Examples of our work in Madagascar

Life with and without water

This muddy pool in the ground is where Miza used to collect water. She now has a safe water supply.

Credit: WaterAid / Jeremy Horner

25 year old Miza has five children and comes from Andoakaolo. She used to have to collect water from this muddy pool (pictured right)where animals drink and flies buzz around. WaterAid helped her community build a new well and her life has changed dramatically.

"Everyone here is so happy now: we have good quality water nearby so the women spend less time collecting and carrying water. We are cleaner and there is much less sickness in the village.

"Before, when we had to drink dirty water, there were a lot of stomach upsets and children were often very ill. Now parents are less worried about their children, they rarely get sick and if they are ill it is less likely to be serious."

Urban sanitation project

Rahaingolalao lives in a slum area in central Antanarivo where the community has recently installed a latrine.

Credit: WaterAid / Jeremy Horner

Rahaingolalao lives in a slum area in central Tana where the community has recently installed a latrine. "Since having the latrine life has been much more comfortable. Before there was nowhere to go to the toilet so there was human excrement everywhere, especially during the floods. It was a source of great shame to us but since having the latrine we don't have this problem.

"We had to transport sand, cement and water to the site and since its installation we keep the latrine and the area around it clean and hygienic. I don't mind doing this because I know it improves the health of our family. All around us there have been cases of cholera, but we haven't had any."

A sign of progress

Alphonsine walks down this slippery path three times a day to collect water.

Credit: WaterAid / Jeremy Horner

Alphonsine walks down this slippery path three times a day to collect water. "The water here isn't good," she explains, "especially in the rainy season when it can become contaminated and diarrhoea and malaria are common."

Now her community in Ambalalovana are working with WaterAid's partner Caritas to build a clean water supply. Caritas have supplied materials and training to enable the community to build and maintain the scheme. The community are digging ditches for pipes to relay water from the mountain source to the village below.

"It is a sign of progress to have a standpipe," Alphonsine continues. "The women will spend less time collecting water. Our health will also improve which is a great relief. We have heard of cholera outbreaks nearby. We haven't had any here, but, it is always a source of anxiety, especially to parents."

Mohairiry village kitchen garden

Ikognane, 50, is vice president of a group of kitchen gardeners.

Credit: WaterAid / Jeremy Horner

Ikognane, the vice president of fifteen kitchen gardeners, explains how the community's new well enabled them to start the Mohairiry village kitchen garden.

"Before the well we had no kitchen garden", she says "there wasn't anything you could eat on this bit of land, there just wasn't enough rain to make things grow. We still don't have rain, but now we can water the plants ourselves.

"The great thing is that now we have a garden we can eat a greater variety of vegetables rather than just manioc which we ate before. We are eating a more varied diet which is much healthier- we know our families will be healthier. We can also sell some of our vegetables and so make some money in that way."