The First Days in Fort-Dauphin

After that, we set off from the airport in Norbert’s Jeep towards their home.

My First Impression of Fort-Dauphin

From the very first few minutes, I got the feeling that I had truly entered a completely different world. Still at the airport, I saw a child of around six years old asking arriving passengers for money. That moment immediately reminded me where I had arrived: in one of the poorest countries in the world. During the drive to Norbert and Maria’s house, I saw things I had previously only known from pictures. Hundreds of self-built houses made of wood and sheet metal stood closely together. Stray dogs wandered among the people, and poverty was no longer something abstract that you read about in statistics – it was right in front of my eyes. For me, it was not an easy sight at first. Not because the people or the city were “ugly”, but because I suddenly realised how privileged my life so far had been. So many things that I had always taken for granted seemed anything but guaranteed here.

A Completely Different World Behind a Gate

When we finally arrived at Norbert and Maria’s home, I was confronted with a completely different picture. What Norbert has built over the past 21 years honestly left me speechless. Over those 21 years, Norbert has practically built the entire property himself. There is a main house, a smaller building for baking bread, a garage, a garden with a small fire pit, solar panels, water systems, showers and electricity – all on this one property. And the impressive part is that Norbert built much of it himself. I was particularly amazed by how well-built and carefully planned everything was. After what I had seen during the drive, I had not expected to find such a small, functioning oasis behind that gate. I had my own room and even my own bathroom. After the days of travelling, that felt like quite a luxury.

When a Project Creates Real Change

That same day, I got my first insight into one of the projects Norbert and Maria are involved in. Norbert had built a water pump and connected it to a solar power system to provide water for a vegetable field. For me, this was an important moment because, for the first time, I was not just talking about the projects – I could actually see what was behind them. It is not simply about financing something and then leaving again. It is about creating solutions that work locally and can be used sustainably in the long term. After that first day, however, I was completely exhausted. The journey, the many new impressions and the lack of sleep had taken their toll. So there was only one thing left to do: sleep and regain my energy.

09.08. – Exploring Fort-Dauphin on My Own

The next morning, I slowly started to settle in. After what felt like a typically German breakfast, I set off into the city alone at around 3:00 p.m. I did not want to experience Fort-Dauphin only from the car. I wanted to see the city for myself and form my own impression. And, of course, I stood out.

“Salama!”

After only a few minutes, I realised that many people were looking at me curiously. A tall, blonde European walking alone through the streets of Fort-Dauphin is apparently not something you see every day. At first, I did not really know how to deal with it. Then I quickly found a simple solution: “Salama!” It means “hello” in Malagasy. And suddenly, something changed. Many people smiled back at me. A small word that I had only learned shortly before suddenly opened doors and led to many friendly encounters.

Between Market Stalls and Run-Down Buildings

One thing that particularly surprised me was that the roads themselves were sometimes in surprisingly good condition. Right next to them, however, everything could look completely different. Run-down buildings, simple wooden structures and houses that made you wonder how much longer they would remain standing were part of the cityscape. Small market stalls were everywhere. Meat, fish, sweets and other food were sold directly on the side of the road. Seeing children working was also something I was not used to. While children of this age in Germany would normally be at school or enjoying their free time, here it seems to be part of everyday life for many children to help out and earn money from an early age. I increasingly realised that I had not simply travelled to another country. I had entered a completely different reality of life.

Football Connects People Everywhere

Later, I came across a football field where two teams were playing against each other. The pitch itself even had artificial turf. The stand next to it, however, looked considerably less stable and appeared to be partially at risk of collapsing. I stayed for a while and watched the game. During the match, I started talking to a local man. Even though we had never met before, we had a conversation, and he later showed me some other parts of Fort-Dauphin. Eventually, he also took me to the beach.

A Beach Like Another World

And then came one of those moments I had not expected at all. The beach was incredibly beautiful. After all the impressions of poverty, simple houses and difficult living conditions, I suddenly found myself in a place that looked as though it could have come straight out of a travel brochure. The ocean, the sand and the landscape were breathtaking. And perhaps this contrast is what fascinates me most about Fort-Dauphin so far: on the one hand, there is enormous poverty and difficult living conditions. On the other hand, there is a natural beauty that is hard to surpass.

The Last Evening with Norbert and Maria

After this long day, however, I had finally run out of energy. So I headed back to Norbert and Maria’s house and went straight to bed. The first two days had already given me an incredible number of new impressions. I had seen a completely different reality of life, met my first local people, visited a project built by Norbert and explored Fort-Dauphin on my own for the first time. And yet, my actual time in Fort-Dauphin had not even begun.

After one more day with Norbert and Maria, the next big step was waiting for me:

Moving to Marillac Monastery with the Lazarist Fathers.

That was where my everyday life as an English teacher would truly begin. And with it, the adventure I had travelled all the way to Madagascar for.

Project Anosy – building brighter futures.