Humanitarian mission in Madagascar

Official Press Release

Humanitarian for Empowerment is pleased to announce that, after three years of negotiations and preparation, its president, Dr. Surennaidoo Naiken MD, FACS, FEBS, MAS, EMBA, and the Minister of Health, His Excellency Randriamanantany Arivelo, have signed a historic agreement laying the foundations for a sustainable and equitable partnership.

This agreement marks a major turning point in the cooperation between HFE – Humanitarian for Empowerment and the country’s health authorities, with clearly defined areas of collaboration in the following fields: visceral surgery, proctology, thoracic surgery, public health, social and medico-social action, pediatric orthopedics, pediatric surgery, adult orthopedics, as well as the training of specialized pediatric nurses.

This partnership is based on values of reciprocity, equality, mutual respect, and the empowerment of stakeholders. It reflects a shared commitment to strengthen local capacities while developing joint projects with significant social and medical impact.

Implementation of this agreement will take place in close collaboration with the University of Medicine and the University Hospital Center, thus ensuring strong academic and clinical grounding for each initiative.

Humanitarian for Empowerment welcomes this major step forward and reaffirms its commitment to accessible, inclusive, and sustainable healthcare, serving the most vulnerable populations.

We’re on our way to Madagascar

Our team embarks on a profoundly meaningful humanitarian mission — one that carries far more than medical supplies: it carries hope, solidarity, and humanity.

Thanks to the exceptional support of Danièla Dufour and the @Philipe and Elisabeth Dufour Foundation, and to the unwavering commitment of our teams and partners, 51 suitcases of medical equipment have been prepared and loaded. They are now on their way to strengthen healthcare capacities on the ground and to support those who fight for life every single day.

These suitcases contain more than just equipment. They embody months of preparation, the trust of our supporters, and an unshakable conviction: every life matters, wherever it may be.

In a world sometimes fragmented, these missions remind us of what we can achieve together — when compassion turns into action, when solidarity becomes commitment.

This is not just aid. It is a commitment, a lasting partnership, a determination to build, hand in hand, a fairer future for all.

If you believe in this vision — one of more equitable global health, of strong and respectful partnership — then join us, support us, let’s build together.

Together, we can move mountains.

 An inspiring encounter with Father Pedro: a living testimony of hope and human dignity

In Madagascar, where poverty still too often robs children of their future, we had the immense honor of meeting Father Pedro Opeka — a man whose unshakable faith and tireless commitment have transformed despair into dignity for thousands of families.

For over 30 years, Father Pedro has founded and developed Akamasoa (“the good friends”), a true village of solidarity. Where once there were only open-air dumps, he built homes, schools, clinics, workshops, and above all: hope. Today, more than 500,000 people have benefited from this human revolution, driven by a simple yet powerful vision: every human being deserves to live in dignity.

During our meeting, he did not speak to us with grand speeches, but through actions, glances, and smiles. He showed us children who now go to school instead of scavenging through garbage. Parents who work with pride, rebuilding their lives, brick by brick.

At HFE – Humanitarian for Empowerment, we came away transformed from this encounter. More than ever, we are committed to walking alongside Father Pedro and the Akamasoa community. Not in a spirit of assistance, but of partnership. Together, we are building bridges — medical, logistical, human — to strengthen this extraordinary endeavor.

Because, like him, we believe that transformation begins with the restoration of dignity. And we know that by joining forces, no mountain is too high to climb.