Written by Born on the day after the announcement of the first three cases of coronavirus in Madagascar in the begining of April, Hackoragna, a name composed of “Hack” and “Koragna”, is an 100% online collaborative platform that aims to develop the digital economy of Madagascar by bringing together “informal” talents as well as micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Madagascar in an online, participatory and democratic cooperative.
Around the world, millions of people are unemployed because of COVID-19 and Madagascar is not spared; the virus does not discriminate, but its economic and social impact is unevenly distributed. Workers in tourism, the arts, commerce, education and the informal sector are the most affected. Only digital and innovative enterprises survive and are overwhelmed with work.
In front of all this, young Malagasy locals and diaspora youth have organized themselves online and decided to organize #hackoragnavirus, a COVID19 Hackathon in less than 10 days. This is a Hackathon that brought together young malagasy innovators from different backgrounds and proposed concrete COVID19 responses in 48 hours to deal with the pandemic and demonstrate the adaptability of the country to the coronavirus.
15 useful, necessary and immediately achievable projects among 50, emerged during this purely civic initiative and the projects presented at this first Online Hackathon organized in Madagascar had nothing to envy the projects presented in other more developed countries.
Following this result, we have decided to continue to take our destiny into our own hands will bringing solutions to face COVID19 and contribute to the construction of our digital economy, which today is obligatory for the development of our country by creating this first platform cooperative in Madagascar.
“This platform co-op will bring solutions in our growing gig economy. We must make all our human resources visible because the values that unite us to face COVID19 today are greater than anything that divides us.” According to Harinjaka Ratozamanana, initiator of the Hackathon Hackoragnavirus, and active member at Global innovation Gathering since 2013.
“The collective governance of this first platform co-op is the human and innovative touch that we bring to our organization design because we want this new platform to belong to its members. We want to set up a social and solidarity economy that is truly participatory and democratic, but above all we want to ensure Madagascar’s entry into the era of the digital economy. To do this, we will not only support our start-ups and innovators, but we will also collaborate with them, using our know-how and networks to improve their projects and those of the co-operative,” says Julie Raoull, Vice-President of Co-op Hackoragna.
“We invite Malagasy local companies and funds to invest on our young people with us in our approach because we also want to make the “Malagasy ny Antsika” label our reference,” adds Adrienne Irma Rabemanatsoa, Management Controller and co-founder of the Co-op.
Find out more at Hackoragna Madagascar.
