So far FOKO Blog Club, the Rising Voices grantee from Madagascar has completed 13 workshops in 4 locations in Madagascar. And what a year it was as most of the growth happened in 2008.

Their efforts also caught the attention of the media. RTA, a popular TV stations in Madagascar took an interview of FOKO members. Tahina writes:

We started the shooting at 4:30 with the interview of Pati where she talked about the whens and why she joined FOKO and what it has brought to her then followed by Diana on Kamabana’s case. Stéphane added more precision on how it all started, the goals and the bases of FOKO.

Here are more pictures of the interview shooting.

Patrick shares his love for Foko in the post “Why FOKO?”:

I’m always like to meet up a lot of friends. Since for Stéphane met us for the first time here in Tamatave and explained us how FOKO works out, I was already interested. So now my dream is come true, personally, I got a very big chance to meet a lot of new friends during the first Barcamp in Madagascar and E-bit, was because of FOKO Madagascar. Indeed in Foko, we’re all more than friend, we’re like brothers and sisters. So hey guys, Foko is our LOVE because it is my heart, your heart, and our heart.

FOKO members had a picnic on December 21st in Ambohidratrimo.

In the bus towards Ambohidratrimo

Ariniaina has details including great pictures:

During the trip to Ambohidratrimo, we stopped for a while for shoppings: buying drinks and foods.

As soon as we arrived, we already started to eat and drink.

Ariniaina (me), Kya, DagoMC and Lomelle were the only girls at the party.

Our bus didn’t come to pick us up back to downtown; so we took another one which stopped at Antanimena. We walked to Analakely where we had a lot of FUN FUN FUN.

We all took a pic with dear Santa Claus. It was so cool.

Here are more pictures of the picnic.

The “Why we blog about Africa?” meme continued amongst the bloggers as more than 10 blog posts were published under the tag. Lomelle's post was featured on the popular French Citizen Media website rue89. FOKO bloggers also spontaneously wrote on AIDS day.

Two of the FOKO bloggers wrote on their favorite festivities as late entries of the first Rising Voices carnival: Celebration in communities.

My Favourite Festivity ” FAMADIHANA” from Moonlight:

I can say that I was very lucky to be able to have the chance to attend the Famadihana many times in my life. I’d like to share my personal experience. I went to my countryside in Ambatolampy; more precisley near Tsiafajavona Ankaratra. I was really excited about it.

My Favorite Festivity the “TAMBIRÔ” from Patrick:

“Tamborô”? literally means broth hiring. If we are going to talk about “tambirô”, it is our very very big event work party, in which lots people can be together to mix up their strengths in working together for one thing.

Here are more snippets from the FOKO members blogs (you can find the bloggers feeds here):

Nhari writes about the tradition of circumcision of the Malagasy people.

Even if the goal is the same about the circumcision. The manner of accomplishment depends on the wealth and the region for the Malagasy people.

AndryDago reported on a prison break in Madagascar.

Momadago promotes the motherland:

I hope that all of you can’t wait to visit our country. As i reported before having fun in Foulpointe is the best thing that you should never miss.

I propose you our special punch as we did home with litchi. We bought a local rhum, you can find many different qualities in Foulpointe as you like djama, Sambo, Classica… , then what you did is to peel the litchi and add in the rum. The long time you preserve it, the better taste of litchi punch you will get.

Tahina declares that the “Malagasy hiphop is not dead“.

Violance writes on the unclean water and poverty in Madagascar.

Theophilusman writes about the International Congress for the students of Indian Ocean and his answer to ‘why he should blog for Africa’.

Pati writes that good communication is required between parents and children.

Lomeli writes that although many workshops are usually organized by the employer in Madagascar, the effectiveness of such training is neither measured nor can be seen in practical life.

Hanitra claims that Malagasy people are beautiful:

Yeah, all the people is beautiful, but Malagasy is different. As you know Madagascar is mixed by Malayo-Indonesian-African and Arab. Probably that is the main reason why that Malagasy people is very beautiful.

2009 will be a new year for Foko as Randy, Tahina and Patrick have accepted to report regularly on the groups activities from their regions (Antananarivo, Tamatave and Antsirabe). So blogger-members are slowly taking over charge from the coordinators and facilitators to take the project forward.

Wishing everyone at FOKO a happy and prosperous 2009.