Preparation for the summer holidays

As always Vakoka Vakiteny will have some summer programme in Germany. The biggest event will be an arrangement in Baden-Baden the 22^nd of July where Vakoka Vakiteny together with other associations/ projects is invited. Initiator is Mrs Wasserburger from Mäx und Moritz Bookstore in Baden-Baden together with Mrs Schelshorn from the association. We are really looking forward to this big event. The location is very beautiful in the Lichtentaler Allee and there will surely be many interesting people. It is planned to have Malagasy music and food, and we have also been asked to present Vakoka Vakiteny and sell some Malagasy handicraft.

Another event will be the annual meeting of the Association Madagaskar Schul- und Kinderbücher e.V. Time and location is not yet confirmed, but it seems like Vakoka Vakiteny again will contribute in some parts of the meeting.

For Mparany the summer programme begins already in mid June when he will go to Bühl to have some training about printing. As an edition we consider it crucial to have knowledge about printing in order to be able to negotiate with the printing houses. Furthermore in the longer run we hope to be able to start our own printing business in Madagascar. The reason for this is the low quality and competence at the existing printing houses and the fact that there is no single printing house in Toliara. Nevertheless, it is not easy to start something like this, so in order to be able to take informed decisions we are glad that Mparany has got this training opportunity.

If you who read this have knowledge about printing or want to give us advices we are be very grateful if you would contact us.

Ich kehre zurück, Dadabé

Finally the manuscript of the Malagasy version of the book about Todisoa is finished and we only have some few days with work on the layout left before we can send it to Madagascar. The title will be the same as the German, in Malagasy “Hiverina aho, Dadabe” and here is the preliminary cover. Inside there are 180 pages and around 40 black and white pictures like the one on the cover. The book suits youth from 14 years of age according to the test readings that have been conducted in Madagascar.

The German book is on the recommendation list for quality literature on librikon.de. We are very glad for this recommendation because it shows that also people enjoy and value this book.

Todisoa

We have finally received the corrected manuscript of Todisoa and are now reworking it. We hope to be able to send it back to Madagascar soon. It has also already be test read by several 14 and 15 year old adolescents and it was received very well. The test reading will continue and be extended to some other age groups.

The man who copied the text from the handwritten manuscript from the proof-reader into the computer told us that he really liked the story and actually shed some tears because it was so sad...

Now it remains to see if we will be able to print the book before the summer of if we have to be present in Madagascar before we can print it.

Todisoa

All the pictures for the book about Todisoa are now complete and we are very satisfied. We are however still waiting for the correction which already has been finished, but not sent. Yet we have been promised to receive it soon in order to be able to revise the manuscript.

The German author, Mrs. Siege is now doing campaigns for the original German version. She will again go to Germany in May in order to read from the book and show pictures from Madagascar. Those who are interested can take a look at her web page http://www.nasrin-siege.com or contact her directly on info@nasrin-siege.com.

For German readers it might also be interesting to read this book review: Mit authentischemLeben gefüllt. This is a translated quote from the review: “This book combines the great human issues: existential fears, questions about meaning, friendship, everyday family life, playing and learning. (…) We feel with Todisoa in all her desires and fears in this completely foreign world because the author fills her with authentic life and guides us through”. Vakoka Vakiteny couldn’t agree more.

Book fair in Antsirabe

Vakoka Vakiteny participated on a book fair in Antsirabe from the 29^th of November to the 3^rd of December. Unfortunately we don’t have the pictures yet, but they will be posted as soon as we have got them.

The fair was a success! The children were excited when they heard that they just could sit down and read. When they were told that the author of the book Takoboka, Mr Ny Avana Andriamboavonjy had come to the fair, they went searching for him. Mrs Hanta says that “it was as if they were looking for the President himself”, and they did not give up until they had found him.

Further, Mrs Hanta tells that our books were among the most popular on the fair. She counted 306 readers between 5 and 45 years of age. There were also sold a few books. When the arranger of the fair saw the excitement of the people at the Vakoka Vakiteny stand, we actually got 50 % reduction of the fee for participating on the fair.

Correction of Todisoa

Finally the first correction of the Malagasy version of the book about Todisoa is finished. We hope to receive the corrected text soon, so that we will be able to know how we should go about it further on. According to Hanta the professor who corrected it did a very throughout job, so we might not have to get the whole manuscript corrected all over again, or at least only once more. Therefore we might be able to move on to test reading by the target group soon.

Radio

Here comes a picture from Hanta at the radio in Antsirabe taken in October. I didn't have the chance to post it soon after it was taken, so I post it now.
Thank you for the enthusiasm, Hanta!