Azafady – Project Lanirano, Madagascar

Despite its size, Madagascar is one of the most impoverished and least developed countries in the world. Tolagnarao (known locally as Fort Dauphin) is an isolated town in the southeast of the island in the Anosy region. In 1996, the people of Anosy were identified as being one of the poorest ethnic groups in the country. The majority of the population live below the poverty line and suffer one of the lowest per capita incomes, the highest rate of disease, the highest infant mortality rates and the highest rates of illiteracy in the country. There is almost no sanitation or water infrastructure, no health care, inadequate or non-existent education, very little livelihood diversity, mass unemployment in the region's urban centre and chronic malnutrition.

In 2006, TRAID donated £5,791 to Azafady's Project Lanirano, which will be used to construct a créche next to an existing training centre on the outskirts of Fort Dauphin and to deliver courses designed to allow women to improve and diversify their livelihoods. The créche will provide free childcare and food to mothers attending the courses. Courses will include pattern weaving, sewing, knitting, woodwork, food preservation, bee keeping, as well as fundraising, money management and women's rights. A small proportion of the money will be used to provide small grants to graduates who wish to start up their own businesses. It is expected that the project will benefit 13,000 women and their families in the south-eastern part of Madagascar.

Return to projects list
Return to top