Water Cistern Against Drought in Androy Madagascar

*UPDATES 31 August 2021:  Please be advised that the fundraising is now closed. Thanks to YOU we have reached our target of 7074 euros (we have collected 5751€ via GoFundMe and have secured a corporate donation of 1500€ by bank transfer). We have made it!  THANK YOU!

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We are the Leos , a non-profit organization seeking to serve people in need.
We learnt about the dramatic drought situation that 1.5 million people in Androy region, southern Madagascar, live in and decided to contribute to a sustainable water supply by building 2 water cisterns in Tsihombe district in partnership with Tatirano. Our aim is to provide clean water to 1500 people per cistern to help the local community. Read all about it by clicking below.

 

 

• SITUATION

 

Hunger is on the rise in southern Madagascar due to consecutive years of drought, affecting half the region’s population, or 1.5 million people, as reported by the World Food Programme (1) .

 

At least 1.3 million people need humanitarian assistance in the drought-hit deep south, according to the U.N. (January 2021) (2).

 

The southern regions have the lowest drinking water coverage in the country and are suffering greatly from the effects of climate change, such as increased frequency/intensity of droughts and chronic lack of water. These lead to severe crises of food insecurity and malnutrition, affecting mainly children.

 

 

According to UNICEF's report, 55.55% of the territory are affected by “severe” drought; 23.34% of the territory are affected by “extreme” drought. Almost all eight districts in the Greater South are affected with the exception of a few municipalities in the Taolagnaro district (3 ).

 

 

In Androy region, precipitation is very low. It has rarely rained for the past years. Moreover, dust and sand have destroyed the few wells that exist due to a natural phenomenon known locally as “tiomena” (violent winds veiling the sky with dust and sand, at times blotting out the sun). As a consequence, people are starving and 135,000 children are moderately, severely or acutely malnourished (2 ).

 

The conditions in which people are living worsened following Covid-19 due to massive job losses. With markets closed and people forced to sell their possessions to survive, the situation is set to persist. According to Lola Castro, WFP Regional director for Southern Africa and Indian Ocean States, there was no labour this year, and people moved around without finding any labour anywhere, both in urban areas or in the rural areas, due to the drought and the COVID lockdown (2 ).

 

• NEED OF ACTION

 

Ever since we became aware of the situation, we wanted to help the local community that suffers from the drought as quickly as possible and with a sustainable solution.

 

Experts stress that upgrading the area’s water supply system is an urgent priority. Environmental experts in the region assert that for the resilience of the community, water is the unique solution to eradicate famine and protect soils from erosion.

 

We wanted to contribute, at our level, to the fight against the scarcity of water and help the numerous disadvantaged villagers that need to walk several Kms a day (up to 17km according to our local contacts) sometimes JUST to be able to drink.

 

 

• OUR SOLUTION

 

After contacting several associations to discuss potential solutions, we found an association already working in south Madagascar, Tatirano Social Enterprise, with whom we will work to bring water to some villages in the Androy region.

 

Our solution is to build water cisterns (20,000 litres Calabash tanks made of ferrocement) in central areas of villages in the Androy region, specifically in Tsihombe District, and supply them periodically with water from fresh source. This will create and establish a formal and scalable network of cisterns that water camions can distribute water to.

 

 

Each 20m3 cistern will be operated by a Tatirano Agent hired from the local community who will be responsible for selling the water at a break-even price and keeping the system clean in preparation for the next delivery. Quality of the water will be ensured by a filter system at every tank. This will be of assured quality at OMS guidelines. The price will incorporate all necessary components such as salary of the Agent in the community to sell the water, a community agent to work with the communities and sensitise them, carburant for the camion, carburant for pumping etc. The break-even price that will be charging at the kiosks will be on average 50% cheaper than the alternative sources.

 

Each cistern would reach around 1,500 people or more as other communities would come from further afield to use it. According to our local contacts, people are willing to travel up to 17km to get water in the district.

 

For the people that need to travel several kms a day, the installation of an in-situ cistern less than 15km away as well as an assured clean water will bring a massive improvement to their current and needy situation.

 

 

• ALL TOGETHER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN

 

We are now fundraising to raise at least 7,074 euros so as to build the first two 20m3 cisterns, knowing that the construction of cisterns is to be made in pairs for efficiency purpose.

 

With a single donation, as small as 1 euro, and by sharing this call to a few people around you, you can change people's life in this region. For each cistern built, 1,500 people or so will have access to drinkable water for many years to come. Your donation will help us build concrete and durable water cisterns, which will provide water access to people who are most in need. This will considerably relieve the distress that these inhabitants are living in.

 

 

The more we collect, the more people we are able to help. Make our project turn into a reality.

Share our project to 3 persons now and Donate today.

 

With thanks, the Leo Club Feierwon Luxembourg!