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Female commitment to Nosy Hara's communities and reefs

Posté le 28 avril 2025

Women play a key role in the Nosy Hara marine protected area and its surroundings. Very active and committed, they are the vibrant heart of their communities' development. In 2021, twenty-eight of them founded an association called FI.VE.MA.HI.NOHA or Fikambanan'ny Vehivavy Mamiratsa Hiaro ny Nosy Hara (in English: Association of brilliant women for the protection of Nosy Hara). All from the village of Ampasindava, these women have united to serve their community and nature, while improving their livelihoods. “This association is the pride of the women of Ampasindava, because it enables us to help our peers” shared Mrs Sidonie, the association’s advisor.

Through the association, these twenty-eight women take part in social actions alongside the villagers, such as mangrove reforestation, beach clean-up, and the conservation and protection of Nosy Hara Park with Madagascar National Parks (MNP) and WWF. In concrete terms, their conservation work involves monitoring and apprehending potential offenders: illegal cutting of mangrove wood, illegal collection of sea turtles, fishing activities during the closed season that could harm the growth of juveniles, as well as any exploitation harmful to the reefs. The women patrol the shore, while the men patrol the sea. And last but not least, they provide catering services for tourists and guides passing through Ampasindava, as well as for the liners that anchor here.

The women also produce and sell dried fish to generate income and provide better living conditions for their households. Part of the earnings goes directly into the association's treasury. The other part is divided among the members who have contributed to the activity, generally up to 20,000 Ar (around 4.5 dollars) per person for their livelihood. Production is rather uncertain, as it depends mainly on the quantity of fish collected from the fishermen. However, fishing is also conditioned by the weather, which can limit sea outings. On average, they manage to collect 30 to 40 kg of fish per week, when fishing is good. When it's not so good, they get just 5 kg. “We're thinking of renting a pirogue with a fisherman to bring us the fish so that we can get around 150 kg, which we can then process. To optimize our production, we'd also like to buy equipment from the cooperatives” said Mrs Sidonie.

The association lives up to its name by making women shine, enabling them to establish their legitimacy within the community. “We never stop encouraging the women of the village to join us. There are five of us. The women are not only active in FI.VE.MA.HI.NOHA, but also in youth associations, the LMMAs (Locally Managed Marine Areas), and the VSLA (Village Saving and Loans Associations). « The village is delighted to see women so committed to local development. We'd like to thank WWF for their support, in particular the provision of equipment and outfits to welcome visitors » concluded Mrs Sidonie.