This interview is part of a series profiling the stories of the 2024 WE Africa leadership programme fellows, African women in the environmental conservation sector who are showing up with a strong back, soft front, and wild heart.
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Harisoa Rakotondrazafy is in the thick of learning a tough life lesson: how to stay generous with her time and energy without forgetting herself. She opens our conversation with these words: "When it comes to knowing my identity and defining what I want, sometimes I feel a little lost.”
Her sentiments are not uncommon.
Many of us grew up hearing the same script: Always put others first. Always give. Never take. It sounded noble at the time, but it came at a heavy cost. Years later, we are left piecing ourselves back together, trying to figure out what really matters to us. It's not an easy task. But Harisoa is ready for the challenge. And she is taking it one step at a time.
"For the first time in my life, I organised a big party for my birthday last year in a way that was meaningful to me," she shared.
But first, let's go back in time. Forty-one years back, to be precise.
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The year is 1984, and life is about to change for Vivian and Bernard Rakotondrazafy. In their modest home, they welcome their first child—a delicate baby girl with soft curly hair and wide searching eyes. They name her Harisoa: one who brings happiness and generosity into the world.
Young and full of dreams, Vivian and Bernard are still learning what responsibility means. And with limited means, life is tough. Three years later, they make the painful decision to leave their baby girl in the care of her grandmother and aunt in the countryside, hoping she’ll have a more stable upbringing.
Little Harisoa doesn’t resent their decision. Nor does she feel deprived. Instead, she finds love, warmth and comfort with her grandmother and aunt. And despite the distance, she never doubts her parents’ love.
A few years pass and Vivian and Bernard welcome another daughter, followed by two more children. When Harisoa turns 11, she finally rejoins them. The family is doing better than before, but money is still tight.
Looking back, Harisoa reflects:
"We struggled at times, but our parents always put our education first.
"I remember every month, there was a list of students who hadn’t paid their school fees—our names were always on it. But somehow, it didn’t matter to me. If anything, it brought our family closer. My parents persevered and found a way to make things work. The hardship strengthened the love in our family."
As the firstborn child, Harisoa stepped into the role of a second mother, always looking out for her younger siblings.
"In the end, I missed out on so much of my childhood because I was always trying to help my family," she admits.
That early instinct to solve problems shaped her in ways she couldn’t have imagined. It prepared her for the next season of her life.
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"I lived in the countryside with my grandmother and aunt, so nature was already part of my life. And one of the reasons I chose to study environmental science at the university is that it felt like the right path for me. I'm glad I made that choice," Harisoa says.
A few years after graduating, Harisoa landed a job at WWF Madagascar as an assistant. Over time, she grew within the organisation to project manager, senior advisor and regional coordinator. Climate change adaptation became her passion.
"A big part of my role is building knowledge around climate change and influencing policies and finance to ensure adaptation gets the attention it deserves. I also help build resilient ecosystems and communities," she says. Harisoa was part of the team that helped WWF become recognised as a leader in climate change adaptation in Madagascar. Step by step, she has scaled up her footprint at the African level and beyond.
Her secret to her career growth and success? The willingness to challenge herself, solve problems and deliver tangible impact.
"When there's a new challenge or opportunity, I'm always ready to take it on and find a solution. I am very ambitious," she says.
A pause.
"At the end of the day, I'm always trying to help people and ensure they are happy. But I've noticed that sometimes people think I'm being too dominant when all I am trying to do is help.
"My husband often tells me: You can't please everyone. And he's right. I am realising that I can't control everything, not everything needs to be perfect, and I can't always make people happy and ensure that things are always well done. But the truth is, that often feels like failure to me, and I'm not comfortable with failure. It's in my nature to want things to go smoothly and for people to be happy."
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For most of her career, Harisoa has focused on delivering results. Outside of work, her time is consumed by family responsibilities—caring for her three young children, husband and family. Combined with her "fixer" mentality, these demands left little room for her to prioritise personal care and development.
"At work, I can make decisions easily, but when it comes to myself—what I like or want—I struggle. But I'm ready to change that now," she says. "I want to discover what I truly enjoy and what matters to me."
Getting into the WE Africa leadership program was the perfect entry point.
"WE Africa has been transformative for me. I'm so grateful because it's changed how I see things. I realise I missed a lot of opportunities to take care of myself. But better late than never, right?”
Absolutely.
I ask her if there are any specific things she has recently done to show herself that she, too, matters.
"During my last trip to Finland, I treated myself for the first time ever. I always prioritise the members of my family or others when I buy some gifts. But this time I decided to buy myself a beautiful bag and a pair of shoes I really liked. It felt amazing. It's a small step, but it's a big deal for me because I'd never bought nice things for myself…everything I own that is nice has been given to me by others."
On this same trip, Harisoa went a step further. Since Estonia is just a two-hour boat ride from Finland, she decided to take a detour and experience a new culture. It was a significant change for her because, in the past, her trips were all about work—she'd arrive just before the assignment and leave right after without taking time to enjoy the places she was in.
"I've probably visited about 20 countries, but I've missed so much by not fully enjoying the experiences,” she says. “I always felt like I needed to be back home because my family needs me."
She has even tried a new way of dressing. And others have taken notice.
"Just last week, some colleagues told me this is really different. You should dress like this every day. Some people even said I look younger! So yeah, it's a good thing. It feels like a positive change."
"What brings you joy?" I ask her.
"I'm very talkative by nature, so I love connecting with people and spreading joy. For me, there's this energy that flows when people are in harmony with each other. It only works when those energies align. But when they don't, it's really hard for me to connect.
"My family also brings me joy. I'm so proud of what we've built together, from the challenges we faced growing up to where we are now. My father recently passed away, and it was very sad for me because we were so close. I don't think I've fully processed the grief yet, but the memories he left me are precious.”
Harisoa remembers that even when times were hard, her parents would organise parties to celebrate life with close family and friends. “That's something my parents and particularly my dad taught us,” she says. “To celebrate with whatever little we had and share those moments of joy with others."
"Now, I just need to define better what I want. I feel like I've never really known that part of myself. I now know that being an effective woman leader starts with taking care of yourself first."
Harisoa is taking her personal development seriously. Up until last year, she had never celebrated her birthday in a way that felt meaningful to her. Her 40th, however, was different. Harisoa brought everyone who matters to her together for a big party. For the first time in her life, she was celebrating herself. And as she continues on her journey of self-discovery, WE are all rooting for her.
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The following statement was written and shared by Harisoa Rakotondrazafy during her graduation from the WE Africa Leadership Program in December 2024:
What if I shine?
Many questions came into my mind during this journey with WE: do I know myself, what I want, am I doing enough and many more? So what if I shine? I will:
- leave behind all of my fears, my anxieties and go beyond my zone of comfort
- fill my cup with clear boundaries, compassion, empathy and love
- stand for what I want, what I can change and what I can drive better
- write my stories and leave my footprint in whatever I do
- show up with my authenticity to spread positive change around me and the solutions Africa wants.
I am grateful, I am enough as a wife, mum and colleague. And I am proud of the women leader I am. Thanks to WE, my family and all of my supporters!
Harisoa Rakotondrazafy, WE Africa 2024 Fellow
