Mialy Rajoelina

Mialy and her husband Andry Rajoelina in 2012

Mialy Rajoelina (born Mialy Razakandisa) is the spouse of Andry Rajoelina,[1] the president of the High Transitional Authority of Madagascar from 2009 until 2014.

She is the president and spokesperson of Fitia, a humanitarian association aiming at helping the poor and the sick. She is the youngest first lady Madagascar has ever had.[2]

Mialy was born as the oldest of three girls[3] and has a masters degree in finances and accounting management at the Conservatoire National des Arts et Métiers in Paris.[2] In 1994, Mialy met her future husband Andry Rajoelina in a high school in Antananarivo. The couple maintained a long-distance relationship for for six years while Mialy completed her studies in Paris and Andry started his career as an entrepreneur. They reunited in Madagascar in 2000 and got married in the same year. Mialy have three kids with Andry: two boys, Arena (born 2002) and Ilonstoa (born 2005), and a daughter born in 2007 that the couple named Andrialy, a contraction of their own names.[4] Mialy marriage with Andry allowed the later to become head of Doma Pub, a company owned by Mialy's in which Andry was to become leader on the local advertising hoarding market and kick start his career as an entrepreneur.[5] Most of her family went to France during the 2009 crisis due to safety concerns, including the couple's children.[3] Milaly has French citizenship which she obtained while studding in France.[6]

Mialy has made frequent public appearances, such as when she spoke at a TED Talks in Antananarivo in 2011.[7] Since her husband has become president Mialy has founded the FITIA association, which aims to collect donations and offer them the most vulnerable in Madagascar, especially women. Supporters of Milay and her husband say that the FITIA show that the couple care for Madagascar and its people while opponents say that the organization is a propaganda campaign aimed at increasing their popularity.[8] Mialy has admitted to using her popularity to help her husband although she also adds that she sees nothing wrong with it and that people who support her usually support her husband as well.[3]

Like he husband Milay is a Roman Catholic, in April 2013 she and Andry met with Pope Francis to become the first African head and first lady to be recived by the new pope at that time.[9]

Mialy and Andry set some records when the later became president, Andry is Africa's youngest ever president and Mialy is Africa's youngest ever first lady.[2]

References

  1. ↑ bio of Mialy Rajoelina, Andry Rajoelina official website (French)
  2. 1 2 3 "Mialy Rajoelina: First Lady of Madagascar". AG Magazine. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Interview de Mialy Rajoelina : « Sarah Radavidra n'a jamais représenté une menace pour notre couple »" (in French). Actumada. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "PORTRAIT – MIALY RAJOELINA: Une femme de ressources". L'Express de l'Ile Maurice (La Sentinelle Limited) (in French). 5 January 2008. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  5. ↑ "Andry Rajoelina, the billboard king turned president". African Intelligence. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Famille Rajoelina : Andry et Mialy établis en France avec leurs 3 enfants" (in French). Madagasikara. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "TEDxAntananarivo : Mialy Rajoelina sur la lutte contre le Cancer feminin" (in French). Gasy.net. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Mialy Rajoelina: une première dame qui sort de l'ordinaire (Mialy Rajoelina: a first lady out of the ordinary)" (in French). Gender Links for Equality and Justice. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Madagascar leader Andry Rajoelina meets Pope Francis". Africa Review. 27 April 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
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