoa there, lighting up their faces, making Fabio Meloni: their eyes laugh, accompanied by an +39-392 32 12 835 • Official Web site : outstretched hand to greet, to exchange [email protected] a sign of affection, a bit of warmth, a http://www.amicipadrepedro.org/ index_en.htm testimony of love, even if it lasts only Anne Aubert: an instant. n +39-340 69 99 741 [email protected]