Mrs. Ravalomanana – Madagascar’s First Lady

I do not know whether or not there is a Mrs. Ravalomanana.
If there is one, who is she, and where is she?
I have never seen a picture of her.
I have never even heard of her.
They say that “behind every successful man, there is a woman”.
Thus, if there is one, I would think that she must be one of some substance.
And she is Madagascar’s First Lady.

This is the twenty-first century.
A woman’s place is no longer just in her house.
Nowadays, she is very much at home, in the House (of Representatives), in the Senate, and in any arena of her choice.
Nowadays, First Ladies are no longer just pretty shrinking violets, and silent partners, only seen, but seldom heard, by their husbands’ side, at social and political functions.
They are seen, and they are heard effectively championing a cause, or causes of their own choosing.
They are highly visible public figures whose popularity has been known to boost that of their husbands’ rating, time and time again.

I believe Madagascar’s First Lady should come out of the shadows, and become more visible, and more involved.
Her visibility, and her involvement, if carefully orchestrated, can do a lot to lift the spirit of the average citizen, and can be instrumental in helping to shore up the President, and his party’s position.
While the President, and his ministers are busy dealing with political, economic, and other hot issues, she can “softly” champion other causes, such as healthcare, poverty, illiteracy, education, and woman’s rights, just to name a few.
She can visit schools, hospitals, and health clinics.
She can attend church sponsored, and charitable organization events.
She can deliver keynote addresses at special conventions, and at graduation ceremonies…

In other words, she can involve herself with just about any worthy cause she chooses, as long as she does so diplomatically, with due care, and diligence, so as not to create any controversy, and hinder the process of good governance.
She is a powerful woman whose sphere of influence is limited only by her own imagination, creativity, and level of energy.