Families living in makeshift shelters in Ambohijatovo Ambony depend on scavenging from garbage bins to survive. This activity structures the days and nights of around twenty households in the area. "We sometimes leave at 7 in the morning and don't return until 8 at night. Only then do we prepare our meal. Then around 3 in the morning, we head to Ampefiloha to sell what we've collected," explains Claude Rakotoarialala, a neighborhood resident.
Income remains very modest. "The items we manage to sell bring us about 8,000 ariary per week," says Justin, a father living with his grandson. Around twenty families currently occupy this site in precarious conditions. "Our main wish is for everyone to have their own house, instead of living crammed in fragile shelters. None of the children here go to school," he laments.
For two years, Justin has lived with his grandson in a shelter made of plastic bags. He claims to own family land in Ambohimandry, south of Imerintsiatosika. However, since it's shared among many heirs, any construction project remains impossible. "We'd like to have a house like everyone else," he says.
Life in this neighborhood hasn't always been this peaceful. "Before, there were many thieves here. Life was difficult because we even stole from each other," testifies Claude Rakotoarialala. Today, the landscape has changed. Brush and garbage piles have been cleared, while agents from the Urban Municipality of Antananarivo (CUA) regularly clean the area. "So far, no one has asked us to leave," Justin notes.
Facing cold and bad weather, residents try to adapt with what they have. "We try to cover ourselves as best we can. When it rains, we collect plastic bags from garbage bins to reinforce our shelter walls and roofs. We also dig small channels around our homes to prevent water from seeping in," explains Miarisoa, a mother. But when rains are too heavy, these protections aren't enough. "When conditions become really difficult, we sleep in tunnels," she adds.
Despite their hardship, these families aren't just asking for food aid. Their priority lies elsewhere: living in a more dignified environment.