13.8 million people don't have clean water.
13.8 million people don't have clean water.
That's almost half the population.
25.2 million people don't have a decent toilet.
25.2 million people don't have a decent toilet.
That's around 9 in 10.
Almost 1,800 children under five die a year from diarrhoea.
Almost 1,800 children under five die a year from diarrhoea.
Caused by dirty water and poor toilets.
Our work in Madagascar
We’ve been working in Madagascar since 1999.
We strengthen the skills of national and local officials, encourage different government ministries to work together, and fight to put hygiene at the top of the agenda.
We support people to understand and demand their rights to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene.
And we show others how to scale up our approach, so even more people can benefit.
Making sure no one's left behind
New taps or toilets aren't much good if people can’t use them – so we train advocates like Saidson Bruno, leader of a centre for disabled people in Morondova, to demand that local authorities provide services that are accessible to all.
Supporting women to become financially independent
As part of our work bringing clean water and sanitation to rural Manjakandriana, we’ve been supporting local residents – many of whom earn less than $1 a day – to set up and manage their own village savings and loan associations (VSLA).
One such association is Soafiary (meaning ‘good things are grown and saved’) in the village of Volavy. Members contribute what they can each week, then take loans when they need to, so money's no longer a worry when it comes to things like school fees or home repairs.
As well as financial security, the group gives women the chance to come together, take ownership of their finances, and challenge traditional beliefs about their roles as home-makers.
Giving children time to learn
With clean water on tap, children like Tantely can focus on getting the education that will help them take control of their futures.
Before the arrival of clean water, daily life in remote Tsarafangitra was a struggle. Children were often sick, leaving parents with no choice but to spend what little money they earned on medicine. Time spent collecting water was time taken away from work and education.
But since we worked with the community to build toilet blocks and a gravity-flow water system, everything's changed.
Children no longer waste hours fetching dirty water. They don’t miss lessons because they’re ill. And, with drinking water and toilets at school, pupils can concentrate on learning.
Access to these essentials has given children the opportunity to play, to learn – and to dream of the future.