Christina Dodwell

"I set up The Dodwell Trust because my future husband said he would not marry me unless I also loved Madagascar! He was Honorary Consul for Madagascar in London, and though an Englishman, he represented all their diplomatic and consular interests in UK. So I created the Dodwell Trust and looked for a project which other people would not take on. My philosophy is to encourage others to do what they can, while I try to do what they cannot.

Through the Dodwell Trust, I set up Madagascar’s first national radio drama serial, heading a team of Malagasy script writers, actors and technicians to produce and broadcast our drama serial on National Radio and 50 local radio stations. The purpose was to spread advice about family health, education, environment and poverty issues. The radio series ran for 3 years and won the hearts of 10 million faithful listeners.

We produced and broadcast many radio series in Madagascar over the first 10 years of The Dodwell Trust. As pioneers we set up over 2000 radio listener groups all over the country, using donated wind-up radios for audience feedback. The project was a great tool for collaboration; the results far exceeded our expectations." 

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After carrying out nationwide training of Malagasy radio stations in use of modern techniques, Christina closed her radio studio and office, and in 2005 embarked on a project to build a Primary School in an isolated town without proper road access in central Madagascar.  Our first classes were to teach the local community why they should send their children to school.  She particularly wanted youngsters to benefit from education and become able to take part in the future of their beautiful but little known region.

 

The Dodwell Trust Primary School and Learning Centre in Ampefy grew steadily and by its fourth year all the pupils passed their final exams.  She introduced computer skills classes for all ages, and began a project for import of a container of 480 donated computers.  These were distributed to 45 schools with training of teachers.  In 2009 she organised two further containers full of donated computers for distribution into schools in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. 

 

She is also active in tree planting schemes, along with seed gathering and setting up tree nurseries, collaborating with youth clubs and the local NGO DEFI which works to sustain the unique tapia tree forests where wild silkworms live and breed.  Their tapia forests exist only in Madagascar.