Dr. Elson (surgeon) and Hanitra (masters in business administration) are a dynamic Malagasy couple who have partnered with Dr. Bruce and Tamar through their registered association “ELSONHANITRA–MADAGASCAR–MISSION”. We have joined hands to enact prison humanitarian reform in Madagascar. The four of us worked together in March–May of 2023 and formed a strong bond both as working partners and as couple friends. Their friend Mme Lalao was also involved as an advocate for the prison kids.

Both Hanitra and Elson have valuable experience in myriad areas. They farm their own land, growing rice and soybeans to feed their entire extended family. Their knowledge and experience will be perfect for prison farm renovation.

When I was at a loss at how to purchase plumbing supplies for the prison, I called on Hanitra. She knew exactly which fittings were needed to get the job done. Having built two hospitals and two modest homes, anything having to do with construction is second nature to the both of them. All of the renovation estimates passed through them, and only after their stamp of approval were the projects started.

Dr. Elson completed his medical studies at the University of Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, and his first position was with the Institut Pasteur. He received a scholarship from PAACS to join a 5-year surgery residency program for outstanding African surgeons, taking him to Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Cameroon. Upon his return, he worked in Ejeda, a town in southern Madagascar stricken by famine and starvation. While there, he contacted tuberculosis and malaria and was gravely ill.

Elson and Hanitra decided to start their own hospital in a town nearby. Clinique Zoara in Fotadrevo was partially funded by a German organization, Doctors for Madagascar https:/www.doctorsformadagascar.com/project/hopitaly-zoara-fotadrevo. Later, they founded another hospital in their home area of Sambaina, north of Antsirabe in the central highlands. Elson remains the director of both hospitals and he and Hanitra travel regularly over deeply rutted roads on this tedious three days journey.

Hanitra handled all of our accounts last year. The inheritance laws in Madagascar are unfavorable to Malagasy wives so at an early age she told herself, “I won’t be vulnerable as a woman. I’ll get my degree so that I can be self- sufficient if need be.” And she did! It was at University that she met Elson.

For a few years they lived in the United States, and Malagasy colleagues encouraged them to stay and make a “good life” in the land of milk and honey. They were never tempted. “Madagascar needs us,” was their reply.

Hanitra and Elson have donated sacks to rice regularly to nearby prisons for years and years. They “adopted” a differently-abled young man with no legs and totally support him financially. They also support a young child being raised by her struggling auntie, because the mother is incapacitated. These are the kind of people they are.