Kristen Mangelinkx from UNICEF's Boston office is blogging on her trip to Madagascar. But internet connections are not always available in the field -- we've just received her post from Saturday, April 21. More to follow.
We arrived in Madagascar’s bustling capitol city of Antananarivo (or Tana as it is often referred to) yesterday afternoon. It is Saturday afternoon and everywhere we go people seem to be working: making bricks, building, working in the rice fields, washing laundry in the river, or selling products in the markets. There are children everywhere and nearly every woman we see is carrying a baby; evidence to support the fact that over 50 percent of the population is under the age of 18. We have not left the city yet and already the poverty is visible and overwhelming.
We leave tomorrow morning for the Sava region to attend the launch of mother child health week. I’m not sure what kind of access I will have to the internet, but will try to write.
KM
Comments (1)
Kristen:
Thanks for the update on Madagascar. Wow, another country where half the population is under 18. I just learned that is true of Afghanistan as well.
It is very moving to read about the overwhelming poverty. I hope that, in the end, it will not be overwhelming, with enough people to care enough to make a change.
Safe journeys!
Posted by mmberkeleyca | April 29, 2007 2:07 AM
Posted on April 29, 2007 02:07