Madagascar

Madagascar, the world's fourth largest island, lies off the south east coast of the African mainland, 400 kilometers from Mozambique. Because of its isolation most of its mammals and plants and half of its bird species exist nowhere else on earth.

The Malagasy population is composed of 18 ethnic groups who all speak Malagasy, albeit with different dialects. Madagascar, which was colonized by France in 1896 and regained its independence in 1960, is one of the poorest countries in the world. Seventy percent of the population live below the poverty line and the majority of people are dependent on subsistence farming.

Despite the efforts made to date, the number of people with access to safe water and sanitation is very low and differs greatly between rural and urban areas. While only 14% of the rural population have access to water compared to 66% of the urban population, 7.5% of the rural and 27% of the urban population have access to adequate sanitation.

Children play in, and drink from, the filthy water of this canal. The Malagasy Government reports that only 27% of the population have safe water.

Credit: Brent Stirton

WaterAid in Madagascar

WaterAid opened an office in the capital Antananarivo and was officially registered as an international non governmental organization (NGO) in Madagascar in 1999. WaterAid's work quickly developed and it now supports five main partner organizations to work with communities in setting up, operating and maintaining their own water and sanitation facilities using low cost technologies that are appropriate to local conditions. They also help people to learn about good hygiene practices so that the health benefits of projects are maximized.

These projects are in both urban and rural areas of three of Madagascar's six provinces (which in turn are composed of 22 regions containing 1552 smaller administrative units called communes). WaterAid's partners are local NGOs with many years' experience in providing water supplies, through gravity-fed schemes, well construction and the locally manufactured rope pump. WaterAid has worked with them to introduce sanitation and hygiene education into communities. WaterAid is helping these partners to develop their skills and encouraging them to grow.

The population is composed of 18 ethnic groups who all speak Malagasy.

Credit: WaterAid / Jeremy Horner

WaterAid is also forming links and networks with organizations with similar aims across the country at local and national levels to feed into wider policy debates. In Madagascar there is a positive government policy environment and both water and sanitation have been prioritized in both the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (the current plans that qualify governments for debt relief funds) and the government document Madagascar Naturally. The needs, however, are great and require a considerable increase in government, NGO and private sector capacity as well as greater coordination to provide sustainable, safe water services, adequate sanitation and hygiene education.

WaterAid is therefore raising awareness of the need for integrated projects so that hygiene education and sanitation are seen as equally important as safe water.

In 2005 it undertook two new awareness raising projects. Through the 'Sanitation in my neighborhood' photographic competition primary school children took pictures of the problems and solutions in their communities as they saw them. A national exhibition followed by local exhibitions were held and started debates with the community and local (commune) government on how best to change the situation.

A study called 'Looking Back' found that projects providing safe and convenient water supplies meant that communities were healthier and, with more time, were more able to carry out other activities including making compost, weaving, farming and study.

A short film and leaflets showing the findings will be used in discussions with regional and commune level government to lobby for water and sanitation to be included in all future development plans.

WaterAid has developed close links with other NGOs, the Government and donors in Madagascar and has worked together with them on policy issues relating to water and sanitation. It plays a key role in the wider international WASH campaign advocating for water, sanitation and hygiene for all. This campaign promotes messages such as handwashing with soap, effective use of hygienic latrines and safe transport and storage of water from the tap to the point of use.

Download the Madagascar country information sheet ( PDF 331K)