Where it began

Altervitam began with two sisters, Lala and Vero. They were eleven and thirteen when their father died. Their mother, living in a rural area where income depended on seasonal and uncertain work, struggled to provide for them on her own. Daily survival required careful management of limited resources, and school expenses quickly became impossible to sustain. Read more

 Bakoly was six years old when she lost both of her parents. She went to live with her uncle’s family in Soamanandray, a rural village near Antananarivo, where income was uncertain and carefully stretched across daily needs. School fees, uniforms and supplies were beyond what the household could manage.  Read more

   My name is Aina.  I was still young when my mother died. After that, I went to live with relatives. They were doing their best, but there was always work to be done and little money to spare. I helped with water, cooking and looking after younger children. School slowly stopped being part of my daily life.  Read more