Hope for Madagascar

Project: Hope for Madagascar

Local Visionary: Fanja Sylvie Rakotonirina 

Partner Organizations: Hope for Madagascar

Project Summary: By working with communities in peripheral zones of the remaining rainforests of Madagascar, Hope for Madagascar (HFM) aims to protect the rain forests of Madagascar through sustainable development, decrease poverty through educational and environmental projects and provide access to sanitation facilities, clean drinking water and healthy nutrition. HFM also offers a cross-cultural program, Life Experience Exchange Program (LEEP), which allows Malagasy students to travel and discover the richness for their country and gain a greater appreciation for its preservation. After extended dialogues to evaluate the inhabitants' individual and collective needs, HFM and Alpine Initiatives began their partnership by strengthening local initiatives and technical capacity in agricultural production and diversity, which builds self reliance. The project was augmented by the purchase of new land and incorporating irrigation in the dry season by means of a IDE treadle pump. AI assisted in further developing horticulture as well as a successful school feeding program to further encourage a sustainable community.