Support Scientists in Madagascar
Donation protected
Etsy ambany ny dikan-teny amin’ny teny Malagasy
Project Summary
Ikala STEM is an association of Malagasy women residing in Madagascar and in other parts of the world, in different career stages in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The association aims to promote education and science in Madagascar, and to raise the profile of women in STEM in the Malagasy community. Ikala STEM operates under four regional Chapters, each of which organizes different activities to reach these goals, such as workshop and mentoring. Our activities are geared toward female Malagasy of various ages and levels of education, from girls in elementary school to adult women with postgraduate degrees. For more info about the association: https://www.ikalastem.org/ . Ikala STEM is legally registered in Madagascar as a non-profit organization.
The USA Chapter of Ikala STEM, composed of five Malagasy women scientists, organizes a “Funding” program that will award grants to young Malagasy in STEM to support their academic and professional development (research, travel to a workshop/conference, or preparation of a thesis), following rigorous application evaluations.
We thus launch this fundraising scheme as a tool to reach our objective. All your donations will be put toward this program, and no member of Ikala STEM - USA Chapter will gain financial benefit from it. Other than the fee charged by GoFundMe (2.9 % + $0.30 per donation), neither overhead nor administration fee will be deducted from the fund we raise. In addition to this, we will publicly announce the names of the award recipients and the amount awarded for transparency, both via the website of Ikala STEM and its social media pages.
STEM and funding in Madagascar
The island of Madagascar has always sparked interests among many scientists because of its unique and rich biodiversity, its geological history, and unfortunately the high burden of various diseases affecting the lives of many every year. Between 2007 and 2017, at least 11,645 published scientific manuscripts were about Madagascar (data from Web of Science with “Madagascar” as a topic keyword). Unfortunately, only 12% of such important discoveries are co-authored by scientists affiliated with an institution in Madagascar. What is more, Malagasy scientists leading such research are scarce.
A limiting factor in the involvement of Malagasy scientists and the advancement of science in Madagascar is largely the lack of adequate funding. More often than not, financial support to conduct research in Madagascar come from foreign collaboration, limiting the number of contributing Malagasy scientists. This lack of financial support applies at multiple levels, from the implementation of a research project to dissemination of research findings (including printing costs of a dissertation and presentation at a scientific meeting). It is even alarming for Malagasy students, hindering their ability to pursue a career in any scientific fields.
As an example to put this problem in perspective, a Malagasy MSc student at the University of Antananarivo receives a stipend of ~$15 per month, while the cost of staying at a research station to conduct research at one of the Madagascar’s biodiversity hotspot is ~$35 per day. It is also common for students to travel far, even inside Madagascar, to do fieldwork, and the cost of transportation (car rental, fuels, bush taxis) are additional burden for them, if not only mentioning a significant barrier towards their academic progress. Unfortunately, Madagascar does not have adequate education loan in place and the government has no financial program in financing students as well as research. In these conditions, we came to realize that even basic steps in research such as data collection and access to printable documents for a dissertation can be challenging.
International researchers have indeed been a great support to Malagasy students, for which many of us at Ikala STEM have benefited. A consortium assessing and granting research permits in Madagascar has required that all international researchers must support at least a Malagasy student when applying for a research permit. However, this does not apply to all STEM fields -- international researchers going to Madagascar to conduct a research related to Technology or Engineering are not common. Besides, not all international researchers can afford to support a Malagasy student for the duration of their research in Madagascar in its entirety (for example, a foreign graduate student researcher whose funding is very limited).
While we recognize that the best solution would be to reach out to our own government to improve the quality of life for its own STEM students and researchers, the current political situation can suggest that no significant changes will be expected to happen anytime soon. For these reasons, we decided to take matter into our hands and try to find solutions to help our fellow Malagasy, by implementing this grant program.
We hope to support 3 students this year as a pilot (1 research grant, 1 travel/conference award and 1 dissertation grant). Students will submit an application with proposal, which will be reviewed by external reviewer experts in the field (our Chapter members will only act as officers and will not take part in the decisions of who gets the grants).
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Famintinana ny tetikasa
Ikala STEM dia fikambanana mampivondrona ireo vehivavy Malagasy monina ao Madagasikara sy any amin’ny firenena hafa ivelany, misehatra amin’ny taranja STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Tanjon’ny fikambanana ny hampiroborobo ny fanabeazana sy ny siansa ao Madagasikara. Imasoana indrindra ny hampisogadinana ny anjara toeran’ny vehivavy STEM Malagasy eo anivon’ny fiarahamonina. Mizara vondrona efatra, izay miely amin’ny faritra efatra amin’izao tontolo izao ny mpikambana ao amin’Ikala STEM. Ny vondrona tsirairay dia manana ny tetikasa miavaka narafitra manokana mba hanatratrarana ireo tanjona lehibe an’Ikala STEM, toy ny ‘workshop” sy ny “mentoring”. Ireo tetikasa ireo dia natao manokana handraisan’ny vehivavy Malagasy tsy an-kanavaka, tsy mifidy salan-taona na diplaoma ananana, izany hoe manomboka any amin’ny ambaratonga fototra ka hatrany amin’ny anjerimanontolo. Raha te hahafantatra bebe kokoa momba ny fikambanana ianao dia tsidiho ity rohy ity: https://ikalastem.org/ . Ikala STEM dia fikambanana “non-profit” miorina ara-panjakana ao Madagasikara.
Vehivavy miisa dimy, misehatra amin’ny taranja siansa no mandrafitra ny vondrona Ikala STEM USA Chapter. Anisan’ny tetikasa sahaniny ny fanomezana famatsiam-bola hanohanana ireo tanora malagasy amin’io sehatra io, amin’ny lafiny fianarana sy ny asa (fikarohana, fandraisana anjara amina “conference” na atrikasa, fanomanana these). Mandalo fifantenana matotra ny antontan-tartasiníreo olona maniry hisitraka ny vatsim-pianarana omen’ny tetikasa.
Mba hanatanterahana izany dia manao ity antso avo ity izahay hanangonana vola ho an’io tetikasa io. Ireo vola voangona rehetra dia ampiasaina hanatanterahana ny tetikasa, ary tsy misy tombontsoa manokana azon’ireo mpikambana Ikala STEM - USA Chapter. Ankoatry ny ampaham-bola alain’ny tamba-jotra serasera “GoFundMe” hampiasaina (2.9 % + $0.30 isaky ny fanomezana), ny vola voangona dia hirotsaka manontolo amin’ny kitapom-bolan’ny tetikasa. Havoaka ampahibemaso ary atao mangarahara ny vokatry ny fanagonamam-bola sy ny anaran’íreo olona voafidy hisitraka izany.
Ny famatsiam-bola sy ny STEM any Madagasikara
Madagasikara dia mahaliana hatrany ireo mpikaroka eran-tany amin’ny lafiny maro, noho ireo harena ara-javaboary misy eo aminy, ny tantara ara-jeolojika miavaka, kanefa ao koa indrisy ireo areti-mifindra izay mbola mamono olona betsaka isan-taona. Tao anatin’ny folo taona lasa fotsiny ohatra dia efa nahatratra 11,645 isa ireo voka-pikarohana eran’izao tontolo mikasika an’i Madagasikara (fanangonan-kevitra azo avy tao amin’ny Web of Science tao anelanelan’ny taona 2007-2017 ahitana ny teny hoe “Madagasikara” ao anatin’ireo teny mpamaritra ny fikarohana). Kanefa dia mampalahelo fa 12 isanjaton’ireo fikarohana mahaliana ireo ihany no ahitana fandraisana anjaran’ny mpikaroka avy amin’ny ivoterana fikarohana ao Madagasikara. Ireo fikarohana tantanin’ny mpikaroka Malagasy moa dia vitsy tokoa.
Anisan’ny olana sedrain’ny mpikaroka Malagasy sy sakana ho an’ny asa fikarohana ao Madagasikara ny tsy fisian’ny famatsiam-bola. Ny ankabetsahan’ireo famatsiam-bola misy dia noho ny fiaraha-miasa amin’ireo mpikaroka vahiny, izay mampihena ny fahahafahan’ny mpikaroka Malagasy hanana anjara toerana lehibe amin’ny fikarohana. Ambaratonga maro eo amin’ny sehatry ny fikarohana no misedra olana noho io tsy fisian’io famatsiam-bola io, manomboka hatrany amin’ny famolavolana ny tetikasa fikarohana, ny fanaparitahana ny voka-pikarohana (anisan’izany ny saran’ny fanontana boky sy saran’ny fandraisana anjara amin’ireo fivoariamben’ny siantifika). Noho izany dia mihena ny faharisihan’ireo mpianatra Malagasy hanohy fianarana amin’ny taranja STEM.
Ohatra akaiky azo tsapain-tanana amin’izany ny olana sedrain’ny mpianatra Malagasy hanao fikarohana any amin’ny alan-javaboahary sasany eto Madagasikara, izay mety mahatratra hatramin’ny 115,000Ar isan’andro, kanefa dia 48,400Ar monja isam-bolana ny vatsim-pianarana raisin’ireo mpianatra manao Master. Ho fanampin’izay anefa dia mila manao “impression” boky farafakeliny 10 eo ny mpianatra ray vao mahavitra ny Master-ny (25,000 Ar ny boky iray); ary ny halafon’ny saran-dalana sy lasantsy handehanana hamonjy toerana anaovana fikarohana koa manginy fotsiny. Ny rafitra misy eto Madagasikara moa dia tsy ahafahan’ny mpianatra Malagasy manao findramam-bola toy ny hita amin’ny firenena sasany. Noho izany dia tsy afaka ny hanao fikarohana ny mpianatra raha tsy misy fanohanana ara-bola avy amin’ireo mpiara-miasa vahiny.
Ekena tokoa fa manampy betsaka ireo mpianatra mpikaroka Malagasy ny fiaraha-miasa amin’ny mpikaroka avy any ivelany, ary betsaka ireo mpikambana ao amin’ny Ikala STEM no efa nahita tombotsoa tamin’izany. Anisan’ny fifanarahana atao amin’ireo ivon-toerana avy any ivelany, izay mangataka alalana hanao fikarohana eto Madagsasika ny fandraisana an-tanana ny mpianatra mpikaroka Malagasy iray fara-fahakeliny. Kanefa tsy ny sehatra STEM rehetra akory no iharan’izany - raha ny marina dia tsy re firy ny mikasika ireo mpikaroka vahiny tonga eto Madagasikara hanao fikarohana amin’ny sehatra Teknolojia sy Enjeniera. Tsara ho marihina koa fa tsy ny mpikaroka vahiny tonga eto Madagsikara rehetra no manana fahafahana ara-bola hanohana ny fikarohana ataon’ny mpinatra malagasy (ohatra amin’izany ireo mpianatra vahiny izay tsapa fa kely fidiran-bola).
Iaraha-mahalala fa ny vahaolana tsara indrindra dia ny fandraisan’ny fitondrana Malagasy an-tanana ny famatsiam-bolan’ny fikarohana eto Madagsikara, kanefa mbola lavitr’ezaka izany. Noho izany indrindra no nahatonga anay hitady vahaolana, amin ny alalan’ity hetsika fanangonam-bola ity, mba ho fanampiana ireo mpianatra malagasy.
Ho fanombohana ary dia ny hanohana mpianatra telo no kajinay amin’ity taona ity (famatsiana fikarohana iray, famatsiana ny dia manatrika “conference” na atrikasa iray, ary famatsiana ny fanomanana boky Master na Doctorat iray). Asaina handefa taratasy fangatahana mirakitra ny tetikasa tiany atao ary ireo mpianatra, ka ny sivana dia hataon’ireo olona matianina amin’ny sehatra fikarohana (izahay ato amin’ny Chapter USA dia mpikarakara ihany fa tsy handray anjara amin’ny fanapahan-kevitra farany mikasika ny fanomezana ny fanampiana).
Project Summary
Ikala STEM is an association of Malagasy women residing in Madagascar and in other parts of the world, in different career stages in STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The association aims to promote education and science in Madagascar, and to raise the profile of women in STEM in the Malagasy community. Ikala STEM operates under four regional Chapters, each of which organizes different activities to reach these goals, such as workshop and mentoring. Our activities are geared toward female Malagasy of various ages and levels of education, from girls in elementary school to adult women with postgraduate degrees. For more info about the association: https://www.ikalastem.org/ . Ikala STEM is legally registered in Madagascar as a non-profit organization.
The USA Chapter of Ikala STEM, composed of five Malagasy women scientists, organizes a “Funding” program that will award grants to young Malagasy in STEM to support their academic and professional development (research, travel to a workshop/conference, or preparation of a thesis), following rigorous application evaluations.
We thus launch this fundraising scheme as a tool to reach our objective. All your donations will be put toward this program, and no member of Ikala STEM - USA Chapter will gain financial benefit from it. Other than the fee charged by GoFundMe (2.9 % + $0.30 per donation), neither overhead nor administration fee will be deducted from the fund we raise. In addition to this, we will publicly announce the names of the award recipients and the amount awarded for transparency, both via the website of Ikala STEM and its social media pages.
STEM and funding in Madagascar
The island of Madagascar has always sparked interests among many scientists because of its unique and rich biodiversity, its geological history, and unfortunately the high burden of various diseases affecting the lives of many every year. Between 2007 and 2017, at least 11,645 published scientific manuscripts were about Madagascar (data from Web of Science with “Madagascar” as a topic keyword). Unfortunately, only 12% of such important discoveries are co-authored by scientists affiliated with an institution in Madagascar. What is more, Malagasy scientists leading such research are scarce.
A limiting factor in the involvement of Malagasy scientists and the advancement of science in Madagascar is largely the lack of adequate funding. More often than not, financial support to conduct research in Madagascar come from foreign collaboration, limiting the number of contributing Malagasy scientists. This lack of financial support applies at multiple levels, from the implementation of a research project to dissemination of research findings (including printing costs of a dissertation and presentation at a scientific meeting). It is even alarming for Malagasy students, hindering their ability to pursue a career in any scientific fields.
As an example to put this problem in perspective, a Malagasy MSc student at the University of Antananarivo receives a stipend of ~$15 per month, while the cost of staying at a research station to conduct research at one of the Madagascar’s biodiversity hotspot is ~$35 per day. It is also common for students to travel far, even inside Madagascar, to do fieldwork, and the cost of transportation (car rental, fuels, bush taxis) are additional burden for them, if not only mentioning a significant barrier towards their academic progress. Unfortunately, Madagascar does not have adequate education loan in place and the government has no financial program in financing students as well as research. In these conditions, we came to realize that even basic steps in research such as data collection and access to printable documents for a dissertation can be challenging.
International researchers have indeed been a great support to Malagasy students, for which many of us at Ikala STEM have benefited. A consortium assessing and granting research permits in Madagascar has required that all international researchers must support at least a Malagasy student when applying for a research permit. However, this does not apply to all STEM fields -- international researchers going to Madagascar to conduct a research related to Technology or Engineering are not common. Besides, not all international researchers can afford to support a Malagasy student for the duration of their research in Madagascar in its entirety (for example, a foreign graduate student researcher whose funding is very limited).
While we recognize that the best solution would be to reach out to our own government to improve the quality of life for its own STEM students and researchers, the current political situation can suggest that no significant changes will be expected to happen anytime soon. For these reasons, we decided to take matter into our hands and try to find solutions to help our fellow Malagasy, by implementing this grant program.
We hope to support 3 students this year as a pilot (1 research grant, 1 travel/conference award and 1 dissertation grant). Students will submit an application with proposal, which will be reviewed by external reviewer experts in the field (our Chapter members will only act as officers and will not take part in the decisions of who gets the grants).
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Famintinana ny tetikasa
Ikala STEM dia fikambanana mampivondrona ireo vehivavy Malagasy monina ao Madagasikara sy any amin’ny firenena hafa ivelany, misehatra amin’ny taranja STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Tanjon’ny fikambanana ny hampiroborobo ny fanabeazana sy ny siansa ao Madagasikara. Imasoana indrindra ny hampisogadinana ny anjara toeran’ny vehivavy STEM Malagasy eo anivon’ny fiarahamonina. Mizara vondrona efatra, izay miely amin’ny faritra efatra amin’izao tontolo izao ny mpikambana ao amin’Ikala STEM. Ny vondrona tsirairay dia manana ny tetikasa miavaka narafitra manokana mba hanatratrarana ireo tanjona lehibe an’Ikala STEM, toy ny ‘workshop” sy ny “mentoring”. Ireo tetikasa ireo dia natao manokana handraisan’ny vehivavy Malagasy tsy an-kanavaka, tsy mifidy salan-taona na diplaoma ananana, izany hoe manomboka any amin’ny ambaratonga fototra ka hatrany amin’ny anjerimanontolo. Raha te hahafantatra bebe kokoa momba ny fikambanana ianao dia tsidiho ity rohy ity: https://ikalastem.org/ . Ikala STEM dia fikambanana “non-profit” miorina ara-panjakana ao Madagasikara.
Vehivavy miisa dimy, misehatra amin’ny taranja siansa no mandrafitra ny vondrona Ikala STEM USA Chapter. Anisan’ny tetikasa sahaniny ny fanomezana famatsiam-bola hanohanana ireo tanora malagasy amin’io sehatra io, amin’ny lafiny fianarana sy ny asa (fikarohana, fandraisana anjara amina “conference” na atrikasa, fanomanana these). Mandalo fifantenana matotra ny antontan-tartasiníreo olona maniry hisitraka ny vatsim-pianarana omen’ny tetikasa.
Mba hanatanterahana izany dia manao ity antso avo ity izahay hanangonana vola ho an’io tetikasa io. Ireo vola voangona rehetra dia ampiasaina hanatanterahana ny tetikasa, ary tsy misy tombontsoa manokana azon’ireo mpikambana Ikala STEM - USA Chapter. Ankoatry ny ampaham-bola alain’ny tamba-jotra serasera “GoFundMe” hampiasaina (2.9 % + $0.30 isaky ny fanomezana), ny vola voangona dia hirotsaka manontolo amin’ny kitapom-bolan’ny tetikasa. Havoaka ampahibemaso ary atao mangarahara ny vokatry ny fanagonamam-bola sy ny anaran’íreo olona voafidy hisitraka izany.
Ny famatsiam-bola sy ny STEM any Madagasikara
Madagasikara dia mahaliana hatrany ireo mpikaroka eran-tany amin’ny lafiny maro, noho ireo harena ara-javaboary misy eo aminy, ny tantara ara-jeolojika miavaka, kanefa ao koa indrisy ireo areti-mifindra izay mbola mamono olona betsaka isan-taona. Tao anatin’ny folo taona lasa fotsiny ohatra dia efa nahatratra 11,645 isa ireo voka-pikarohana eran’izao tontolo mikasika an’i Madagasikara (fanangonan-kevitra azo avy tao amin’ny Web of Science tao anelanelan’ny taona 2007-2017 ahitana ny teny hoe “Madagasikara” ao anatin’ireo teny mpamaritra ny fikarohana). Kanefa dia mampalahelo fa 12 isanjaton’ireo fikarohana mahaliana ireo ihany no ahitana fandraisana anjaran’ny mpikaroka avy amin’ny ivoterana fikarohana ao Madagasikara. Ireo fikarohana tantanin’ny mpikaroka Malagasy moa dia vitsy tokoa.
Anisan’ny olana sedrain’ny mpikaroka Malagasy sy sakana ho an’ny asa fikarohana ao Madagasikara ny tsy fisian’ny famatsiam-bola. Ny ankabetsahan’ireo famatsiam-bola misy dia noho ny fiaraha-miasa amin’ireo mpikaroka vahiny, izay mampihena ny fahahafahan’ny mpikaroka Malagasy hanana anjara toerana lehibe amin’ny fikarohana. Ambaratonga maro eo amin’ny sehatry ny fikarohana no misedra olana noho io tsy fisian’io famatsiam-bola io, manomboka hatrany amin’ny famolavolana ny tetikasa fikarohana, ny fanaparitahana ny voka-pikarohana (anisan’izany ny saran’ny fanontana boky sy saran’ny fandraisana anjara amin’ireo fivoariamben’ny siantifika). Noho izany dia mihena ny faharisihan’ireo mpianatra Malagasy hanohy fianarana amin’ny taranja STEM.
Ohatra akaiky azo tsapain-tanana amin’izany ny olana sedrain’ny mpianatra Malagasy hanao fikarohana any amin’ny alan-javaboahary sasany eto Madagasikara, izay mety mahatratra hatramin’ny 115,000Ar isan’andro, kanefa dia 48,400Ar monja isam-bolana ny vatsim-pianarana raisin’ireo mpianatra manao Master. Ho fanampin’izay anefa dia mila manao “impression” boky farafakeliny 10 eo ny mpianatra ray vao mahavitra ny Master-ny (25,000 Ar ny boky iray); ary ny halafon’ny saran-dalana sy lasantsy handehanana hamonjy toerana anaovana fikarohana koa manginy fotsiny. Ny rafitra misy eto Madagasikara moa dia tsy ahafahan’ny mpianatra Malagasy manao findramam-bola toy ny hita amin’ny firenena sasany. Noho izany dia tsy afaka ny hanao fikarohana ny mpianatra raha tsy misy fanohanana ara-bola avy amin’ireo mpiara-miasa vahiny.
Ekena tokoa fa manampy betsaka ireo mpianatra mpikaroka Malagasy ny fiaraha-miasa amin’ny mpikaroka avy any ivelany, ary betsaka ireo mpikambana ao amin’ny Ikala STEM no efa nahita tombotsoa tamin’izany. Anisan’ny fifanarahana atao amin’ireo ivon-toerana avy any ivelany, izay mangataka alalana hanao fikarohana eto Madagsasika ny fandraisana an-tanana ny mpianatra mpikaroka Malagasy iray fara-fahakeliny. Kanefa tsy ny sehatra STEM rehetra akory no iharan’izany - raha ny marina dia tsy re firy ny mikasika ireo mpikaroka vahiny tonga eto Madagasikara hanao fikarohana amin’ny sehatra Teknolojia sy Enjeniera. Tsara ho marihina koa fa tsy ny mpikaroka vahiny tonga eto Madagsikara rehetra no manana fahafahana ara-bola hanohana ny fikarohana ataon’ny mpinatra malagasy (ohatra amin’izany ireo mpianatra vahiny izay tsapa fa kely fidiran-bola).
Iaraha-mahalala fa ny vahaolana tsara indrindra dia ny fandraisan’ny fitondrana Malagasy an-tanana ny famatsiam-bolan’ny fikarohana eto Madagsikara, kanefa mbola lavitr’ezaka izany. Noho izany indrindra no nahatonga anay hitady vahaolana, amin ny alalan’ity hetsika fanangonam-bola ity, mba ho fanampiana ireo mpianatra malagasy.
Ho fanombohana ary dia ny hanohana mpianatra telo no kajinay amin’ity taona ity (famatsiana fikarohana iray, famatsiana ny dia manatrika “conference” na atrikasa iray, ary famatsiana ny fanomanana boky Master na Doctorat iray). Asaina handefa taratasy fangatahana mirakitra ny tetikasa tiany atao ary ireo mpianatra, ka ny sivana dia hataon’ireo olona matianina amin’ny sehatra fikarohana (izahay ato amin’ny Chapter USA dia mpikarakara ihany fa tsy handray anjara amin’ny fanapahan-kevitra farany mikasika ny fanomezana ny fanampiana).
Fundraising team (4)
IkalaSTEM US Chapter
Organizer
Charleston, SC
Adelaide Miarinjara
Team member
Tinah Martin
Team member
Zo Andriampenomanana
Team member
