To celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the Economy of Communion, the EoC of Madagascar set up a project entitled "TPE" (Toujours Promouvoir l'Economie de Communion - Promoting the Economy of Communion at All Times)
It all took place on 27 May in the beautiful surroundings of the St. Joseph de Cluny Park ANDROHIBE, under fir and eucalyptus trees. A day that had been in preparation for just a month, but with great care: it was not only an occasion to start promoting the EoC project in Madagascar again, but also an opportunity to put its spirit into practice. Every company linked to the project in Madagascar was fully committed. The programme of an entire day was built up, in which instants of presentation, testimonies and in-depth analysis of the EoC alternated with others of real ‘celebration’ and conviviality, including a flash mob and the inevitable ‘cutting of the 32nd birthday cake’. A central event was reserved for the zoom connection with all the African EoC realities held in the morning of the same day.
About eighty people (families, young people, children, representatives of two religious communities etc.) accepted the invitation to the celebration, and although about 120 were expected, the objective of promoting the Economy of Communion by witnessing unity and fraternity, the culture of giving and sharing, was fully achieved. 
All of the participants were caught up in the atmosphere of joy, inspired by the experience of sharing, and above all decided to try to live this way, a little at a time, starting with themselves and then spreading the EoC spirit to the surrounding reality. Many of the experiences shared were truly moving.
This event is just the first in a series of initiatives that the EoC Commission of Madagascar intends to pursue this year, starting with a redefinition of everyone's roles, with a view to continuous improvement.
Jean Fréderic Ramahalefitra, head of the EoC Commission, tells us:
“Last year we met in Nairobi at the 2nd Pan-African Congress to celebrate the 31st anniversary of EoC together and we felt great enthusiasm as we saw the small/big steps already taken. From there, the desire was born to re-launch the EoC project in our country with more momentum. We devised an actual, real plan to promote the EoC that has begun with a series of actions within the Community of the Focolare Movement (with members scattered in 6 large areas of Madagascar) and that will soon turn externally to the Catholic University of Madagascar and to private associations and companies that are already in contact with members of the EoC Commission. This is the direction we are currently working in.”
At present, there are four companies that are members of the EoC in Madagascar: AKAMA (which trades in local products), AMI (which has recently specialised in pasta production), EVAH (which works at various levels in the area of training and support for farmers, strengthening the skills of villagers), and finally MASALUDA.CH Consulting (a company that works in the area of service providing: training and audits in the areas of Quality, Occupational Health, and environmental protection).
Could you tell us more about the company called EVAH “Engagement Vaillance Humanité” (“Commitment Valour Humanity”)? Officially founded in 1992 as a social promotion association, it was the second entity to join the EoC on the African continent and over time the association was transformed into a limited liability company. EVAH actively fights poverty by providing farmers with training in agricultural techniques and management at symbolic prices; it buys and sells land with regular and legal transactions and provides advice to farmers who want to buy land, accompanying them through all the steps; it helps some families in difficulty due to lack of food, health care or other.
A small example of EVAH's way: one day, a very tired woman was waiting for the bus to go to the doctor’s. Some of the EVAH team drove by and, seeing her, invited her to get into their car to give her a lift and - once there - paid for the medicines she needed. Satisfied, she told them that she could go back by bus, so as not to blow their plans completely, but as she was obviously still very tired, the team decided to drop their programme of meetings and drive her home.
In conclusion of this brief account of the Madagascan day of the 32nd anniversary of the EoC in the St. Joseph de Cluny Park, what remains is the joy to see from the impressions of so many of those present that the spirit of the Economy of Communion was deeply understood: the desire to make the culture of giving their own emerged even among those who were not entrepreneurs. It can be said that, truly, a ‘Day of Communion’ was experienced.
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