Meet The Team
OMENA
A youth-led, and youth-centered organization that is breaking the cycle of emotional abuse through training, preventive evidence-based social-emotional education, and community support.
Back in my country, Madagascar, the only form of abuse that I could recognize was physical abuse. Once in America, 5 years ago, I learned through my training as a Peer Educator that violence often begins with emotional abuse, gradually increasing to violent physical abuse. Through my research, I discovered I was not the only one with a limited definition of abuse. I started being passionate about the subject. I was mind blown by all the things I found out that I decided to share about it. That’s how “Omena” came about.
Our Volunteers
Meet With Them
Originally from Madagascar, Francesca transferred from the Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) to Brown University. She previously studied Psychology and is currently pursuing a BA in Sociology, Organizational track studies and Entrepreneurship.
Francesca Raoelison
Founder and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Hoby grew up between Madagascar and Benin. She then moved to France to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Foreign Languages and Civilizations. To complete her Bachelor’s, she spent a few months in London, England doing an internship in the food service industry where she got her first experience in Management.
Hoby Razafindramaka
Management Team
Irintsoa grew up and lived in Madagascar her entire life before moving to Rwanda for her studies. She is now pursuing a bachelor degree in Global Challenges with a focus on Education.
Irintsoa Rakotonindrina
Project Management
Mifaly is currently finishing her undergraduate studies in International Development at the University of Toronto, Canada. Her thirst for knowledge and seeing the interconnection between global and local issues keep her list of passions and interests almost endless.
Mifaly Andriamady
Programming Team
Kenzie recently graduated from the University of Notre Dame, where she majored in sociology and minored in Latino Studies and data science. Her greatest aspiration is to develop a community health education model that is more culturally competent, narrative-driven, and widely accessible.
McKenzie Isaac
Programming Team
Fy is located in Canada. She a is a translation graduate from the University of Sherbrooke with a sheer interest in communication and literature.
Fy Raelison
Translation Team
Despite her degree in Tourism, Mialy works in the communication field. She likes traveling, crafting, eating and taking pictures.
Mialy Razafintsalama
Social Media Team
Cathy lives in Madagascar. She is a developer. She is also one of the administrators of the Google developer’s Group Antananarivo community, and a WTM (Women Techmakers) Ambassador Antananarivo. She is self-taught, and she likes to share her knowledge with those who need it.
Cathy Li
Tech Team
Benita loves all things creative. She recently completed her M.Phil. in Film Studies and wants to follow her passion for research. At Omena she is part of the Digital Marketing and Outreach Teams. She enjoys painting in watercolor, contemporary dance, and analoge black-and-white photography. Watching figure skating always calms her down.
Benita Dederichs
Digital Marketing/Outreach Team
Kate is a senior in college studying international relations. Her academic interests include political science, the Middle East, conflict studies, and economic development. In both her personal and professional lives, Kate is passionate about advancing gender and economic equality, as well as other forms of social justice.
Kate Harrison
Digital Marketing/Outreach/Research
Kanto is a second-year doctoral student in the Clinical/Community Psychology program at the George Washington University in Washington DC. She’s originally from Madagascar and lived on and off in the DC, Maryland, Virginia area since she moved to the US in 2008.
Kanto Rabemananjara
Research Team
Onitiana is a Psychologist, located in France. She just graduate this year and she is excited to have Omena as the first organization she is joining to help out.
Onitiana Razafimanantsoa
Research Team