It’s simple, really simple. When shopping in Madagascar or other developing countries, pay for certain products or services at the price equivalent to that of your home country.

For example, a local meal in Madagascar can cost between MGA 10,000 and 20,000 (€ 2 to € 4), while in France, the same meal would easily cost € 20. By paying this difference, you add the surplus to an envelope and give it to the merchant. This direct gesture supports the local economy and generates an immediate impact on the ground.

Optional: You can write on the envelope the words “Les enveloppes de Jean Laborde”, so that merchants and recipients can make the connection with the initiative. This helps to strengthen the impact of the action and create a connection between your gesture and the global movement. However, it is also perfectly acceptable to give a blank envelope, without any mention.

But be careful, this is not about giving alms. This is not charity.

You are not giving for free, you are buying a product or service at a fair price, a price equivalent to that practiced in an economically solid country.

This gesture is not about “compensating” for a weakness in the local market, but about respecting a principle of fairness: you pay what the product or service is worth in a more stable economic environment.

It is essential to understand that by acting in this way, you are making a fair exchange, where everyone receives the fair value of their work. This is not an act of generosity, but an act of active solidarity. You are supporting the local economy by allowing traders to maintain more dignified conditions, while valuing their work at its fair value.