Radio show - Feom'bezo

The Velondriake Management Committee works hard to keep the community informed of its many conservation activities, and of how these benefit the community. To this end, in September 2011 Velondriake began producing a bi-monthly radio show, called Feom'Bezo (The Voice of the Vezo) in partnership with Blue Ventures, sharing news from across its array of projects. Listen to all new episodes of Velondriake's new Feom'Bezo (The Voice of the Vezo) Radio Show in Malagasy here.

The first episode of Feom'Bezo introduced the new partnership between Velondriake, Blue Ventures, and UNICEF, and how it is helping Velondriake to enhance its environmental education activities for the children and youth of the region.

Listen to episode 1

The second Feom'Bezo episode shared news from the Velondriake community health program, focusing on the upcoming annual Fisabol tournament. Fisabol is a soccer tournament that Velondriake and Blue Ventures hold throughout the coastal southwest region, where soccer games are interspersed with educational films, plays, and contests for the community.

Listen to episode 2

The third episode of Feom'Bezo featured interviews with Blue Ventures representatives just returned from the WIOMSA (Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association) conference in Mombasa, Kenya. It also checked in with the new UNICEF-sponsored environmental education program, and with the coordinator of the Feom'Bezo newsletter –news and updates from Velondriake and Blue Ventures, distributed throughout the coastal southwest.

Listen to episode 3

The fourth episode of Feom'Bezo features an interview with the President of the Belavenoke village, also a member of the Velondriake Management Committee, regarding his recent trip north to Belo sur Mer. He joined three other members of Velondriake to observe the opening day of the new mangrove reserve in Belo sur Mer, and to share Velondriake's natural resource management experience with the new mangrove management association in Belo, called Beandriake. The program also includes news from the Blue Ventures aquaculture and education programs.

Listen to episode 4

The fifth episode of Feom'/Bezo features updates from the Velondriake Management Committee’s monthly meeting, where the members share news from across the Velondriake LMMA (locally-managed marine reserve) and beyond.  In this episode the Velondriake members even share news from beyond their LMMA zone, about a recent exchange trip to Belo sur Mer where they assisted in opening a new community-managed mangrove reserve, managed by the Beandriake association in Belo.

Listen to episode 5 

In the sixth episode of Feom'Bezo, Josvah of the BV aquaculture project shares news from the recent sale of sea cucumbers – over 500 sold in one village! The sustainable sea cucumber farming project is showing one success after another, and our radio show is helping to share the success with the entire Velondriake region. Episode 6 also features an interview with Dolce of Blue Ventures, who recently worked with the Velondriake Management Committee to train another new local management committee, Teariake in Morombe, to begin to manage its coastal natural resources. The Velondriake model is catching on!

Listen to episode 6

Happy New Year from Velondriake! In this first episode of 2012, the Voice of the Vezo (Feom'Bezo) radio show gets the community excited for the upcoming Teariake festival in Morombe. Teariake (Love the Sea) is a new community conservation organization just north of Velondriake that the Velondriake association has been helping to train during its beginning stages. And now its new locally-managed marine reserve is in place, and the community is ready to celebrate! Plus Joeline talks about the recent Saturday Schools activities, where the kids have been making art from beach rubbish, and Hery talks about what it means to be a new Junior Reporter, using film to inspire other youth to get involved in conservation. Finally, Valerio, a young local musician and president of the Aloalo youth environmental club, talks about what motivates him and the other students in his music group to write songs about protecting the environment. Watch his music video here

Listen to episode 7

In this episode, Feom'Bezo gives the microphone over to the "Tariky Valerio" music group. This music group is led by Valerio, president of the Aloalo youth environmental club, and an inspirational voice amongst his peers. Together with Adore, Voafidy, and Patrick, Valerio has written four songs about the importance of protecting the environment in Velondriake. Three are featured here – one with instruments and two a cappella – along with a recent interview with Valerio about what motivates him to sing for conservation. These youth truly are the future of Velondriake, already working for a sustainable future.

Listen to episode 8

The ninth episode of Feom'Bezo is out! It features one of the new songs from the Tariky Valerio youth music group, "Protect the Forests". There is news from the annual General Assembly of the Velondriake Management Committee, followed by news from the new Teariake local management committee in Morombe. A local member of the Junior Reporters' Club shares news from the recent JRC training, and a member of Club Aloalo talks about the Youth Environmental Festival they held in Andavadoaka last weekend – where over 850 spectators celebrated the environment with the club! Enjoy listening to the Voice of the Vezo.

Listen to episode 9

This week's episode of Feom'Bezo features two new songs from the Tariky Sylvere environmental music group. One song is about the Velondriake reserve system, and the other is about public sanitation in hygiene, and both are set to the catchy beat of popular local music. The last song is from Tariky Valerio, the young local music group led by the President of Andavadoaka's Club Aloalo youth environmental club (please click here for the online video). The next episode of Feom'Bezo will introduce yet another young music group with environmental songs from Velondriake – a region full of young talent! 

Listen to episode 10

Once again, the BV-Velondriake radio show is celebrating local musical talent. In this episode we interview Balbine, the lead singer of Armistice, the group formed by Sylvere (interviewed on a previous show). Balbine talks to Feom'Bezo about why she loves singing about the environment, and why she feels it is the most effective way to spread important conservation messages to the community. We also share major news from the recent Velondriake Committee meeting, especially the recent changes made to the Dina (local laws) that governs the Velondriake marine protected area.

Listen to episode 11

In this week's episode, the Feom'Bezo team interviews Clarisse, the newest member of the Blue Ventures staff. Clarisse is a doctor working for the BV Health and Family Planning programme, leading the new maternal and child health initiative -- because Blue Ventures knows that keeping mothers and families healthy is an important part of conserving the local natural resource base. Next, we hear from Emmanuel, just back from a trip south with members of the Velondriake Committee, checking in on the partner committee in Ambatomiloho as they implement the Velondriake LMMA (locally-managed marine area) model. Finally, we hear from our local partner teachers, discussing the benefits their students derive from monthly in-class environmental education (provided by Blue Ventures), in addition to the other exciting extracurricular environmental education activities offered by BV here in Andavadoaka. Mazotoa... enjoy!

Listen to episode 12

This week's episode of Feom'Bezo speaks with Dr Clarisse from the BV Health and Family Planning Programme, who has begun to educate the Velondriake community on proper breastfeeding for raising healthier babies (and ultimately smaller families). From the Education Programme, Joeline gives an update on recent Saturday Schools activities, like the SS "logo and slogan" contest, and Joelson talks about recent work from the Junior Reporters Club. From the Aquaculture Programme, Josva and Zizienne share news from the most successful seaweed-raising and sea cucumber-farming communities. Finally, Dolce shares news on the Velondriake dina, or local conservation laws, recently updated to reflect the expanded scope of BV and Velondriake activities. Enjoy listening!

Listen to episode 13

Time again for the Voice of the Vezo! This week's programme brings us news and updates from the April meeting of the Velondriake Management Committee, as well as big news from the Blue Ventures Aquaculture Programme: the seaweed and sea cucumber projects are growing, so a new job opening has just become available. We also introduce Rado, a scientist helping to compile and analyse BV scientific data, the newest member of the BV Andavadoaka team. Finally Clarisse shares news from the maternal and child health initiative within the Community Health and Family Planning Programme: this week, she explains the importance of child vaccinations in raising healthy families, and ultimately reducing pressure on the Velondriake natural resource base. Mazotoa mijanjy! (Enjoy listening!)

Listen to episode 14