In many parts of the world, the birth of twins is celebrated as a blessing. In southern Madagascar, however, deep-rooted superstition dictates otherwise, a reality that Olga Tzetzi, a Greek pediatrician and a Madagascar expert, is determined to change. In the island nation, twins are often seen as a curse, and tragically, only one child is allowed to survive.
Determined to fight this practice, Tzetzi, a native of Greece’s Florina and a doctoral graduate of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, has devoted herself to protecting vulnerable children in this impoverished region. Her work focuses on saving lives, raising awareness, and challenging harmful traditions that put the youngest at risk.
A Greek pediatrician’s mission in Madagascar born out of compassion
A mother of twins herself, Tzetzi was inspired to act after meeting Bishop Prodromos, the young Orthodox Bishop of Toliara and Southern Madagascar, in 2023. Motivated by his missionary work and dedication to children, she founded the voluntary, non-profit initiative “I Care for the Children of Southern Madagascar” with colleagues from Northern Greece.
Operating without state funding but with the support of ordinary citizens, the team began sending shipments of medicine, medical equipment, and baby formula to the region. Their primary goal is to provide healthcare and humanitarian relief to malnourished children and their families.
Hope in an orphanage
Central to this mission is a newly built orphanage, spearheaded by Bishop Prodromos and designed to house one hundred children—including abandoned twins. The facility is awaiting a final political decision before it can open, but once operational, it is expected to become, in the Greek pediatrician’s words, “a vessel of salvation” for children condemned by superstition in Madagascar.
“Perhaps some of these children will even find adoptive families,” she said, expressing hope that the orphanage will offer both protection and a future.
Life in Southern Madagascar
Southern Madagascar bears little resemblance to the island’s tourist-friendly north. Infrastructure is scarce, rainfall is limited, and extreme poverty shapes daily life. Malnutrition, preventable diseases, and lack of access to healthcare are widespread, while education and medical treatment come at high cost, leaving thousands without basic services.
The Orthodox mission has stepped in to bridge these gaps, establishing seventeen schools providing free education, a medical clinic serving 3,000 patients monthly, and vocational schools teaching sewing, embroidery, and other trades to young women. Villages now benefit from water wells, clothing distribution, and essential supplies.
Medical team of pediatricians and nurses from Greece providing aid in Madagascar
In August 2024, after nearly a year of preparation, a fifteen-member Greek delegation—including pediatricians, nurses, and educators—traveled to Toliara, Madagascar, to provide medical care. Churches were temporarily transformed into makeshift clinics as volunteers examined and treated villagers.
“The Bishop taught us that where there is love for children, there is hope,” said Tzetzi. “For two weeks, we worked alongside the community, offering free healthcare and humanitarian support to families who had almost nothing.”
Recognition of service
This summer, in her hometown of Flambouro, Florina, Tzetzi was honored by the local municipality for her humanitarian and medical contributions. She was also praised for her quick intervention at Rhodes Airport, where she saved the life of a 65-year-old Dutch tourist who had suffered cardiac arrest.
“This award is both a blessing and a source of strength to continue,” she reflected. “Pediatrics is not only medical science—it is empathy, holistic care, and service to the child and family. My faith, strengthened by meeting Bishop Prodromos, showed me that medicine and love must go hand in hand. That belief drives me to keep offering.”
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