Social and Environmental Projects
in Madagascar

ALT Madagascar - Andry Lalana Tohana

Our sister NGO is launched in Madagascar.

Context

The Trusts legacy has always been clear. Andrew believed in empowering local people to find their own solutions to their social and environmental challenges. Our work has therefore included a strong commitment to build the capacity of ALT’s Malagasy team to take on the longer term strategic development and project implementation of the ALT programme in Southern Madagascar.

Launch of ALT sister Malagasy NGO

This year Andrew Lees Trust is delighted to see the launch of Andry Lalana Tohana, an independently registered and managed Malagasy NGO.

Andry lalana Tohana Madagascar (ALT Mg) is made up of core members of the Malagasy team who have benefited from ten years of working under the auspices of ALT UK. They have significant field and managerial experience working with and reporting to a range of high ranking donors including the EC, UN agencies, DFID, and USAID. The results achieved have demonstrated they possess the professional capacity that makes them a leading force in the development sector in southern Madagascar.

The Malagasy Management team of ALT Madagascar includes:

Aims

               


Andry Lalana Tohana aims to reduce the effects of poverty and enable local populations to prepare themselves for natural disasters, increase their food security, and improve capacity for protecting the environment and managing natural resources more sustainably. It also aims to help promote the community’s needs.

ALT Mg commits itself to undertaking all the measures necessary for the accomplishment of these objectives, and adopts an ethical stance in the execution of its duties.

New beginnings

Andry Lalana Tohana has started work on one of two newly funded projects that it has designed, proposed and secured funding for, including:

UNICEF  PAEAR - to distribute radios and set up listening groups, building on previous experience with ALT Projet Radio.

UNFPA CNLS - to broadcast HIV Awareness via the regional Cinemobile , taking educational video programmes to rural destinations.

ALT Mg is in receipt of two regional production units (RPU) from ALT Projet Radio which are currently developing self financing strategies.  Tulear RPU is already targeted to develop a radio campaign on family planning and health issues for the UNFPA. Ft Dauphin is making social marketing programmes to promote solar panels for ‘Toughstuff’. They will both continue to provide production services to the rural radio network PCID partners (see project radio)

Tree Nursery

Following the completion of ALT’s Lottery funded DMP project the tree nursery that ALT has developed since 2003 is now also under ALT Mg management.  This year the tree nursery provided 5000 filao seedlings to stabilise dunes in the deep south (see Emergency Relief). It has been distributing trees and training local people in planting and tree care techniques for a number of years. It is now expanding its relations with other NGOs in the region to provide a valuable local service for vital environmental management and food security projects.

The Process

ALT believes that real development comes from ensuring that local people are empowered to take responsibility for their futures and to have the confidence to make decisions about their own, and their country’s development.

In 2003  ALT’s local staff, the  Board,  Country Director and UK Management team responded to an internal strategy consultation process to discuss the future of the organisation. The process was facilitated by Richard Marsh (who since became a Trustee) and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Consequently the ALT Board ratified the long term strategy to hand the future of the Trust’s work to its Malagasy team.

A two year exit strategy began to restructure the organisation. ALT established a local management team in Madagascar (Comitté de Gestion - CDG) to increase Malagasy input and capacity to manage the local projects. ALT also undertook to build on its results and develop stronger relations with national donors including UNFPA CNLS, UNICEF, USAID, the resident embassies of the UK and USA, and the Ministry of Communication amongst them.

By 2006 ALT had acquired a number of new national partners and had appointed a local Malagasy Director, to develop the necessary experience and management skills to lead the local team into the future. During the following year a number of strategic discussions and meetings were undertaken in UK and Madagascar to identify the structural and funding opportunities for the Malagasy NGO.

A large part of the management and staff training has been ‘on the job’ experience with Malagasy managers working alongside the expatriate project managers and learning new skills. Financial management expertise has been greatly increased due to six monthly audits and training with EC auditors over ten years. Training has also been provided by visiting ALT UK staff as well as international trainers and consultants such as Gordon Adam (Media Support) , Nicky Harford, Matthew Buck (Globecom), and Leo Metcalf;  and with help from volunteers such as Ryan Kelley, a Cornell Business Management masters graduate.

In 2007 the Malagasy CDG chose a name for its sister NGO, retaining the well known acronym ALT to stand for: Andry Lalana Tohana (ALT Mg) which loosely means "we are the pillar, the road and support for development".

Ryan Kelly and his colleague Jean Paul then helped to advance the long term strategy by investigating income generating opportunities for ALT Madagascar and helped put in place a series of activities to move the team closer to self sufficiency.

Following the resignation of the first local Director a new Malagasy Director was appointed in 2008 which allowed for the completion of the transition plans. The CDG and the new Board then commenced formal registration of ALT Madagascar and obtained an official receipt in March 09

The Board of ALT Madagascar comprises:

Sambo Clément : President du conseil d’Administration
Christophe Tsirafy : Secrétaire Géneral
Eugenie Raharisoa : Conseiller
Noel Andrianandrasana : Conseiller

Fundraising training was provided to two members of the CDG and by 2009 five grant applications had been submitted by them to nationally based donors. See new beginnings above. A regional launch event for ALT Mg is planned for later this year.

Transition Period

ALT Mg will work under a transition agreement with ALT UK from June 2009 so that existing resources, expatriate technical advisers and project staff, can support the hand over process and provide the necessary back up until July 2010.

You can help

ALT welcomes support for this project which it considers one of the most important aspects of its work in Madagascar.

If you want to support ALT Madagascar you can contact them directly at:

ANDRY-LALANA-TOHANA (ALT)
BP 293
Ft Dauphin 614
Madagascar
Tél : 92 902 40 /033 12 071 12
email : altmg@moov.mg

Or you can make donations or contact them via the ALT UK office :

ALT UK,
c/o Warchild,
5 Anglers Lane ,
London, NW5 3DG
Tel: +44 (0) 207 424 9256
admin@andrewleestrust.org

Cheques or financial supports should be accompanied by a Letter stating the donation is designated for ALT Madagascar.