Entrepreneurship in Madagascar: How Recycl’Anay and AgroDigitalLab Are Transforming Toamasina
Welcome to another edition of the CMP Success Stories series.
At Emzingo, one of the most rewarding outcomes is seeing the impact our participants create after completing one of our programs. It is seeing how the experience has helped a leader turn their ideas into meaningful change.
Ystalien Samaro is an excellent example of a leader who has applied the tools and values he developed during the 2025 Changemakers Program to his own projects.
In this edition, we explore the entrepreneurial journey that led Ystalien to launch Recycl’Anay, a social enterprise focused on waste recycling, and AgroDigitalLab, a digital innovation hub designed to bring young people and farmers together to exchange knowledge about agriculture and sustainability.
Interview with: Ystalien Samaro
Conducted by: Valentina Marcos
1. Why did you decide to apply for the Changemakers Program?
I decided to apply for the Changemakers Program because I wanted to strengthen my leadership skills and expand my knowledge of entrepreneurship.
I was also looking for an opportunity to grow both personally and professionally while connecting with other young changemakers. The leadership development program expanded my network, introduced me to like-minded individuals, and ultimately inspired me to launch a second youth-centered initiative in Madagascar.
2. What were your main learnings and favorite sessions during the program?
One of my biggest learnings throughout the program was understanding how to build and develop a sustainable project from an initial idea.
My favorite session during the six-month experience was the Design Thinking workshop. The Design Thinking process involves empathizing with the people affected, defining the problem, developing ideas, creating prototypes, and testing those ideas to receive feedback.
Overall, the session taught me how to better understand people’s needs, generate innovative ideas, and create practical solutions to real-world challenges.
3. What is your current project, and how has CMP helped you develop it?
My current project is Recycl’Anay, a social enterprise focused on waste recycling, cultural promotion, and youth empowerment.
Recycl’Anay is based in Toamasina, Madagascar, and our mission is to promote environmental protection through waste management, recycling, environmental education, and the celebration of Malagasy culture.
The initiative is currently in its growth phase, with 60 active volunteers and plans to hire full-time employees in the near future. So far, we have organized environmental awareness campaigns, community cleanups, and environmental and cultural education programs.
Over the coming months, we aim to expand our activities into other regions of Madagascar. Our work is intended to benefit local communities, schools, youth groups, municipalities, NGOs, businesses, and institutions committed to environmental sustainability.
After completing the Changemakers Program, I was also inspired to launch another youth-centered initiative in Toamasina called AgroDigitalLab.
AgroDigitalLab is an innovation space designed to help young people develop digital skills, access technology, and create new ideas within the digital world. It aims to support a wide range of people, including young people, students, entrepreneurs, farmers, agricultural cooperatives, and agripreneurs.
The initiative is currently in the concept development and partnership-building stage. It is being designed as a space where people can connect, collaborate, and learn without limits.
The hub will offer meeting rooms, workshops for children, and training programs related to agriculture, digital innovation, and rural development. Like Recycl’Anay, AgroDigitalLab is coordinated by a small team of approximately 60 volunteers.
Overall, the purpose-driven leadership training I received through CMP strengthened my entrepreneurial skills and helped me understand how to build valuable partnerships. These lessons gave me the foundation and confidence to develop both initiatives.
About the interviewer
Valentina Marcos is an International Relations graduate whose work focuses on diversity, organizational culture, and people-centered leadership. She holds certifications in Project Management from the United Nations System Staff College, Humanitarian Logistics from MITx, and Social Sciences and Humanities from Sciences Po.
At Emzingo and Emzingo|U, she supports branding, diversity, and people strategy across programs focused on leadership development, social impact, and cross-cultural collaboration. Her multicultural perspective is informed by having lived and worked across Mexico, Canada, Spain, and France.
Connect with Valentina on LinkedIn.
