Ratovonaina

Gasthé Alphonse RATOVONAINA

+261 32 59 578 51

inforgasthe@gmail.com 

35 years old – Married – 3 children

Langues : Français (C1), Anglais (C1), Malagasy

Mining social performance professional with more than 10 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, community relations, and sustainable development in Madagascar’s extractive sector.

Currently serving as Community Relations Superintendent for the Ranobe mineral sands project operated by Base Resources in southern Madagascar, where I lead community engagement strategies across five municipalities impacted by the project. My work focuses on maintaining the project’s social license to operate through effective stakeholder dialogue, grievance management, and culturally sensitive land access processes.

Experienced in crisis management, resettlement processes, land tenure facilitation, and negotiation with local communities, including culturally significant heritage stakeholders. I have successfully coordinated large-scale stakeholder engagement initiatives, recruitment and management of community field teams, and the implementation of development programs benefiting local communities.

In parallel with my professional activities, I contribute to academic training in mining economics and industrial management at the Université de Toliara, helping prepare the next generation of mining professionals in Madagascar.

I am currently pursuing a PhD focused on mining exploitation and sustainable development in the Atsimo-Andrefana region, with the objective of strengthening the alignment between mineral development and long-term community resilience.

Certified in Environmental and Social Performance management through the World Bank Group Open Learning Campus.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VARA MADA / BASE TOLIARA – Community Relations Superintendent Juin 2019 – Février 2026 | Toliara, Madagascar

Role

Responsible for developing and implementing community relations strategies to maintain the social license to operate for the Ranobe mineral sands project.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead stakeholder engagement activities across five municipalities impacted by the project

• Manage grievance mechanisms and resolution of high-risk community complaints

• Facilitate land access processes including socio-economic studies and land surveys

• Coordinate resettlement preparation activities and cultural heritage relocation

• Supervise community liaison teams and field engagement activities

• Support Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) consultations

Key Achievements

• Recruited and deployed 70 community field agents across project-affected municipalities

• Led negotiations with local families regarding relocation of cultural heritage sites and tombs prior to project construction

• Facilitated land tenure security processes including socio-economic surveys and stakeholder consultations

• Managed crisis response and stakeholder communication during community protests related to the project

• Coordinated the creation of community development initiatives including livestock association projects in the mining area

• Led COVID-19 response initiatives including a community-based face mask production program in partnership with local women’s associations and the Anglican Church

TOLIARA SANDS SARL – Social Supervisor Avril 2017 – Juin 2019

Ensured sustainable social license for the project across port areas, mining sites, bridges, roads, and quarries.

• Built lasting trust with the indigenous Mikea people of Voreha through successful management of agreements with the Mikea Forest Association, fostering strong community engagement.

• Provided strategic leadership of the Regional Strategic Coordination Sub-Committee (SCRC), enhancing coherence and alignment of regional interventions.

• Improved communication channels with local populations by establishing Village Committees, enabling active participation and stronger ownership of projects.

• Formalized the legal structures of fishing associations (Akio Viko and ANMA) along the Andaboy coast, strengthening their representation and negotiation capacity.

• Promoted cultural and social mobilization through partnerships with local artists, resulting in the large-scale production and dissemination of a promotional video clip that facilitated social acceptance of the Toliara Sands project.

• Countered misinformation via a strategic partnership with Don Bosco Radio Mazava Ankililoaky, consolidating the project’s credibility among communities.

• Secured a sustainable social license through transparent and effective management of the Recruitment Transparency Committee (CTR).

• Strengthened stakeholder trust by organizing an exchange visit that brought together 70 key actors in Fort-Dauphin at Rio Tinto QMM, fostering experience-sharing and cohesion.

EKELSIA EPISKOPALY MALAGASY – Economic Development Coordinator 2014 – 2017

• Led development projects across the Menabe, Atsimo Andrefana, Androy, and Anosy regions, with a strong focus on community impact.

• Diversified and increased revenues for 10 parishes through tailored economic initiatives, including goat farming, coffee/rice/salt storage, and multisectoral services.

• Strengthened community resilience to natural disasters (Kere, cyclones) through practical training, food distribution, and seed provision.

• Improved access to safe drinking water via a successful WASH partnership with Wings for Grace International, including the distribution of water tanks in southern Madagascar.

• Mobilized international funding to support women’s empowerment, securing grants for the Trano Filongoa training center through the Australia Embassy’s Direct Aid Program.

TSARAVINTANA SARL – Chef de Division Informatique –   07/2013 – 08/2014  

• Optimized user performance through automation of data processing in Microsoft Excel, enabling reliable daily monitoring of fuel and lubricant consumption, as well as efficient management of leave, attendance, and payroll records.

• Successfully designed and implemented a badge management software, enhancing security and traceability for more than 500 employees.

• Developed and deployed SYGCAL software, an integrated solution that strengthened control and transparency in fuel and lubricant consumption, contributing to improved cost efficiency in operations.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

• Master’s Degree (II) in Social Sciences – University of Toliara

• Bachelor’s Degree in Management (Maîtrise) – University of Toamasina

• High School Diploma in Business Studies – Collège Sacré Cœur Tsianaloky

KEY SKILLS

• Project management

• Community relations and stakeholder engagement

• Business administration

• Development of computerized database management systems

• Leadership and team coordination

• Bilingual: French, English, Malagasy (native)

CERTIFICATIONS AND TRAINING

• Team Leadership/Team Membership – Taribon, 2023

• Open-pit Mining for Sustainable Management – MONA Development Morocco

• Cities and Climate Change – UNITAR, 2024

• Corporate Finance: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) – LinkedIn, 2024

• Procurement and Logistics – Disaster Ready, 2024

• Project Management – Disaster Ready, 2024

• MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning) – Disaster Ready, 2024

• Social Performance Management – World Bank/OLC/IFC, 2024

• English C1 – ITTI Toliara, 2022

• Partnership Certificate – Globe Vert Madagascar, 2016

• Certificate – FES YLTP (Youth Leadership Training Program) Madagascar, 2015

EXTRA-PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

• Adjunct Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Toliara (since 2022).

• Socio-Organizer, Association AINA – Mikea Forest Valorization (2008): socio-economic surveys, household accounting training.

• Consultant, FENOSOA Company – Socio-economic study on a drinking water supply project in Mangily (September 2025).

• President, Department of Social and Economic Development, EKLESIA EPISKOPALY MALAGASY – Anglican Diocese of Toliara.

• Vice-Treasurer, FIMA Association (Fikambanan’ny Masikoro Arivolahy) Nasionaly.

• Contact person for Aquaponic and Mangrove projects with EEM (Eklesia Episkopaly Malagasy) Toliara.

OTHER

• Driving license: A, B

• Professional mission in Kenya (Base Titanium Ltd, Kwale County)