Vatosoa Rakotondrazafy named in Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders for 2021

“This year, I was selected in the first ever list of Top 100 young African conservation. This is an acknowledgement of young Africans who are the leading lights in sustainable development of the continent. I am greatly honored to receive this award as it shows to me that the work I have been conducting in our country is valuable and fruitful. Despite being a young woman, I have led the MIHARI network successfully, collaborating with 25 NGO representatives, government entities and all stakeholders to advocate for the rights of 500 000 small-scale fishers in Madagascar. Having received this award empowers me to advance and improve the work I am currently doing, now that I have joined INDRI, which is a newly created think-tank which aims at mobilizing the collective intelligence of all stakeholders nationally to restore Madagascar’s marine landscapes, re-green the island.  Ultimately, my vision for Africa is for small-scale fishers across Africa to have their voice amplified and taken into account in the governance of marine resources, by replicating networks designed for and led by coastal communities across African coastlines.” – Vatosoa

The top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders Award is an  collaboration between the Africa Alliance of the YMCA, World Scouts Movement, African Wildlife Foundation, and WWF. Youth networks and conservation organizations which recognises the efforts of Conservation leaders under the age of 35 years who have been actively involved over the last three years in impactful conservation work at community, national, or international levels in Africa. The beneficiaries of the award receive a bespoke one-year leadership development program that will mentor and train a cadre of youth professionals to contribute to Africa’s Agenda 2063. The goal is to equip the young leaders with systems thinking and practical skills that will enable them to move from intention to action and scale-up their initiatives. Vatosoa was nominated in the Ocean’s category which focuses on enhancing marine biodiversity conservation, curbing marine pollution, and working with artisanal fisher folks to manage fisheries better. It also includes work on the sustainable seafood industry.

Congratulations Vatosoa and well done for flying the Ocean’s conservation flag high!