Diana Chamia is a young blogger from the School of Journalism in Mahajanga, Madagascar and has proved more than being a very skilled writer, she’s a true social activist. Connect to her blog and Foko Blog Club to know more about this family she’s helping.

[http://dianachamia.wordpress.com : Help me helping them April 19th. 2008]

August 2007, Philomène Georgine gave birth to wonderful twins : a little girl who was perfectly healthy and a little boy. He was born with a very difficult condition (please take a look at his picture) a flesh lump on his forehead between his eyes and on the top of his little nose. It masks his eyeshight and gives him respiratory problems. ” During a month and a half, my kids and I had to stay at the hospital because of this disease. But during this time, nobody cared for us and you are the first who really shows interest in my children’s well-being. And the first one to smile at them. You know, everybody hate us.” I am a washerwoman and I don’t have clients anymore because people rejected us. My husband left us when I was still pregnant. And doctors didn’t diagnose my son and nobody helped us finding a solution to cure him. ” said the mother Everywhere in the country there are hundreds of children malformation but Majunga is a little town and most people must have heard about our story. Why do people hate us? She hasn’t asked for what is happening to them. There are beggars, people with no food, … but they are not in this situation. What can a woman with no money, work and husband with 1 sick kid to care about can do? And nobody care for them. How did I met this kid? I took the Bus no 5 from home to Bazar Mahabibo but I was too dreamy or maybe it’s this kid’s destiny, I missed my stop. We were already at the City hall stop when I realized my mistake. On the way back to the market, I saw this lady who was bearing a kid on her back, one in her arms and a big red bag on her shoulder. The one in her front was shielded with a green sari. (I was wondering why did she has to use such protection under the very warm Majunga weather). A wind blow discovered the child’s face. I couldn’t believe what I saw before my eyes and couldn’t keep myself for expressing my surprise with a “My Godness”. Of course the mother turned back to protect her child and started to walk very fast. But you can’t escape this easily from Diana chamia. I followed her and told her to rest a little away from the heavy sun. She stared at her child and accepted to rest under the City Hall centenial Flamboyant tree. It was there when she told me about her story and asked me for help. I took my promise and went to the Leo Club of Majunga president. He told me to get to his fundraising on April 26th at Lycée Philibert Tsiranana to show the picture and bring Georgine’s story to these well-intended people.

Thanks to everyone’s enthousiasm and Malagasy blogosphere intense activity, Foko is able to start the next move to support Diana in her personal initiative to help this poor family. More than a dizain of Malagasy bloggers have teamed up to start a fundraising project and are patiently waiting for Diana’s news. We are also looking for a local organization which can give her their full support in Mahajanga. If you’re involved in a heatlh related NGO working in Boeny Region, please contact us at Foko [info@foko-madagascar.org].

[Update: Help me help them - part 2 - May 2nd]

On thursday I went to the studio for the picture I posted on my blog then I went to Lycée Philibert Tsiranana for my meeting with Leo Club (the Youth group of Lion’s Club). When I arrived the president introduced me as a Leo from Diego-Suarez (Madagascar’s northern town where I am from). I told him that I wanted to be talk before the Leo Club here in Majunga because I wanted to help little Kamba.
But when I started my speech, the president looked weird. “Sorry Chamia no Lions came, you know, they are not interested in your case. It’s too much for them, well…Lions are only taking care of visual diseases like cataract and blindness, we are not specialized in this one.
I insisted on saying there must be some impacts on the optic nerve and the flesh is obviously blinding this baby’s eyesight. But apparently my ideas weren’t catching his interest and he pursued on saying “I ‘m sorry Chamia I know what you want…”
I couldn’t wait for this charity to finish so I lef before the end. My left ankled wasn’t healed ye (Diana took motobike lessons earlier this week and had a little accident which made her go to massage sessions) so I felt a little pain and a lot of sadness. I’m still very sad. I don’t know what to do, Lions Club was my only hope, they let me down. What can I do now?
But I won’t fail my promise to Kamba’s mother and do everything that I can to help her son.

After this overwhelming post and the message she sent to Rondro (Ikalamako) and Joan (Jogany), the two of us planned an open chatroom to exchange ideas, networking and experience on what could be the best move for Diana. On May 3rd, the bloggers committee agreed on :

* Letting Diana taking full control of her initiative and have the last word on any decision (of course she will contact the family before anything will be decided).
* Waiting for Hanitra (Sipagasy) meeting with Stéphane (Foko) in Madagascar where they’ll have more about the situation and start to contact health organizations and doctors.
* By May 19th, we will gather all the informations to start the fundraising movement in order to support this family financially and send them enough money for their very first diagnostic.
* The committee and Diana are always open to your suggestions and questionning. Since this is Diana first try at global fundraising and with class schedule (which didn’t keep her for being the most activist among us all), we’re asking for everyone’s comprehension and discretion.

 [Update: Message from Bako and Jean - May 10th] 

Merci du chaleureux message à notre endroit et il nous ferait grand plaisir de vous voir parmi les personnes qui vont nous encourager le long du parcours de 21 kms le 25 mai prochain. Merci aussi de nous faire savoir l'existence de Foko Blog Club. Le cas de l'enfant né avec une malformation congénitale à majunga me touche personnellement sur plusieurs plan étant moi-même un ancien de Majunga d'où mon père est originaire et où une bonne partie de ma famille vit encore. L'école de journalisme de Majunga me concerne un peu sussi sur le plan personnel étant un ancien journaliste de Majunga conscient des difficultés de la presse régionale .

Thank you for your warmful message and it will please us to see you cheering us up next Saturday May 25th for the 21 kms run to raise fun for little Kamba in Ottawa. Thank you also for telling us about the Foko Blog Club Project. I felt personnaly appealed by the baby's malformation and also because I am a former journalist based in Majunga. Most of my family still live there and I feel also concerned for the School of Journalism hard time to get the visibility its deserves like all regional media in Madagascar.

• If you happen to be in Ottawa on Saturday May 25th, please join me cheering them for team name Black Angels of Ottawa, Baku and Jean have entered the Ottawa Half-Marathon to raise money for a local and global cause.
  
• They took the personal initiative to find a local surgeon who is going to check the family and tell us about the baby health situation. Hopefully by next week, they will let us know how much you will all have to raise to get the surgery done and of course to support the family financially.
• Diana is of course…thrilled!

[Update: Who are Jean and Bako - May 15th]

Minutes after I had a very fun phone call with this nice couple from Ottawa with very strong roots in Majunga, they sent us their pictures from the villages they've been helping. Jean also told me that all he was doing wasn't in the intention to look genereous or philanthropist, it was only because the mother and children situation touched their heart. I would add : they are great inspiration for us all. We will be hearing in the upcoming days from Max (Jean cousin's in Majunga who is taking care of the family) who will make their first 120$CAN donation in good use by taking them to a neuro-surgeon. What will happen next is not only up to the people who already helped but us who are willing to do something … Take in mind that Philomène is only 20 with 3 kids we will have to also to take care of them and finally project into their finally future. 

Bonjour Joan,

 

On aurait voulu faire plus mais on n'a pu faire que ce qui était à la portée de nos moyens bien modestes. Pour le cas de l'enfant à Majunga, je n'ai fait que parler au téléphone et écrire des messages. C'est Diana et Max qui ont fait tout le travail, n'est-ce pas? En tout cas, merci des mots gentils à notre endroit et on se demande si on le mérite. Nous sommes convaincus qu'à plusieurs on viendrait à bout d'aider efficacement cet enfant qui a tellement besoin de notre coup de main. Entre temps, si le coeur vous dit de voir les photos des gens des deux villages que nous aidons à Madagascar, voici les liens. Quant on regarde comment les yeux des enfants dans ces photos brillent de joie et d'innocence alors que nous n'avons apporté que très peu, cela nous poussent à faire un peu plus. Car le jour où ces yeux ne brilleront plus de joie et d'innocence, le pays aura franchi un point de non retour. De la vitalité de nos campagnes dépend l'avenir de Madagascar car la nourriture qui arrivent sur les tables en ville, d'ou viennent-elles? Il faudrait dire aux jeunes dans les villes de respecter les paysans car sans les paysans, nos campagnes qui sont nos sources de vie disparaitront et nous avec. Bref, voici les liens:

 

http://www.geocities.com/burzano@rogers.com/

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11178025@N06/sets/72157601311995496/

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11178025@N06/sets/72157601311995842/

[Update: Max came in rescue ! ]
We were very happy to hear from Hanitra our envoyee in Madagascar (well she happens to be there on vacations and wanted to help out as well). She already knows Stephane from her frequent blogging with Foko and will be introduced to the other bloggers she will award with gifts and prizes. Diana in Majunga received a phone call fron them both this Thursday afternoon while they met at Teknet Antananarivo.
Again Max name was mentioned and we already know about him from Jean and Bako. They are relatives of Max who is currently living in Majunga and contacted Diana shortly after the news abotu this baby came out. He will be our contact with the family since he is kindly involved in every step of this great project. On sunday a surgeon will check on the kid and will give Max and Diana the results if either they will move to Antananarivo or not. Whatever happen on Sunday, we will be ready to help them right?
Stay tuned for more news from baby Kamba.
and again Thank you Max

Podcast : http://www.foko-madagascar.org/podcasts/dianahanitra.mp3

[Update: First diagnostic out !May 18th ]
Bonjour Joan,
Je viens de parler à Max. Il est allé voir l’enfant avec le neuro-chirurgien. Diana a été prévenue de la visite chez la famille mais n’a pas pu y aller. Résultat de la première consultation : le neuro-chirurgien est optimiste et voudrait voir l’enfant hospitalisé à Tana le plus tôt possible. Il parlera avec l’hopital dès la semaine prochaine pour voir combien cela couterait pour l’hospitalisation. Mais comme il y a l’autre enfant car parle de jumeaux (un enfant avec malformation et un autre enfant en bonne santé), la mère ne peut laisser cet enfant seul à Majunga. Cela fait que sa soeur va faire partie du voyage pour aider la mère à prendre soin des deux bébés. Le neuro-chirurgien a dit que l’hopital a des chambres privées où les 4 peuvent rester durant l’hospitalisation de l’enfant ayant des problèmes. Je suis en posséssion de 200 dollars canadiens actuellement résultat de notre levée de fonds.
I just spoke to Max. he went to the family with the neuro-surgeon. Diana couldnt make it but is informed about the situation. The resuts are very positive : The neruo-surgeon is optimistic and want to the child to be hospitalized in Tana as soon as possible. He willtalk to the hospital staff next week to know about the fees. but he know there is another kid involved (Kamba has a twin sister who was born heatlhy). The mother can t leave this child in Majunga so we have to bring her sister to take care of the other baby too. The neuro-surgeon told us the hospital has private rooms where the 4 of them can stay during the child hospitalization. I was able to raise 200$CAN (reminder: Jean and Bako the Black Angers have already sent 120$ to the fanily earlier last week!)
Le voyage sur Tana se fera probablement le 2 ou 3 juin. Alors, c’est le moment ou jamais de manifester notre soutien à cette cause. L’enfant sera opéré à Tana le plus tôt possible après confirmation par scanner qu’il n’y a aucun organe vital dans la “bosse”. Sinon, ce sera un peu plus difficile mais pas impossible. Mais on ne peut rien dire à ce stade-ci. Seul le scanner permettra de déterminer avec précision la situation réélle.
Voila, je pense avoir tout dit. Je vous tiens au courant dès que j’ai d’autres nouvelles.
The trip to Tana is scheduled on June 2nd or 3rd and it is about time we manifest out support to this cause. The child will receive healthcare as soon as possible and the scanner will confirm if there are vital organs touched by this malformation. It could increase the difficulties during the operation but it is not impossible. We can say anything at this point. I will keep you guyz updated as soon as I get the latest news.
Regards, Jean Razafindambo

[Update: Soutenez Olga dans son initiative!! !May 19 th ]

http://rahelys.unblog.fr
Joan,

Bonjour,

merci pour ton invitation !

Si tu as bien suivi l’évolution de cette démarche de Diana,
JE NE ME SUIS TOUJOURS TENUE
A LA DISPOSITION DE DIANA qui fut d’ailleurs la première
à me contacter !
Et sans prétention aucune, j’ai été parmi les premiers, sinon
la première, à me mobiliser avec elle !

C’est bien que de votre côté vous vous organisiez !
Mais de mon côté, depuis le début - voir mon précédent e-mail pour toi -
Sous l’égide de l’association HELI’S MADAGSCAR, dont je suis la fondatrice en 2002,
JE MENE MON HUMBLE PARTICIPATION et j’ai constitué
MA PROPRE ORGANISATION en vue d’aider DIANA !

Ainsi, permets-moi de te dire que:

- Pour ce que j’ai fait jusqu’à maintenant dans le cadre de “CHAINE DE VIE KAMBA”,
j’ai tenu à garder une certaine discrétion par respect pour DIANA et surtout en suivant
les règles d’action de HELI’S MADAGASCAR
qui APPORTE et/ou PARRAINNE AIDES etc… SANS VOULOIR ACCAPARER LES INITIATIVES
DES AUTRES ORGANISATIONS.

- PLUS il y a d’organisations qui se mobilisent, MIEUX c’est !

Comme disait DIANA “Bof ! l’essentiel est de sauver l’enfant” !

DONC

Merci à NOUS TOUS POUR NOS INITIATIVES !
Et que chaque organisation entoure L’ENFANT KAMBA de SON MIEUX !

Amitiés,

Olga HELISOA
HELI’S MADAGASCAR
http://rahelys.blogger.com

Bonjour Olga,

Nous voulons te remercier pour tes efforts individuelles pour aider Diana dans son initiative et t invitons tous formellement a nous rejoindre pour coordonner nos efforts ensemble.

Diana etant le maitre d oeuvre et maintenant Max sur place l aidant nous voulons surtout faciliter les efforts de contribution financiere efficacement et aussi la circulation d information.

Jean et Bako donnant aussi souvent que possible des nouvelles de Majunga, Stephane et Hanitra qui sont sur Mada et en contact avec Max et Diana prets a donner un coup de main, Hery et Andry qui relayeront des que l annonce sera faites la campagne de financement, Rondro, Miangaly, kalamainty, ikalakely et moi qui appuyons et coordonnons tout et finalement foko qui fera son possible pour aider Diana dans ses initiatives.

Nous attendons impatiemment ton entree dans notre comite et te voir proposer tes excellentes idees a tout le groupe. Il faut aussi que tu saches que cette action a un caractere globale tres innovateur pour des Malgaches et que nous sersons tous ensemble les intiateurs de la plus belle campagne spontanee du milieu. Tout cela evidemment nous menera vers le bonheur de cette famille.

Merci a toi

[Update: We’re waiting for your donations at Zaza-Vavy : http://www.zaza-vavy.org ! ]

Many already know around the blogosphere and internet about this sad story of one year-old baby Kamba Antefindrazana born with a malformation. It was Diana Chamia who first published about the family when she started at FOKO_Majunga and wrote : “Help me Help them” as she promised the mother to do whatever she can in finding solutions for the baby. Since then many of her friends relay her hard work and discussed about the ways to support her efforts, all actions related to this story has been carefully summarized here on Malagasy Miray:
http://malagasymiray.net/2008/05/02/help-diana-help-them-bloggers-committe-on-the-way/
Today we can start our global call for solidarity after the first surgeon in Majunga accepted to take care of the family and planned to move them to Antananarivo for a better diagnostic. This trip needs your financial support and the committe is aiming to raise 500$ for the first fundraising. There will be also medical costs and daily expenses for tg family since Kamba has a healthy twin sister and another big sister her mother Goergine has to take care of.
We can’t thank you enough for your help and support to this family and baby Kamba. Everyone involved has already spent amountless time on networking and brainstorming we also want to thank them for caring this much. If you happen to be in Madagascar and available to help out by the time please contact us .

From Diana Chamia, Kamba’s family and the committee

[Update: May 25th : News from Jean and Bako from the Ottawa semi-marathon http://www.zaza-vavy.org ! ]

UPDATES ARE NOW FREQUENTLY POSTED ON ZAZA-VAVY BLOG

[Update : June 1st : Preparations for Antananarivo]

[Update : June 3rd : Message from Diana]
salut devine ki è avc moi?
Hello guess who s with me?
We arrived in Tana and Mavo (ikalamako sister serves as chaperont to Diana and guide her through the city) si currently writing you a mail. I have to leave now we re lost in the labyrinth of HJRA (Hopital Ravoangy Andrianavalona , General Hospital in Antananarivo) with Kamba s exams for tomorrow.
Take care

bjr,onè deja a tana et maintenant moi Mavo ta soeur (ikalamako sister serves as chaperon to Diana and guide her through the city) on est entrain de t’ecrir,voila je te la laisse salut Ne on traine dans le labyrinthe
HJRA avec le bilan de Kamba a effectuer demain,ben on te laisse pour
l’instant et a+

[Update : June 7th : HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAMBA]

Please read Diana’s blog for the latest news and more pictures are coming!!

[Update : June 8th : We’re waiting for your support! from ikalamako]
Hello Friends,

Things are going well. They’ve passed the scanner and we’re getting all ready for the second phase of this project, the operation.
Mavo (her sister who’s Max relay in Antananarivo) succeeds in solving the food problem at the hospital. Since the twins are too young to eat what is prepared at the HJRA-Befelatanana, she found a more appropriate solution : make a friend of hers who has a house inside the hospital properties cook the meals. We shouldn’t have to worry about this anymore. Then the very kind Mrs Anja Elisabeth (Jean and Bako close family) came by to resupply the little family (of 4 since Kamba’s mom came with her twin sister to help out with her other baby).
If you want to help on this level, I made a call to my friends in Antananarivo asking them to bring fruits, cereals, water, juice, …. It’s another way to participate. I think they’ll gain more autonomy by next week.
Something touching yesterday : Diana called her mother and when telling her about the twin’s birthday that they were going to have a big party, her mother corrected her telling : the big party will be when Kamba recover from her operation.

Take care and keep Kamba in your prayers

[Update : June 7th : KAMBA undergoes first chirurgy

We heard on sunday that Pr Clément was ready to operate baby Kamba. at 11 am on Tuesday . Thank you for your kind thoughts and more informations will be made available very soon.

[Update : June 18th : KAMBA and the stars]

http://dianachamia.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/kamba-et-ses-etoiles/

Room 129, it’s the room for macrocephaly babies , I went there maybe because of curiosity but especially because there were children. Once I got there I saw this dwarf lady with her macrocephaly baby.

I went to them and we talked for a while and she told me she was poor and had no monet but I knew she was lying because they weren’t treated as regular patients and having little privildges (for the meal for example). I told her I was penniless too but remembered Mavo game me 2000 Ar and gave it to the lady (I hope Mavo doesn’t read about this because she gave me the money for internet connection)

On Monday 9th at 9 am, the little lady came into our room very joyful and looking a lot like Snow White afte she was awaken. She told me :
- Come with me I want to help you..
- You helping me? what is happening I don’t understand, I asked
- Come with me because you need something for the baby you grought with you for his surgery. It’s a medical valve for after the operation and it costs a fortune. And if you come with me you can get it for free

The nurse agreed with her and urge me to go with the lady. We went together to a house near a Jovenna gas station. We went upstairs to the first floor and an old monsieur who looks a lot like a morroccan was in his office. She said :
-It’s her

At first I felt scared because we were at a very dark house with not suffisent lighting around and I had no idea where we were. By the time he started to speak many images developped in my head ; I thought they were organs traffickers…
- Is it you who came here with the child with a big nose ?
- It is not his nose, it is called a frontal Meningocele
- You know the name, I thought you weren’t aware of it
- I know a lot because the ex-minister of health explained it to me and then I checked on the internet and it is due to a folic acid deficiency at the first month of pregnancy.
- Great you seem to taking good care of him , the thing I want to give you costs 5 000 000 fmg and you deserve to get it because she told me about your dream to hlp this baby.

I was speechless and the only thing I amanged to ask was :
-How much is it again?
-1.000.000ariary=5.000.000fmg, and if I have enough time I will visit you at the room 125 for neuro-surgery patients, and if there is anything else I can do for you don’t hesitate to come by, ok Diana?

I nodded and found nothing else to say but when I had my mind cleared I was already thanking him so many times I think he was starting to get annoyed. Then I thanked the lovely lady who now looks more like fairy to me. How can I imagine that a woman I visited earlier this week at room 129 could help us this much when I only gave her 2000 Ar at first place.

When I came back at the hospital, put the medical valve in the box for Kamba’s things ready for the operation and told everyone about the miracle.

Tuesday 10th, everyone has only one thing in their mind “it’s today Lord help our little one”. At 11 am, they took him at the bloc and all the stars shined only for Kamba. Only one person could attend the surgery with him, since Georgine wasn’t really ready, Mavo decided to assist the baby in her place. It was done at 3 pm, and cried, I was thinking to myself “well he is crying it means he is alive”. The first step of the process is now accomplished , we’re waiting for the second surgery. Poor little kiddo was crying because he was hungry, we couldn’t give him food from 4 am. 3.23 pm his mom is allowed to feed him, he can sleep thight now.

Please read more on :

Diana’s blog : http://dianachamia.wordpress.com

the blogosphere posts http://del.icio.us/foko

Foko Blog organization http://club.foko-madagascar.org/

Who’s involved?

This great movement of solidarity started with Diana Chamia’s call for help

Jean and Bako Razafindambo came as the Black Angels who finance the trip to Antananarivo and helped with getting the surgeon contact for the medical care

Max (right) is their contact in Madagascar who is taking care of the finances and the contacts

Mr Clement (the surgeon), Madame Mavo (the family’s chaperon in Antananarivo), Mme Anja Elisabeth (who is their second chaperon and providing from the donations) are people closely involved in getting Baby Kamba the good Medical cares. (more pictures online soon)

The associations and non-profit involved :

Zaza-vavy.org, for Malagasy Child and Woman, is a network of Malagasy bloggers working to protect and inform. Most of the members are actively raising funds and awareness around for Baby Kamba

Foko-Madagascar is the non-profit in charge of the media and the communication with Diana as contact, member of the Foko Blog Club from Majunga. She will be making contact with the media in town to sensibilize on her campaign.

Please find here the official list of friends and associations also promoting this cause.

You can also join us on Facebook and Follow Diana on Twitter

Please read more on :

Diana’s blog : http://dianachamia.wordpress.com

the blogosphere posts http://del.icio.us/foko

Foko Blog Club organization http://club.foko-madagascar.org/

This great movement of solidarity started with Diana Chamia's call for help 

Jean and Bako Razafindambo came as the Black Angels who finance the trip to Antananarivo and helped with getting the surgeon contact for the medical care

Max (right) is their contact in Madagascar who is taking care of the finances and the contacts

Mr Clement (the surgeon), Madame Mavo (the family's chaperon in Antananarivo), Mme Anja Elisabeth (who is their second chaperon and providing from the donations) are people closely involved in getting Baby Kamba the good Medical cares. (more pictures online soon)

The associations and non-profit involved :

Zaza-vavy.org, for Malagasy Child and Woman, is a network of Malagasy bloggers working to protect and inform. Most of the members are actively raising funds and awareness around for Baby Kamba

Foko-Madagascar is the non-profit in charge of the media and the communication with Diana as contact, member of the Foko Blog Club from Majunga. She will be making contact with the media in town to sensibilize on her campaign.

Please find here the official list of friends and associations also promoting this cause.

You can also join us on Facebook and Follow Diana on Twitter