Free On-Demand Gender Empowerment Mobile Messages Launched by HNI and Airtel Madagascar

Repost: Written by me, originally published by Human Network International (HNI)

A new, free, gender empowerment resource for women and men was launched today by Airtel Madagascar and HNI, financed by GSMA Connected Women.

Known in Madagascar as Tolotra Mandroso, a Malagasy term meaning “Welcome” and “Development” service, the 3-2-1 Service is a multi-channel mobile service that provides access to important public service information in the local language, anytime, anywhere, and free of charge.

Messages on Gender Equality are now included among the top-level Topics on HNI”s 3-2-1 Service, known as *Tolotra Mandroso* in Malagasy

Today at the National Library in Antananarivo, Airtel Madagascar and HNI officially launched the new Gender topic on the 3-2-1 Service with more than 100 messages on gender empowerment.

Since its launch in 2010, more than three million individuals in Madagascar have made over 45 million requests to the Service, and it now averages more than 1 million calls and texts per month from over 200,000 users. We’re very excited to further improve the Service with the promotion of gender equality in Madagascar!

Below is a gallery of photos from the launch event:

: ‘Gender’ on Tolotra Mandroso

: A panel for the 3-2-1 Service showing the new Gender topic.

: HNI Director of Operations Barilolona Randrianarisoa led the launch event

: Official launch of the Gender messages

: Official launch by Kellen Eilerts, Country Director of HNI Madagascar

: A member of the ‘Coalition des Radios pour la Consolidation de la Paix’, a group of radio networks and DJs that will be promoting the Gender content on the Service among their listeners