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, Italy (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 Madagascar, 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, Antananarivo, 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 Argentina 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.