Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Tantely's Story!



If you have been following this blog since we first went to Madagascar in 2014, you may remember that Matthew and I took photos for the invitations to the church wedding of Zafy and Tantely.  Zafy was our translator in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and is now in Antananarivo training to be a priest. Tantely was quite shy when we met her. 


In 2016, Tantely was in the Days for Girls sewing class, and was accepted as one of the women who work for the Days for Girls Enterprise sewing kits, but that class had an even bigger impact on her life.  I found her in the Cathedral in the morning after the kit distribution explaining the menstrual cycle to other young women. 


She realised that she wanted to be a midwife.  So last year she went back to school, and successfully passed her high school diploma in September. 

It was so exciting to see her at the DfG distributions this year and the confidence she now exhibits as she teaches others about what is happening to their bodies each month.



This week, she started her three year midwifery training in Toliara!  May God bless her as she follows her calling.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

Banner for St Philip's Church in Ambohitsabo

Earlier this year, Bishop Todd held  a competition for the local churches;  the prize for which was a specially commissioned banner and Sue was asked to make it.  Santa Filipo in Ambohitsabo (just off the road from Toliara to Ifaty) won the competition.  






The banner was designed to be the same size as their other three banners and depict the encounter between St Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts chapter 8 - the start of Christianity in Africa. 



 
It was presented to the Church on Sunday November 18th. These  photos in St Philip's also show the new tiled floor in the church building.  The members of the church raised all the funds for this themselves.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

And the work goes on!

Even though it has been three months since we were in Madagascar we continue to work for and with the people on an almost daily basis. 

It has been very exciting for me (Sue) to see the changes in confidence amongst the women in regard to the Days for Girls Enterprise since the visit this year.  Having Harisoa work as a dedicated DfG assistant with Chretienne at the Women's Center has meant we can make much more progress with Days for Girls. 

Harisoa in pink skirt

Last month was very busy for the women, as they had received an order from DfG International as part of DfG's 10th birthday celebrations.  They made 500 DfG basics kits (1 shield and 4 liners in each) and then travelled to 9 different villages to distribute them.  757 women and girls listened to the health and hygiene talks, and so now understand more of how their bodies work.  500 of them were lucky enough to receive these free kits!











This month, Harisoa is travelling north to Mahabo to do more distributions there and Oliviah has been in the capital talking at a couple of churches about DfG. 

We are in communications with a Malagasy business who are thinking of placing an order each month for a year, with Projet Jeune who have applied for a grant which will enable them to order 1,800 kits from the Enterprise, and with a group from a school in New Zealand.  Prayers that some of these projects succeed would be much appreciated.