Victorine, a woman of many hats, committed to protecting the mangroves of the Tsiribihina Delta

Above all, she is the face of a deep and inspiring commitment to mangrove conservation.
In 2016, she was elected president of the women's association « Tafitasoa II » (which means succeed in english), which now has 23 equally motivated members. "We're very involved in protecting our environment. In December 2024, we restored 5 hectares of mangroves, and we've already planned another restoration for this year. Smoked fish production is also part of our activity. However, we had to suspend it due to a lack of resources. Relaunching this activity is now one of our main challenges."
Last September, thanks to WWF's technical support in setting up mangrove nurseries, Victorine became involved in their upkeep. "I’ve learned that propagules grow better in nurseries than when directly planted. For me, restoring mangroves is essential, it's a priority. Mangroves mean everything to us: they are our life. They protect our coasts, shelter fish and crabs, and ensure our future. Of course, there are obstacles: at the moment, zebus often come to graze on the young plants, and small insects damage them. We’re building a fence to protect them, and we're committed to maintaining them together, with determination."
Her commitment doesn’t stop there. In 2024, she officially joined her community's mangrove patrollers  a demanding role still rare for women. "I comb the forest to detect illegal logging. It’s crucial work, but it's also tough. The terrain is often slippery, the paths are flooded. As a woman, it’s not always easy, and sometimes I get scared. A patrol can take up half a day. But I keep going, because I want to lead by example, especially for other women. I want to tell them: yes, we too have a role to play in defending our territory."
Every action counts: planting, monitoring, raising alerts. For Victorine, they are all pieces of the same puzzle."Every nursery we take care of, every patrol in the forest is part of the same fight: protecting nature, for today and for tomorrow. I’m fighting for the mangroves, because they are our future."