From Then to Now: Inside Look at 20 Years at SEED with Deputy Director Tsina Endor
Today, October 5th, we celebrate a remarkable milestone as our Deputy Director, Tsina Endor, marks 20 years with SEED Madagascar. Her story has become inseparable from SEED’s own. Over the past two decades, she has not only grown with SEED but lived its journey, walking alongside communities, witnessing their challenges, and celebrating their progress.
Join us as we take a stroll back in time with Tsina to learn more about her story and what SEED really means.
The Early Days
Back in 2005, she took on the role of Personal Assistant to the former Executive Director. At the time, SEED was a small but determined organisation, with just around 40 staff both national and international and international. As the years passed, Tsina rose through the ranks serving as Head of Volunteering, Head of Communications and Compliance, and now, Deputy Director.
Reflecting on this journey, she remarks:
“What I like and what I am proud of is not what I have done personally, but seeing SEED grow supporting the community from responding to their needs, through recovery, and helping them to be resilient. This is proven by the fact that all projects have turned into programmes, designed to support the community for the long term, not just as short projects.”
Now, as our Deputy Director, her career mirrors SEED’s evolution. Her journey reflects more than her own story, it tells the story of SEED’s transformation and of a region where women’s leadership, once unthinkable, is now proving what is possible.
Changing Landscapes in the South
Looking back over the past 20 years, Tsina reflects on how much the south of Madagascar has shifted while also acknowledging how much remains the same.
“The south of Madagascar is more conservative and male-dominated, so it was very difficult for the community to accept gender equality. However, it has changed compared to when I started at SEED. Now they even accept being led by a woman, because they have seen that when a woman says something, it happens. It is easier now to bring training or introduce behaviour change that involves women in the community, whether in local authority or in local associations.”
When she first joined SEED, the idea of women leading in community spaces was almost unthinkable. Today, not only has she become one of the organisation’s most senior leaders, but she has also witnessed a steady cultural shift across the south. Women are taking seats at decision-making tables, joining associations, and playing active roles in local authority. These changes may be gradual in a still conservative society, but they are powerful indicators of progress and proof that lasting transformation is possible.
This shift is mirrored in SEED’s achievements. Each milestone represents more than infrastructure or awareness, it signals a shift in attitudes. Menstrual health and hygiene, once taboo, is now openly taught. Women, once silenced, are getting seats at the table and stepping into leadership roles that strengthen entire communities. And so much more.
SEED’s Ethos and the Road Ahead
For Tsina, what makes SEED special is not just what it achieves, but how it works.
“Please … this is not a team, this is family. We know and understand each other, and we support each other as well. With SEED’s flat management style, everyone can listen and advocate for others during tough times.”
That spirit extends into the communities SEED partners with.
“In general, the south of Madagascar is still living in deep poverty. What I see is that NGOs should support communities in this area from recovery toward resilience, because the problem will always remain if the community is not resilient enough and cannot transform what exists into sustainable resources for themselves.”
For her, this is what sets SEED apart: walking alongside communities not just in times of crisis, but supporting them in developing the tools to thrive on their own.
As SEED looks toward the future, Tsina’s words remind us of what has always defined the organisation: resilience, sustainability, and people. Twenty years on, she stands as living proof of what resilience, persistence, and belief in people can achieve. Her journey with SEED shows us that real change takes time, and that the next chapter for the south of Madagascar is only just beginning.