Meet Our Madagascar Community Health Team

Dr Mamy Soafaly Andriatsihosena

Head of Community Health

Mamy qualified as a doctor from the University of Mahajanga in 2003. He was subsequently employed by Azafady as a mobile doctor and for the next 4 years visited remote villages across the region who would not otherwise have access to medical care. Mamy also trained community pharmacists and traditional midwives while supporting local health centres. Since 2006 he has represented Azafady as Executive Secretary for the regional WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for All) committee and in 2008 he was offered the position of Project Coordinator for Mampisaina, Azafady's HIV prevention and sexual behaviour change programme. Dr Mamy was promoted to Head of Community Health for Azafady in January 2011 and now oversees the implementation of the NGO's full range of community health initiatives. Throughout all of his positions with Azafady Mamy has felt himself develop professionally and enjoys working with the international staff in the office.

Andrianarivelo Zafindrazana Charlier (Nary)

Health Education Manager

Nary is a Fort Dauphin local who worked with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) out west in Ambovombe before joining Azafady in 2011. He started as Agricultural Extension Manager within the sustainable livelihoods department, overseeing all rural activities including upland rice cultivation training and vegetable gardens. Nary joined the community health team in December 2011 as Health Education Manager and now coordinates various health education activities including the community-led total sanitation initiative. He is supported by Dr Mamy and manages a team of community agents including Giona, Benedicte, Organes and Lea.

Dr Hugues Tafaralahy

Maternal Health Research Manager

Hugues qualified as a doctor from the University of Antananarivo in 2006. He was subsequently employed by a Malagasy NGO called ASOS as Project Manager for a maternal and child health programme in Tulear. In 2008 Hugues moved to his hometown of Fort Dauphin to work with another ASOS programme focusing on family planning and TB prevention as Project Manager. In 2009 he took up a position with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Ambovombe as a Project Manager for a nutritional health programme supported by USAID. Dr Hugues started as the Project Manager for Azafady's maternal health research initiative in November 2011. He works with Jessica and Hoby, the research assistant.

Jessica Morris

Maternal Health Research Specialist

Jessica graduated with a degree in Women's Studies in 1999 and spent the next few years travelling and teaching English overseas. She completed a Masters in International Development at Leeds University in 2007 and for the next four years worked at California University in San Francisco as a Project Specialist for a research group focused on reducing maternal mortality. She worked in a wide variety of roles from data management and analysis to developing research and training tools, academic writing, communications, PR and delivering programme support for various maternal health, family planning and HIV/STI projects. Jessica also worked in Zambia on two occasions assisting with project management on a randomised cluster trial looking at the efficacy of a first-aid device for obstetric haemorrhage. She joined Azafady as a Maternal Health Research Specialist for Project Votsira in November 2011.