Thursday – July 26th, 2012

...Environmental consciousness is imparted in Antitorona. 

A house cannot be erected on unconsolidated land, as a road cannot be built on a marsh. It is of little use to treat malaria if there are millions of mosquitos in your own garden. Living in clean, stable and well organized environment gives humankind the possibility of projecting itself mentally into an evolving future.

Seeing structures like roads, schools and bridges arising around oneself stimulates the urge to be part of the system creating them. Man identifies himself with the places he lives in, it is his strength and the banner of his pride. Instilling the knowledge of belonging a community gives strength and stability, and thus we have set out to render the environment we live in functional and tangible.

Plans for the safeguard of the territory must be taken into account in every social development enterprise. In our village at Nosy Komba the awareness of environmental protection is more and more present. Children know that rubbish must not be thrown out in the street but taken to the incineration plants,  the zebus (local cattle) must not trample the surfaced village roads, trees must be protected and be part of the urban environment; the public spaces should be left unoccupied and available to everyone.

We are all aware that the important structural works that are being undertaken are to prevent that the village is washed away from under our feet by the rains.

Ø 1993 - Removal of stagnant water. We reclaimed, dried up and cleaned the terrain to greatly reduce the risk of illnesses like malaria, parasitosis and dysentery.

 Ø 1997 - Earth consolidation: Terracing has been important to stop erosion, which is typical during the rainy season, and to acquire a greater surface for the natural expansion of the village.

 Ø 2001 - Initial urbanization: Surfacing the road which would become the backbone of the village and the symbol of urban unity.

 Ø 2003 Reforestation: The Nosy Be administration altered the status of Komba island to a protected area for tourism use. Thus rice cultivation which has a high environmental cost has been forbidden and reforestation has been instated in its place.