Two years ago the Rising Voices Grantee FOKO Blog Club started its blog outreach workshops for Malagasy youths. And what a journey they had – the details of which can be found in our numerous features on FOKO.

Joan Razafimaharo summarizes some of the achievements so far by the FOKO Bloggers:

• FOKO promoted Citizen Journalism during the 2009 Political unrest in Madagascar.
• FOKO's effort in promoting ICT in Education was mentioned in local media.
• FOKO's efforts in promoting social activism in fighting against poverty and climate change got international recognition.

In a latest report Joan reports on the people behind FOKO's success:

There are now bloggers who didn’t have mailbox before a FBC workshop who are very active on our Facebook/Google group mailing lists! There are bloggers who were very shy, who are now updating their blogs regularly! If there is a topic or an event important to be reported (and most of the time forgotten by mainstream media), you can be sure a Foko blogger will write a post, publish a picture, update his Twitter, tell it on Facebook or simply let the word out.

Since January 2009 FOKO Blog Club posted a series of interviews with its bloggers celebrating their first anniversary of blogging. Now let us meet through these interviews some of the enthusiastic and brilliant Malagasy Bloggers who are driving the success of FOKO blog Club.

Tahina:
Tahina, the Malagasy geek, has started blogging in English one year ago with his ICE Club mates. He was also active behind the Ushahidi-Foko and covered the political unrest in Madagascar in his blog.

The name of his blog is Madagascar Not The Movie. His latest blog posts include articles on swine flu outbreak in Madagascar, Afrobasket women championship and recycling and waste management.

You can read his interview here.

Jaona:

Jaona Rakotoarisioa (25) from Fianarantsoa was invited to the Global Forum on ICT and Innovation For Education in Monterrey, Mexico organized by the United Nations and the Global Alliance for ICT and Development.

He blogs in English and French. His interview can be found here.

Ariniaina:

Ariniaina from Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar started blogging on September 21, 2008 and emerged as a prolific blogger. The name of her blog is “Dago Tiako”. She explains:

Dago is a nickname given to Madagascar (especially used by Malagasy people living abroad) and Tiako means “I love”.

She celebrates the first anniversary of her blog and remembers:

September 21,2008, DagoMC, Moonlightgirl, Fara, Moma, Tahina, Andry and I were then invited to join the workshop led by David Sasaki and Joan who showed us the way to create a blog. And today, I am thankful to  Joan, David Sasaki, Lova, Tahina, Andry, and all FOKO.

September 21, 2009. What have I realized???

• 103 posts
• 439 comments
• 16,574 hits
• 98 fans on Facebook
• 433 tweets and 141 followers on Twitter

Here is her interview with FOKO blog club. Her Flickr account is here.

Andry (Rakotoniana Andriatahiana):

Andry is a Malagasy lawyer and a blogger from Antananarivo. He is an alumni of the ICE English club and blogs in English at “The Cyber Observer“. He shares his views on democracy and is never afraid to use the right words.

Read his interview. Here are his Twitter and Flickr accounts.

Solofo:

Solofo is a journalist from Antsirabe, Madagascar. He is a student of communication of communication at ESSVA (Ecole Supérieure Spécialisée du Vakinankaratra) where FOKO held its 13th workshop. He imparted photography lessons to mid-schools students at the workshop.

He likes to write about issues relating to the youth. Read his interview here.

Moonlight girl:

“Everyone just calls me the “Moon” because my real name is Volana which means the moon in malagasy,” explains blogger Moonlight girl. She had started blogging in September 2008 with her friends at ICE club. She is writing her first novel and she publishes some snippets on her blog. She dedicates her blog to all short story lovers. Here is a teaser for you.

Read her interview here.

Imahaka:

Imahaka is a student of the ESSVA school in in Antsirabe, the capital of Vakinankaratra and also the pillar of Foko Blog Club in the area. he is from Ikongo (former Fort Carnot), a region that lies between Fianarantsoa and Manakara.

He loves to write about Antsirabe which draws little media attention. He blogs in French. Read his interview here.

Patricia Rakotomalala:

Patricia is one of the oldest of the FOKO bloggers who has been blogging since March 2008 from Antananarivo. Patricia Rakotomalala represented FOKO Madagascar at Interdependence Day 2008 in Brussels, Belgium. Watch her presentation in that event. She later gave a presentation about her experience in Brussels at Madagascar's first-ever Barcamp.

Patricia blogs in French at Pati et Toi. Read her interview here.

Patrick:

Patrick is a blogger from Tamatave, Madagascar and writes about the town and and BUEC (Barikadimy’s United English Clubs) activities. He is a student of management at the University of Tamatave. He also works as a local tour guide.

Blogging is his favorite pass time. He blogs in English. Read his interview here.

Lomelle:

Lomelle is a citizen journalist from Mahajanga. Her writings of exceptional quality have been appreciated by the blogosphere and linked by the media for their relevance and activism.

She blogs in French. Read her interview here.