Meeting the field agents

Virginia Hanitriniaina Ramanantsoa

/ ©: WWF-MWIOPO
Virginia Hanitriniaina Ramanantsoa
© WWF-MWIOPO
Virginia Hanitriniaina Ramanantsoa (40) joined WWF two years ago. A technician by training, she likes hiking in, and contact with, the natural world. In Fandriana, this is not lacking.

She believes her passion for fauna and flora dates back to her childhood: “When I was a little girl, I used to plant flowers and was very sad when some did not grow properly,” she recalls.

Her best experience with the HCPF occurred when some local people initially hostile to the organization of grassroots communities (COBAs) were so convinced by the inducement of the WWF team that they eventually became members of their COBA’s management committee.   

Aimé Johnson Rasoloharizaka

/ ©: WWF-MWIOPO
Aimé Johnson Rasoloharizaka
© WWF-MWIOPO
At school Aimé (32) was good in history and geography. He wanted to be a lawyer but did not pursue once at university.

He was hired as a field agent in Fandriana after doing some work as a consultant for WWF and taking responsibilities in a reforestation programme in the village of Maroseranana (Brickaville), where he supervised the production of 20,000 seedlings. 

A true nature-lover, Aimé very much likes to work with local communities but regrets that procedures are sometimes lengthy and arduous.

He believes that people who want to work like him in a conservation project need to be pragmatic and solutions-oriented.

Aimé hopes that the HCPF will have the resources to sustain its activities in the long term. 

Cédric Rolland Randriamifiby

/ ©: WWF-MWIOPO
Cédric Rolland Randriamifiby
© WWF-MWIOPO
An environment specialist and former project manager with a local NGO, Cédric Rolland Randriamifiby (32) joined the HCPF in January 2009.

"The programme’s philosophy based on sustainable development told me a lot," he says.

Proud to have successfully led a sensitization campaign with over 300 people in the middle of the forest corridor in Fandriana, Cédric especially enjoys the multidisciplinary approach of the project.

He believes that sensitization, capacity building and empowerment of grassroots communities will be the HCPF’s main challenges and a key to its success.   

Hervé Michel Andrianarivony

/ ©: WWF-MWIOPO
Hervé Michel Andrianarivony
© WWF-MWIOPO

An environment specialist, Hervé Michel Andrianarivony was hired by the HCPF in January 2009.

At school, he was already good in natural sciences although at some point he wanted to be a dentist.

In 2008 he worked for the forest landscape restoration project in Fandriana before switching to the HCPF site.

He likes field work and sensitization activities. “A good field agent must have a lot of will and dynamism in addition to extensive environmental knowledge,” he says. 

Émile Rafaralahiarijaona

/ ©: WWF-MWIOPO
Émile Rafaralahiarijaona
© WWF-MWIOPO
Émile wanted to be a pilot or a sailor, enjoyed maths at school and ended up studying management.

In parallel, he worked as a farmer and rancher but also ran training activities in domains such as sustainable development and nutrition.

He hopes WWF and the HCPF will benefit from his experience in, and passion for, sensitization and capacity building.

Milantoanjana Raherivololona

  • / ©: WWF-MWIOPO
    With WWF since 2006, Milantoanjana Raherivololona, 42 years old and a mother of three, is in charge of administrative and finance work in Fandriana.

    Her background is in computers, accounting and Malagasy literature. When talking about nature she remembers her early days in the countryside and hikes in the forest.

    She says she has a good team spirit which is essential to work in a non governmental organization such as WWF.  It is also her main motivation for the work together with the visits in the field.

    “This programme will bring better living conditions to the grassroots communities we are working with. I find this to be particularly rewarding,” she says.

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