Capacity Building in Action: Through the Eyes of a Graduate Student in Madagascar
I am from Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar. This year, I finished my Master’s degree in biological anthropology, with a focus on the influence of the environment on human morphology variation. In my free time, I volunteer for a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of people born with cleft conditions.
In 2021, I had the chance to join a team of researchers from Variant Bio and my home institution, the University of Antananarivo, to help with a study on human genetic diversity in Madagascar. I had first heard of Variant Bio through social media even before this partnership kicked off, and dreamed of working there one day. Months later, the collaboration was announced at my lab, and together with four other graduate students — Tsiori, Rota, Nomena, and Julio — we were invited to help implement the study.
The term capacity building is often used, but here is what it meant for me. Through this project, I gained valuable hands-on experience with data collection, data entry, and return of results. For example, during data collection, I was able to strengthen my communication skills by explaining the informed consent form and administering the health questionnaire to study participants. I also improved my skills in anthropometric measurements, from height, weight, and blood pressure to less familiar ones such as dynamometry and spirometry. In addition, I was able to practice saliva sampling.
Overall, I gained relevant skills and experience that will help me in my future career, especially since I am hoping to pursue a PhD in human-environment interaction and human health, with a focus on biomarkers and genetic studies. Through this project, I was able to carry out DNA sampling for the first time in my life, which was really exciting given my strong interest in genetics. Also, I had always heard about the importance of ethics and community engagement in scientific research, and this project allowed me to see firsthand how to put those principles into practice, rather than just thinking about them conceptually.
The experience of returning results to communities in my own country was especially eye-opening and challenging. For example, explaining research results to a non-scientist public was much harder than what I am used to in an academic setting. At one study site, there was even a misunderstanding as participants were hoping for further benefit sharing instead of results return, and it was difficult to sort this out. Despite these and other challenges, many people remained curious about the study results, and our answers were important in helping them understand and ask further questions about the research. Through this experience, I realized how inclusive science can and should be, and the critical role of clear and accessible science communication.
In the end, being a part of this project helped me gain important practical experience in a variety of technical and field skills. As a first-generation scientist from a country where science is hugely underfunded, this is invaluable for me and my future. On a personal level, it was also extremely meaningful to be part of a project that put local study participants first — seeing them not just as another “source of data,” but as real people whose concerns and priorities we as researchers need to consider every step of the way.
Acknowledgments:
This project would not have been possible without Dr. Rindra Rakotoarivony, Pr. Spiral Germain Jules, Dr. Jean Freddy Ranaivoarisoa, Dr. Brigitte Marie Raharivololona, Dr. Soanorolalao Ravelonjanahary, Dr. José Mahenina Randria, Dr. Mosa Zafimaro, Tojo Julio Andriamahefa, Bodonomena Fitahiana Laza Rafidison, Rota Mamimbahiny Andriantsoa, and Tsiorimanitra Aimée Randriambola from the University of Antananarivo’s Department of Anthropobiology and Sustainable Development, as well as the team from Variant Bio.
