Madagascar Broke My Heart And Lit My Purpose
đź“Ť Antananarivo, Madagascar
đź•’ I was 19 years old when I went. I came back changed.
The First Step Out of the Airport
Poverty hits you in the face the moment you leave the airport in Antananarivo. Children in torn clothing rush toward you, barefoot, hungry, begging for coins. As I tried to lift my suitcase into a taxi, I was already surrounded by desperation.
The streets of Madagascar
Mud-lined streets were filled with small, worn-down stalls. Women sat under sun-faded umbrellas selling whatever they could: fruit, plastic toys, used shoes, and different types of foods. You could see it in their eyes; they weren’t selling to make money. They were selling to survive.
And this wasn’t hidden in the shadows. It was right there, out in the open.
People selling for survival (they sell anything for survival)
Younger Than Me, Carrying More Than I Ever Had To
I was 19. Still figuring life out. But some of the children I saw were even younger and already carrying children of their own. Some sat on corners with toddlers in their lap, hand outstretched, eyes empty.
They didn’t speak English. Not because they weren’t smart, but because no one ever taught them. No school. No guidance. No hope.
The children of madagascar
That was the loudest silence I heard in Madagascar, the absence of education.
And with it, the loss of choice. The loss of dreams. I looked at my life, l had so many things I took for granted, things these children did not have. The smallest things like food, clothes and education, they did not acquire things every child should have the right to.
This showed me in life, BE GRATEFUL, someone out there is praying for everything you have. You could say maybe these people don’t work hard, but I’m telling you they work harder than you probably do, but don’t have a quarter of what you have.
Behind Poverty Is Something Even Darker
The poverty was bad. But what broke me was what it led to: exploitation.
I met someone working in the local community who told me something that made my stomach drop:
“As soon as girls turn 12 or 13, their parents put them in French or Italian classes not to get jobs or education, but so they can work as prostitutes. It’s a business. The hotel owners know. The police know. There’s no punishment for the men who pay for it.”
This is real. Some of the men fueling this industry were local. Others were foreign. All of them taking advantage of girls who never even had a chance.
And these girls? They’re our age. Some are even younger. But already living in such desperate condition
That Could Have Been Me
If I had been born in a different country, to different circumstances, that could’ve been me.
That thought hasn’t left me since.
I grew up with challenges, but I had access. I had an education. I had exposure. I had the chance to dream. THEY DIDN’T.
And when children don’t get to dream, they lose more than opportunity.
They lose their identity, their dignity, and their sense of self-worth. I want to change that, I want to give these children an opportunity to fight for what's theirs, their self-worth, identity and dignity. I want them to know that there's better out there, and they deserve it just as much as anyone else in this world.
Why I Started Balance and Empower
Balance and Empower was never about hype. It’s not about aesthetics or trending advice.
It’s about this.
It’s about building something real - a platform that gives young people the tools to grow, to believe in themselves, and to escape the cycles that were forced upon them.
It’s about ensuring that the next generation, especially in underrepresented and under-resourced communities, not only survives but thrives.
Madagascar Comesa Event With My Mother
This Isn’t Just a Madagascar Problem, It’s a Global One
The men who fuel this system aren’t some faraway strangers.
They’re in every society. They’re in power. They’re in your city.
They are our brothers. Our sons. Our fathers.
And we must say clearly:
Real men protect. They do not exploit.
It starts with a conversation. With education. With shame.
We must make it clear that there is nothing masculine about taking advantage of the powerless
Where Do We Go From Here?
Suppose you feel angry reading this; that’s a good sign. Let it move you.
Because the most powerful people in the world are those who choose to protect the powerless.
Balance and Empower will return to Madagascar.
But next time, we’re coming back with more:
Tools, especially in the education sector and business.
Educational resources
Skill-building activities include basic English communication workshops, digital literacy training, entrepreneurship basics, handyman skills, crafting for profit, basic first aid& health education, and public speaking and confidence workshops.
Youth empowerment content aims to equip them with skills that will last a lifetime.
A mission to build real, lasting change
And we’ll do the same in every community we can reach.
Hope Is Still Alive
Even in the pain, I saw resilience. I saw smiles. I saw kids still laughing, still trying. That’s what gives me hope. So let this be more than a story you read. Let it be a call to action
Ways You Can Help:
Share this blog
Talk to the men in your life
Support ethical organisations working in child protection
Buy from or donate to platforms empowering youth.
đź“Ť Join the movement. Be the reason someone gets to dream again.
đź”—www.balanceempower.org
đź”— How to Help - Meet and Organise with Fellow CARE Supporters - CARE
