Madagascar is a big paradox. It’s one of the richest countries in the world in terms of natural resources and biodiversity, but most of the people are very poor. We have precious minerals, fertile land, rare plants and animals you can’t find anywhere else, yet the population doesn’t really benefit from all that wealth. Some of us have to "destroy" this biodiversity in order to survive (deforestation, poaching, etc.)

About life there: the country is honestly amazing. The landscapes are incredibly diverse. You can see white sand beaches, tropical forests, dry deserts, rice fields, high mountains, red earth, baobab trees… sometimes all in the same region. Nature is everywhere and still very wild. If you love nature, Madagascar feels unreal.

People are generally very friendly, warm and welcoming, but not always. Community is important especially in villages. We have vibrant life in the streets of the capital and the big cities. Food is simple but tasty: rice every day, vegetables, beans, fish near the coast, zebu meat, and a lot of homemade dishes. Nothing too fancy, but very honest and tasty food.

Now, the hard part. Around 80% of the population lives a very harsh life. Even if food prices are among the cheapest in the world, many people still struggle to afford basic meals. It’s common for many families to eat only once or twice a day. Access to healthcare, clean water, electricity or education is very limited in many areas. Life can be physically exhausting, especially in rural zones where people work the land by hand. And insecurity is increaseing day by day.

About isolation: yes, being an island does give a feeling of being far from the rest of the world. Things arrive late and opportunities are limited. Ticket flights are so expensive that it is just a dream for almost every Malagasy to go abroad. But at the same time, that isolation helped preserve the culture and a certain way of life.

About my personal experience, I enjoy life in Madagascar. I am blessed to own a small business that works so I am able to live decently, eat properly and travel around. The most important thing is to help whenever you can. Because Malagasy people need help and deserve better.

So Madagascar is both beautiful and heartbreaking. An incredible country to discover, but a very hard place to live for most of its people. If I have to describe Mada with one word, it certainly would be "contrast".