Tag Archive for: Poverty in Madagascar

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5 Charities Operating in Madagascar

Charities Operating in MadagascarPoverty continues to challenge Malagasy youth, limiting access to education, health and nutrition services across the country’s rural regions. According to the World Food Programme, in Madagascar, more than 80% of the population lives on less than $2.15 per day, with 38.6% of children suffering from chronic malnutrition. A World Bank learning-poverty brief, using data available as of 2021, estimated that about 94% of children in Madagascar were not proficient in reading by late primary-school age. It also reported that primary education expenditure per child was 77.8% below the Sub-Saharan Africa regional average.

Amid these challenges, a number of organizations are stepping in to close the gaps in education, nutrition and child protection. Below are five charities operating in Madagascar that aim to fight poverty and enhance the quality of life for youths.

Charities Operating in Madagascar

  • ADRA Madagascar: ADRA Madagascar is a non-governmental organization that works to provide every Malagasy child the opportunity to learn and supports sustainable development across the country. ADRA Madagascar has three core aims: expanding access to education through improved infrastructure, increasing school attendance through financial support and enhancing education quality by strengthening teaching capacity. In addition to improved education, ADRA Madagascar also works to improve access to water, particularly in areas closely located to educational facilities. Since 2020, ADRA Madagascar reports that its programs have supported more than 1 million Malagasy people.
  • Learn Achieve Become: Learn Achieve Become (L.A.B.) is a U.K.-based charity dedicated to improving the quality of life for those living in disadvantaged communities by expanding access to quality education and sports. L.A.B.’s main activities involve organizing temporary educational programs, partnering with local schools and hosting sporting clubs and events. In 2023, L.A.B. opened its first educational and support center for people with disabilities in Madagascar, with goals to open more across the island. The organization reports that its centers provide free education to roughly 200 students per week, ensuring disadvantaged youth have access to basic learning opportunities.
  • Save the Children Madagascar: Save the Children is a global organization that aims to end child violence, expand access to basic education and prevent diseases affecting children. Its presence in Madagascar began in 2016 and, in conjunction with a wide range of donors, it has implemented programs combatting health, education, food security and child protection-related challenges. These programs are essential given Madagascar’s strained healthcare and education systems, as well as widespread food insecurity. In 2025, Save the Children Madagascar reported that 12,084 children were reached through its various programs.
  • Skyline NGO Madagascar: Skyline NGO Madagascar is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization, aiming to eradicate poverty and develop vulnerable communities within Madagascar. Skyline Madagascar runs a number of community-driven activities and programs that seek to address the needs of the Malagasy population. These include distributing medical supplies, establishing public libraries that provide educational books, running youth sports programs and partnering with the Phoenix Light Project to expand renewable energy methods and reforestation. Since 2020, Skyline Madagascar reports that its programs have reached more than 300,000 people across 23 regions in Madagascar.
  • Un Enfant par la Main Madagascar: Un Enfant par la Main is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that works with local communities to ensure the rights of all children are upheld. Un Enfant par la Main places an emphasis on working with communities, rather than working in their place, with a focus on co-constructing solutions and implementing sustainable change that can be maintained by the community. In Madagascar, the organization has implemented two long-term projects in vulnerable regions that aim to provide a comprehensive response to the needs of the children. Un Enfant par la Main reports that nearly 6,500 children and families receive support each month.

Final Thoughts

Madagascar continues to face poverty-related challenges, with many children still facing a lack of education and limited access to food and water. However, these five charities operating in Madagascar provide hope for the future of the island nation, particularly given the strong focus on upholding the rights of all children. Together, these organizations demonstrate how community-driven programs can drive meaningful change for Malagasy youth.

– Xavier Stephens

Xavier is based in Melbourne, Australia, and focuses on Technology and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Lack of Healthcare in Madagascar Leads to Mass Exorcisms

Healthcare in MadagascarIn Madagascar, exorcisms are not just a plot of horror movies or scary stories. Across the country, numerous healing and revival camps perform daily exorcisms as the primary way to treat mental illness. While this practice is rooted in traditional ancestral customs, the prevalence of these exorcism camps intersects directly with the lack of healthcare in Madagascar, becoming a dangerous consequence of the country’s extreme poverty.

Poverty in Madagascar

Madagascar—a beautiful island known for its biodiversity, unique wildlife and the 2005 hit movie where New York animals escape their caged zoo life—has one of the highest global rates of poverty. Around 80% of the country’s population lives on less than 9,255 Malagasy ariary per day, which roughly converts to $2.15. One of the most prominent ways Madagascar’s poverty manifests is its extreme lack of access to healthcare. Most citizens must pay out-of-pocket for basic medical services that are unaffordable for the average household. In addition to roughly half of the country’s population living far from medical facilities, 75% of those health centers lack basic electricity and running water.

Underfunding, poor infrastructure, and a lack of utilities at most healthcare facilities in Madagascar have led citizens to seek alternatives. The most popular substitute is placing mentally ill individuals in exorcism camps.

History of Exorcisms in Madagascar

Madagascar has a deep ancestral tradition of holistic healing and spiritual well-being. Amid a period of severe socio-economic hardship in the country, a man named Rainisoalambo heard a calling from Jesus Christ to convert to Protestantism and add a ministry of exorcism to the Malagasy Lutheran Church. This divine experience galvanized him to start the fifohazana revival movement in 1894: a crusade that successfully translated modern European Christianity into a deeply local, culturally resonant experience. As the indigenous Christian movement grew, the traditional holistic healing of sick community members morphed into a violent expulsion of demons from those believed to be possessed.

Exorcisms and Poverty

Possession has less to do with a spiritual state and more to do with the absence of healthcare in Madagascar.

While traveling in Madagascar from 2006 to 2016, Riccardo Bononi, a visual anthropologist from Italy, visited one of the country’s most popular toby—the revival camps where exorcisms are performed. After observing many of these purification ceremonies, Bononi came to a troubling conclusion: most of the condemned people were not possessed, but actually ill. As a guest speaker for Boston University’s Conflict & Crisis Reporting, Bononi told a story of meeting a woman who was sent to the toby for showing indifference and disdain toward her newborn. While Madagascan culture labeled her as possessed by demons for such behavior, Bononi saw that she was instead suffering from postpartum depression.

Because only 1% of Madagascar’s national health budget is allocated for mental healthcare, Bononi’s story of mental illness being relabeled as possession is quite common. Olivia Legrip-Randriambelo, an anthropologist studying the religious healing practices of Madagascar, found that the prevalence of toby compensates for the scarcity and high cost of healthcare in Madagascar. Because chronic poverty, malnutrition and misfortune are frequently associated with spiritual disruption, and families usually bring patients to revival camps when they can no longer care for them for economic reasons, the country’s poverty seems to lead all roads to exorcism.

Harmfulness of Exorcisms

Even though exorcisms are important to Madagascar’s indigenous culture, the country’s economic dependency on them for solutions to mental and physical illness makes them extremely dangerous. In addition to Madagascar’s lack of healthcare, which causes families to bring patients with neurological disorders and mental health conditions to religious camps instead of hospitals, the conditions of these are extremely damaging. Bononi recalled that not only were the intensive exorcisms violent and traumatizing for such vulnerable individuals, but camp workers also chained together the wrists and ankles of most possessed Madagascans in a way that resembled the shackles used on enslaved people in America. Bononi observed that camp workers kept patients in small metal huts that resembled cages and fed them only one meal a day.

Ongoing Efforts

Water Yourself, a Malagasy organization founded in 2021, is just one of the many projects focused on destigmatizing mental health and closing the gaps in healthcare accessibility. The organization provides mental health services and education, including diagnosis, prevention, therapy, workshops and counseling. Since its founding, it has partnered with 15 businesses and five nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), helped more than 1,000 individuals, and achieved a 10% increase in mental health awareness. By addressing the country’s severe treatment gaps and confronting the stigma where psychological distress is frequently misunderstood as possession, Water Yourself is creating an alternative to religious torture. Its integrated approach blends therapy, advocacy and community empowerment.

Water Yourself, like many other organizations fighting the misuse of religious ceremonies as solutions to medical care, understands that poverty is the main cause. The underfunding, poor infrastructure, and lack of utilities in the country’s healthcare facilities are the main reasons this important religious tradition is being misused by struggling Madagascans. The solution is not stripping Madagascans of an important indigenous custom, but rather providing citizens with the economic means to access affordable healthcare in Madagascar.

– Mia Puleo

Mia is based in Park City, UT, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Being Poor in Madagascar: The Poverty Paradox of a Nation

Being Poor in MadagascarThe mention of Madagascar may cue images of DreamWorks Pictures’ 2005 animated comedy for many. However, far removed from this fictional imagery is the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar, a country with one of the world’s highest poverty rates, at about 80%. For the majority of its more than 30 million people, being poor in Madagascar means surviving on less than $2.15 per day. The United Nations often describes the country’s poverty crisis as the result of a convergence of shocks.

Government Instability and Infrastructure

Since gaining independence in 1960, Madagascar has remained an impoverished nation despite a wealth of natural resources. A consistently fragile governmental system has resulted in little investment in developing the nation’s infrastructure. Accusations of corruption have been a constant issue surrounding the country’s governance, with Madagascar ranking 148th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2025.

Frustration over failures to provide basic amenities like water led to nationwide protests in 2025, when the youth movement Gen Z Madagascar demanded the removal of President Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina fled the country and was impeached, and the military then seized power. Despite this, Madagascar remains one of the poorest countries in the world. With a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of about $550 and inflation rates of more than 8%, the sluggish economy is reflected in the nation’s underdeveloped infrastructure.

Madagascar’s poor quality of road networks is an area where this underdevelopment is stark. Both national and local roads are mainly dirt tracks, with more than 17 million rural residents not living within two kilometers of an all-season road. This creates issues for those in rural communities accessing essentials such as water, as well as reducing Madagascar’s agricultural productivity. National electrification also remains low, with only 36% of the population connected to electricity, and those connected facing consistent issues. The consequences of this electrical instability have seen production costs rise, as well as businesses unable to expand.

Food Insecurity

In Madagascar, about three-quarters of households rely on agriculture to survive. However, recurrent climate shocks have drastically reduced agricultural production, with rural communities in the southern region experiencing the worst effects. Scarred landscapes have been further damaged by drought, destroying rain-dependent crops.

Frequent cyclones and flooding in the southeastern regions have had similarly devastating consequences. Frezina Iarina, a 30-year-old mother from a remote village in Madagascar, has felt these consequences firsthand, as the European Commission documented her struggles in 2024. Iarina had to work 10 hours a day as a laborer, being paid four cups of rice, after losing her small plot of land to Cyclone Freddy in 2023. She told of how a diet of only rice and cassava had led to three of her youngest children showing signs of malnutrition. This resulted in them having to be fed fortified peanut paste by members of Action Contre la Faim, one of the European Union’s humanitarian partners.

These events, combined with limited market access, mean that roughly 1.7 million people in Madagascar are facing high levels of food insecurity. With nearly 40% of children under five affected by malnutrition, many of them are also being denied an education, as they are required to work in fields alongside their parents.

Aid and Being Poor in Madagascar

A handful of organizations are providing humanitarian assistance to try to relieve some of the suffering that being poor in Madagascar creates.

  • The World Food Programme’s (WFP) Mission – WFP is adopting an integrated approach, identifying women and children as two vulnerable groups it feels are in critical need of nutritional support.
  • Feedback Madagascar Meets Mary’s Meals – After working with more than 500,000 people in the region for more than 30 years, Feedback Madagascar has identified the need for holistic support. By collaborating with Mary’s Meals, a school feeding program, the schoolchildren of Madagascar are able to receive one nutritious meal a day.
  • Female Focused Farming – Women-led solidarity networks are empowering women by giving them access to land and teaching them sustainable farming techniques. One of these is agro-ecology, a technique that aims to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizer and costly foreign seeds. These programs have helped to create a more climate-proof agricultural environment and enabled more than 37,000 families to grow their own food locally.

Future Outlook

Despite the current situation in Madagascar remaining bleak, with nearly 1.9 million people assisted by WFP in 2025, there is hope that the future does not have to be. Rural development, through improving both the country’s road systems and farming methods, can ease the pressure on urban labor markets. However, both internal systemic change and help from outside governments and organizations are needed.

There is evidence that these changes are already taking place, with the government promoting agro-ecology through drought-resistant seeds. Continuation of these practices can help to finally reduce poverty and potentially free Madagascar from this decades-long paradox.

– William Snow

William is based in Chepstow, Wales and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty in Madagascar: Photo Essay Inspired Social Change

Children playing in a dusty street surrounded by makeshift homes, illustrating poverty in Madagascar.The 2005 animated film “Madagascar” depicts the Southeastern African island as an untouched jungle paradise. As the New York animals navigate the unfamiliar wild, they encounter almost everything except the extreme poverty in Madagascar.

Poverty in Madagascar

Madagascar, an African island praised for its biodiversity and remarkably distinct natural landscape, is one of the poorest countries in the world. The World Bank reported that 80% of the country’s population lives below the international extreme poverty line ($2.15 per day) as of 2024. One of the most jarring manifestations of this poverty in Madagascar is the Andralanitra dumpsite.

Andralanitra is a dumpsite located just outside of Antananarivo, the country’s capital. It has been operational since the 1960s and receives more than 600 tons of trash each day. The 50 acres of gray waste are visible in satellite imagery. For years, the Malagasy government did not provide a population count for Andralanitra, saying no one inhabited the dumpsite. In 2015, however, Riccardo Bononi confirmed the existence of 3,000 people living and working at the dumpsite, a finding that inspired social change within the Madagascan government.

Riccardo Bononi’s Work in Andralanitra

Riccardo Bononi is a visual anthropologist from Padua, Italy. He traveled to Madagascar in 2006 as a field researcher and journalist, initially intending to focus on the plague, which remains present on the island today. Locals informed him of an area with the highest number of cases of the disease in the entire country: Andralanitra.

Upon arriving at the dumpsite, Bononi was struck not by the prevalence of disease but by the dire circumstances in which residents lived. He spent four years learning about and documenting the lives of the people of Andralanitra. His photographs and interviews became the photo essay and documentary “City of Flies.”

“City of Flies” was one of the first published works to document the demographics and living conditions of Andralanitra’s residents, giving visibility to some of the most extreme cases of poverty in Madagascar. Most residents are orphans; even adults living at the site were abandoned there as infants by mothers who could not afford to keep them. Residents make a living by sorting through waste to recover metals and plastics that can be sold in town.

A small collection of Bononi’s photos was first published in VICE magazine in 2016. Two years later, Irfoss published Bononi’s complete photobook, “Une Belle Vie, Une Belle Mort” (“A Beautiful Life, a Beautiful Death”). The combination of a photo essay, documentary and photobook drew international attention and became an example of how journalism can inspire social change.

How “City of Flies” Inspired Social Change

In June 2026, Bononi spoke as a guest lecturer for Boston University’s Conflict & Crisis Reporting summer class in Padua, Italy. Speaking to a group of 10 journalism students, Bononi described his work in Andralanitra as his greatest success, saying its value lay not in money or awards but in the change it brought about in Madagascar.

According to Bononi, his documentary’s proof of 3,000 people living in the dumpsite forced the Madagascan government to acknowledge that the site was inhabited, and that the community was made up largely of children. His work also motivated local and international groups to pressure the government to address the humanitarian conditions in which people were working, living and sleeping among waste.

The most significant change, Bononi said, came when he returned to the dumpsite years after his work was published and found it had no residents. The Madagascan government had reintegrated the community, providing residents with jobs within the country’s broader society.

Looking Ahead

Poverty in Madagascar as a whole remains far from resolved, and numerous nonprofit organizations continue working to address the country’s economic and environmental hardships. Still, Bononi’s “City of Flies” illustrates the impact that can come from documenting injustice and giving voice to communities that are otherwise overlooked.

– Mia Puleo

Mia is based in Park City, UT, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

 

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Poverty and Higher Education in Madagascar

Higher education in MadagascarIn Madagascar, reaching university is an opportunity available to very few young people. Poverty, weak learning and school dropout prevent many students from completing secondary education. Others must work to help their families. However, higher education in Madagascar could give people the skills needed for secure employment. Education can also train the professionals needed to improve health care, education, agriculture and other essential services. Madagascar has one of the highest poverty rates in the world, with 75.2% of the population living below the national poverty line in 2022. The poverty rate reached 79.9% in rural areas. Expanding access to higher education could help address poverty.

Higher Education and Poverty Reduction

Higher education can prepare students for skilled and better-paid work. Universities and technical colleges train teachers, doctors, engineers, researchers and business professionals. These workers can earn more stable incomes and provide financial support to their families. By earning regular wages, graduates may be better able to pay for food, housing, health care and their children’s education, reducing the risk that poverty continues from one generation to the next. Their skills can also benefit the wider community.

Agricultural specialists can help farmers improve production and respond to climate change, which can increase food security and raise rural incomes. Health workers can improve people’s ability to remain healthy and work, reducing the financial pressure caused by illness.

Engineers and technology specialists can improve infrastructure, water systems and local services, making communities more productive and resilient. Teachers can strengthen the education system for future generations, helping more children gain the skills needed to escape poverty.

Graduates may also establish businesses and create jobs for other people, increasing local incomes and economic activity. However, university courses should meet the needs of employers and local communities. Practical programs in areas such as agriculture, health, tourism, manufacturing and technology could prepare students for available work. Internships and apprenticeships could also help graduates move from education into employment.

For many children, the barriers to university begin in primary school. Madagascar’s learning poverty rate is estimated at 94%. Most children cannot read and understand a simple text by age 10. Without basic reading, writing and mathematics skills, children are more likely to repeat grades or leave school.

Dropout is another serious problem. UNESCO has reported that children entering primary school have only a 33% chance of reaching its final grade. As a result, many students leave education before they can enter secondary school.

Poverty makes continuing education especially difficult. Families may need to pay for uniforms, materials, meals and transport, even when tuition is free. Private education is even less accessible due to the additional fees. Rural students may also live far from the nearest secondary school.

Some children leave school to work. International Labour Organization (ILO) data show that 29.8% of children ages 5 to 17 were involved in economic activity in 2018. Many work in agriculture, fishing, domestic service or other informal jobs. Although their earnings may help their families in the short term, work can limit the time and energy available for education. Leaving school without qualifications can then keep young people in insecure and poorly paid employment.

Helping Students Reach Higher Education

Financial assistance is one way to break this cycle. Scholarships, free materials, school meals and transport support can reduce the costs faced by poor families. Cash transfers may also reduce the pressure for children to work. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Madagascar’s Let Us Learn program provides a successful example. The initiative supports vulnerable students as they move from primary to secondary school, a stage when many children are at risk of dropping out. It operates as a cash-transfer supplement for families with children ages 11 to 18, helping them cover school-related costs and reducing the need for children to work.

The support is linked to continued school enrollment, so families receive financial help while children remain in education. In some cases, the money is paid regularly, such as every two months, and families can use it for expenses like school supplies, transport, food or other household needs that affect a child’s ability to stay in school. Its cash-transfer program increased overall enrollment by 7% among children ages 11 to 14. Among girls in this age group, enrollment rose by 13%.

Creating a Path Out of Poverty

Higher education alone cannot end poverty in Madagascar. Financial aid at university level is important, but it comes too late for many students. Children often need support from their first years of primary school.

Programs such as Let Us Learn show that targeted help can keep vulnerable students in school. However, long-term progress will require investment in early education as well as scholarships and university places. Expanding higher education in Madagascar begins with ensuring that children receive a strong education from their earliest school years. By improving basic learning and supporting students throughout their education, Madagascar can give more young people a real chance to reach university, gain secure employment and help reduce poverty in their communities. Helping citizens access higher education is also an investment in Madagascar’s long-term effort to reduce poverty.

– Nina Novillo Astrada

Nina is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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4 Projects Expanding Health Care Access in Madagascar

A health worker assists a mother and child in a Madagascar clinic. Health Care Access in MadagascarFor many families living in Madagascar’s remote villages, reaching health centers can require hours of walking across rough terrain. For mothers with sick children, that journey can mean the difference between life and death.

State of Health Care Access in Madagascar

Madagascar is the world’s fourth-largest island, located approximately 400 kilometers off the eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean. The island has a population of around 31 million people, many of whom live in isolated rural communities with limited access to health care. Nearly half of Madagascar’s population lives more than five kilometers from a health care center, a distance that creates major barriers to care. Despite these challenges, mobile clinics and community health programs now extend essential services to remote populations.

Madagascar’s health care system operates on four tiers: the central level sets national policy, the regional level coordinates implementation, the district level oversees hospitals and primary health centers, and the community level relies on health workers.

Despite this structure, access to health care remains limited across the country. Only one doctor serves approximately 11,000 people, and the life expectancy stands at 62.9 years, below the global average of 71.4 years. Just 4.4% of Madagascar’s population is over 65, reflecting this shorter life expectancy.

Madagascar suffers recurring humanitarian crises, including droughts, cyclones and famine, which place additional strain on the health care system. Disease is also a heavy burden, as malaria placed 28.9 million people at risk in 2022. This disease caused 4.9 million cases and killed more than 12,500 people in 2021. Contracting malaria keeps adults from working and children from attending school, reducing household income and reinforcing cycles of poverty. Tuberculosis incidence remains high, ranging from about 220 to 233 cases per 100,000 people. Under-five mortality stands at 66 deaths per 1,000 live births, while neonatal mortality reaches 24.1 deaths per 1,000 live births.

Rural Challenges

These challenges hit people in remote regions hardest, where distance and poor infrastructure make accessing health care extremely difficult. Geography poses one of the biggest barriers to health care access in Madagascar. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), some residents must travel at least two kilometers just to reach the nearest health center, and many communities sit much farther away. Nearly half the population lives more than five kilometers from a health care facility, and roughly 75% of local health centers lack reliable electricity. These barriers to effective health care contribute considerably to cycles of poverty.

This lack of basic maintenance limits health centers’ emergency and nighttime care. Mobile clinics and outreach programs offer an important solution, bringing health care directly to isolated communities and helping to close the gap in access.

Reaching Remote Communities in Madagascar

Medair, founded in 1989, has implemented the “Tanan-kavana ho an’ny Fahasalamana” (TKF) project in Bevaho, Mahatsinjo, Anandravy, Antokonala and Ivato. This project aims to reduce morbidity in remote rural areas of southeastern Madagascar and provides free health care, especially for mothers and children. The TKF project, co-funded by the European Union (EU), began in May 2025 and is due to run until July 2026. In 2022, Medair impacted 2,716,365 people through its health and nutrition programs. The initiative shows how outreach health care can significantly support rural communities.

UNICEF’s Improved Nutritional Outcomes Project, known as PARN, has hired nearly 11,000 community health workers across Madagascar to provide care to mothers and children under 5 years old. With funding from the World Bank, UNICEF is providing assistance to strengthen the health system in regions where PARN is being implemented.

ACCESS Program

Management Services for Health and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) operated the Accessible Continuum of Care and Essential Services Sustained (ACCESS) program across 78 districts and 14 regions. This project worked to ensure that quality health care services were available and accessible to all communities. Efforts include improving maternal and child health, treating malaria, increasing access to reproductive health and family planning services, combatting malnutrition and ensuring access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation. From 2018 to 2025, ACCESS covered more than 16 million people and supported nearly 1,900 health facilities. Maternal mortality decreased from 130 to 65 per 100,000 live births from October 2019 to September 2024 and neonatal mortality decreased from 5 to 3 per 1,000 live births from January 2021 to September 2024.

In southeast Madagascar, Sustainable Environment, Education and Development (SEED) is building community-led, sustainable initiatives in rural areas such as Ambinanibe. Project Votsira’s community education program fills gaps in health knowledge by running biweekly sessions at the local health center, with topics shaped by community needs. Topics include malaria prevention, breastfeeding, childhood illnesses, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV awareness and nutrition. Between July and October 2024, the sessions drew more than 700 attendees in Ambinanibe, reflecting strong community demand for health support. Alongside this, SEED’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Solar in Health Centers project is improving physical health care infrastructure by installing solar power, building five gender-segregated latrines and a menstrual hygiene management facility and introducing a clean rainwater harvesting system.

Looking Ahead

Madagascar continues to face significant challenges to health care access, driven by geography and recurring climate disasters. However, mobile clinics and community health workers expand access to lifesaving care for rural communities. As these initiatives grow, they hold the potential to reduce preventable illness and offer a pathway to greater economic stability and stronger rural communities across Madagascar.

– Helen Turnbull

Helen is based in Cardiff, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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From Rally to Reform: Gen Z Fights Poverty in Madagascar

Poverty in MadagascarNationwide unrest has emerged from decades of instability, corruption and poverty in Madagascar, where three-quarters of the population lives below the poverty line. Youth-led protests over the lack of basic public services mirror global movements demanding a more prosperous future for the next generation. Since gaining independence in 1960, the African island nation of 32 million has continued to navigate volatile governments, neglected livelihoods and uncertainty about its future.

Poverty in Madagascar

Madagascar faces deeply rooted economic pressures that have left much of its population struggling to survive. With an average annual income of just $600, the Malagasy are among the world’s most impoverished people. The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) notes that, with “front-row seats to the lifestyles of elites,” the inequalities burdening the Malagasy have become increasingly visible.

Chronic underdevelopment has left basic services unreliable; water shortages, power cuts and limited sanitation affect millions daily. Rapid urbanization has further worsened living conditions, as 60% of urban residents live in informal settlements that lack essential services, including water and sanitation. The expansion of Madagascar’s urban centers has occurred alongside limited investment in education, health care and social infrastructure. 

As a result, weak human capital continues to limit opportunities to escape poverty in Madagascar. High tariffs imposed by the United States throughout 2025 have also affected major Malagasy exports, including vanilla. Coupled with the expiration of beneficial trade agreements between the two regions, these measures have heightened the economic turmoil already affecting tens of millions of people.

Gen Z Protests

Madagascar’s Gen Z community spearheaded nationwide protests over severe water and power shortages in September 2025. Protesters demanded greater job opportunities, humanitarian aid and accountability from elected officials, expressing frustration over what they see as neglected responsibilities and broken promises. CFR reports that the demonstrations quickly expanded to include broader demands for governmental reform.

Inspired by similar youth movements in Kenya and Nepal, the demonstrations were among the largest the Indian Ocean region has experienced in years. Disillusionment among Gen Z with autocratic rule, government inaction and visible inequalities continues to fuel worldwide concern about their futures—and, in turn, large-scale activism. Protesters from similar movements around the world offer one another support, energy and motivation, strengthening the push for a stronger youth generation.

The Corruption Perceptions Index ranks Madagascar 140th out of 180 countries for perceived corruption. Malagasy activist Shely Andriamihaja argues, “The youth are the first victims of corruption, especially in universities where the infrastructure is so bad.” The impact of corrupt, decentralized governance on Gen Z remains a key driver of growing global youth activism.

What the Future Holds

In response to the widespread protests, Malagasy President Andry Rajoelina fled the country and dissolved his government—a result similar to those achieved by other Gen Z–led movements. The president apologized to the protesters, acknowledging that his officials had failed to fulfill their responsibilities to their constituents.

While the protests reached some of their goals, there is still work to be done. CFR expects activists to seek a more concrete plan to alleviate poverty in Madagascar, which continues to burden the country’s youth.

– Jayhan Adhi

Jayhan is based in Chicago, IL, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Innovations in Poverty Eradication in Madagascar

Poverty Eradication in MadagascarMadagascar is a unique and vibrant environment that contains some of the most exotic creatures in the world and the people are just as fascinating as the animals; they embrace nature and live off the land. But in contrast to the rich nature and culture, food security and living conditions in Madagascar are far from ideal for most of the population.

Despite Madagascar’s unparalleled biodiversity, factors such as deforestation, changing weather patterns, natural disasters and poor economic conditions have ravaged the land. Around 71% of Madagascar’s population lives below the poverty line. However, through new projects and initiatives, there have been plenty of innovations in the journey to eradicate poverty in the country. Here are three recent innovations in poverty eradication in Madagascar.

A New Scientific Approach To Increasing Food Availability

Poverty in Madagascar is harming wildlife as much as the people, especially the coral reefs. Overfishing has immensely decreased the fish population, which has left algae unchecked. Without fish to control the algae, it has overgrown the reefs and corals. Without the coral reefs, the fish lose their habitat where they sleep, eat and find protection from predators.

But scientists now have a new, creative solution to tackle this issue. Emma Gibbons is the Executive Director of Reef Doctor, a U.K.-based nonprofit stationed in southwest Madagascar. Gibbons and Reef Doctor are leading a team that aims to increase the fish population by building coral reefs in the Bay of Ranobe. Here is how they do it:

First, the team drops large pieces of limestone into the water. Then, they plant stacks of flat stones called ARMS (autonomous reef monitoring structures) in real coral reefs to accumulate coral, sponges, algae and other reef life. Then, they move the ARMS to the constructed reefs, and the life begins to spread. 

As of October 2025, Emma Gibbons’ team has successfully constructed two of these artificial reefs. Evaluations of these reefs detected hundreds of species thriving within them. The reefs have accumulated life, helping sea life repopulate and bringing more food to the people of Madagascar.

Reef Doctor’s work in Madagascar has created hope for those living on the coast, because for these people, fishing is life. Without as many fish to catch, more than 50,000 fishers are left with a shortage of food and income. This is disastrous for the economy, too; fishing on the coastline of Madagascar produces 5-7% of the national GDP. While this issue persists, Reef Doctor’s work is still an extremely positive development in the fight for poverty eradication in Madagascar.

Gfoundation Prepares To Dispatch Surgeons To Aid in Health Crisis

Gfoundation is a nonprofit organization founded in South Korea to partner up with churches and local organizations across the globe to take on global issues like poverty. Since 2019, they have worked in developing countries like Ethiopia, Mongolia, Namibia and Madagascar to distribute goods, offer education, and provide free health care to those who need it the most.

Gfoundation’s most notable work in Madagascar is its Doctors for Doctorless Program (D4D), which targets Madagascar’s health care crisis. Dr. Jae-Hoon Lee is a surgeon with an extensive resume of activism work in Madagascar, and he is the one responsible for the D4D program, a three-year initiative developed for the Madagascar Government.

This program involves sending qualified doctors and surgeons to underprivileged communities to ensure citizens are no longer dying in preventable ways. These doctors will primarily focus on reducing deaths from appendicitis and C-sections. So far, Dr. Jae-Hoon has worked with the National Institute of Public and Community Health (INSPC) to turn this program from an idea to a reality. 

Currently, 20 D4D doctors are trained and ready to help the people of Madagascar, but Gfoundation is still seeking donations so they can purchase ultrasound machines, so these doctors are yet to be dispatched.

New Collaborative Methodology Aims To Improve Infrastructure

In 2024, Madagascar, in collaboration with Bhutan, Chile and Tonga, started development of the Global Methodology for Infrastructure Resilience Review. This methodology is a five-step framework for creating infrastructure that can resist poverty and natural disasters. A detailed game plan to strengthen infrastructure is a game-changer for Madagascar, because natural disasters are a huge cause of the high poverty rate. Madagascar’s infrastructure is hit with roughly $100 million USD worth of damage every year, and right now, the government cannot keep up with damage repair.

The five-step plan is as follows:

  • Stakeholder Mapping: The most influential establishments in society map out a plan for improvement.
  • Review of Policies: Rewrite obsolete regulations and incorporate more informed disaster relief strategies.
  • Identify Vulnerabilities: Study the weakest points of the infrastructure and test potential new infrastructure.
  • Principles for Resilient Infrastructure: Assess the current level of infrastructure resilience and create rules for implementing improvements.
  • Developing a Plan: Use research and data collection to assign tasks and execute a plan.

This process was implemented in 2024 and rural developers in Madagascar have since use it to ensure that all new infrastructure is much more resilient to disasters.

Looking Ahead

Though conditions remain difficult for poverty-stricken communities across the globe, progress is occurring every day. These three examples are proof that poverty eradication in Madagascar is ever-progressing. Madagascar’s fascinating culture and diversity aren’t going anywhere as long as efforts stay diligent.

– Lucas Cain

Lucas is based in Pittsburgh, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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A Bright Future For Ecotourism In Madagascar

ecotourism in madagascarEcotourism in Madagascar is a promising strategy to improve the standard of living for citizens of one of the most impoverished countries in the world. If responsibly managed, ecotourism benefits local communities, the economy and the environment. The establishment of national parks creates job opportunities, provides an economic incentive to protect natural areas and its wildlife and benefits local communities both directly and indirectly. Several organizations and local communities support and implement projects creating ecotourism and nature-based tourism programs for these reasons.

A Quick Background on Madagascar

Madagascar suffers from environmental challenges and a struggling economy. It has the sixth-highest national poverty rate in the world at 63.9%. The country is famous for its rich biodiversity, with 90% of its plants and 85% of its animals being endemic to the island. Some well-known species endemic to Madagascar are the lemurs, and approximately 80% of the world’s chameleon species are found in Madagascar.

Madagascar is among the countries with the highest deforestation rates in the world, with some regions and protected areas experiencing annual forest loss rates of around 2–3% in recent years due to agricultural expansion and illegal logging. Deforestation affects the environment and causes massive habitat loss, which threatens biodiversity due to potential species extinction. Almost all of Madagascar’s lemur species are either endangered or critically endangered, according to the Duke Lemur Center. Agriculture makes up 70% of total employment, but low agricultural productivity and insufficient resources cause eight out of 10 people residing in rural communities to live in poverty.

What Is Ecotourism?

The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves interpretation and education.” Principles of ecotourism include minimizing impact on the area in use, promoting environmental and cultural awareness and respect, financially benefitting conservation efforts and local communities and partnering with the indigenous people.

The Need For Ecotourism In Madagascar

Ecotourism alleviates poverty by increasing wages, creating jobs and improving the economy. Tourism provides jobs for tour guides, tour company administrators, hotel staff and restaurant staff. Tour and resort administrative and general positions are not the only job opportunities created by tourism. Communities local to these parks and reserves benefit economically from shops, crafts and other goods supporting the tourism industry, encouraging the creation of small businesses by community members. It also alleviates the burden of poverty in villages surrounding parks and reserves by providing services including electricity, water and educational opportunities.

This kind of tourism offers an economic incentive to conserve the environment by generating revenue and employment without causing significant environmental damage. Supplying a tangible value to ecosystems leads to increased protected natural areas and safeguards areas without formal protection from deforestation and exploitation of natural resources.

Ecotourism in Madagascar safeguards biodiversity by protecting the habitats of its wildlife and preventing the extinction of endangered species. Establishing parks and reserves ensures protection for any wildlife in the area and their habitat. Tourists pay to see the rich biodiversity of Madagascar, adding tangible value to the wildlife and their homes.

Wildlife Madagascar

The Wildlife Madagascar organization partners with Malagasy communities to protect biodiversity while improving the livelihoods of community members. The community-based approach integrates local knowledge and experience with scientific and educational knowledge to create sustainable conservation solutions. Wildlife Madagascar educates farmers on optimal agricultural and forestry practices to improve food security and sustain natural resources. The organization also establishes sustainable and responsibly-managed ecotourism programs in communities to improve livelihoods and protect biodiversity.

Lemur Conservation Network

The Lemur Conservation Network works in Madagascar to save lemurs from extinction. Lemurs are the most endangered mammals in the world, with 98% of lemur species at risk of extinction and 31% critically endangered. The Network believes ecotourism to be a “win-win-win” for tourists, Malagasy citizens and lemurs, and provides grants and donations to ecotourism projects in Madagascar.

Community-Run Reserves

Communities across Madagascar establish their own community-run reserves to protect their natural areas and economically benefit from ecotourism. A member of the Betsileo tribe in southern Madagascar founded the Anja Reserve, which is popular for their ring-tailed lemurs. The Antanatiembo Reserve in the north is a locally-owned reserve comprising a dense bamboo forest housing bamboo lemurs, chameleons, insects and birds and a reforestation tree nursery.

Conservation Debates: Is Ecotourism Worth It?

Those against environmental conservation in Madagascar argue the legitimacy of protected areas without consent from locals and highlight the potential eviction of locals from newly established protected areas. They question whether locals can sustain their livelihood without the land they previously had unlimited access to.

In 2022, researchers conducted a study surrounding Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, Madagascar’s largest national park, to investigate the relationship between conservation and locals’ livelihoods. Their results concluded that livelihood improved for people in the surrounding villages due to the provision of jobs, electricity, water, increased income and improved education. Published in the SN Social Sciences, the study found a positive correlation between ecotourism and poverty reduction in surrounding villages.

The researchers determined that pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities within the surrounding villages caused villagers with low education and income levels to benefit less from ecotourism. Locals who speak multiple languages benefit from more employment options at the park and hotel, but to attain this education, they must attend schools outside their commune. Some villagers also reported the enforcement of stricter regulations for the collection of firewood within the forest on those without connections to the village chief or members of their community committee.

Conclusion

Ecotourism yields great benefits for the citizens, wildlife and natural areas of Madagascar. The revenue and job opportunities generated from ecotourism could alleviate poverty, improve livelihood in surrounding communities and economically incentivize the protection of wildlife and natural land areas. Malagasy people establish community-led reserves with support from conservation organizations to reap the economic benefits of ecotourism and protect their land from overexploitation of resources. In a country with a high burden of poverty and environmental challenges, ecotourism poses a multifaceted solution and a promising future.

– Sarah Merrill

Sarah is based in Matthews, NC, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Grassroot Innovations Changing Poverty Politics in Madagascar

Poverty Politics in MadagascarPoverty politics in Madagascar is often told as a story of failure, corruption, and unrest. But beneath the surface, citizens are crafting their own solutions. From solar cooperatives powering rural clinics and schools to tech platforms promoting transparency, grassroot innovations in Madagascar are quietly reshaping the country’s poverty dynamic.

Madagascar At Glance

Madagascar is famous for its large biodiversity as well as diverse cultural influence. The nation is rich in natural resources such as coal, chromite, salt quartz, hydropower, semiprecious stones, shellfish etc.

Madagascar’s economy is heavily dependent on its agricultural exports. For instance, sugar, coffee and vanilla to name a few. These exports have contributed to more than 25% of the nation’s gross domestic product.

However, approximately 75% of the population is currently living below international poverty lines. Natural disasters have contributed to Magadascar’s state of poverty due to uncertainty in agricultural productions. Given that agricultural infrastructures make up 80% of the nation’s employment, many rural workers feel the impacts of fluctuations in production.

Politics and Instability

Civil conflict has also played a significant role in poverty politics in Madagascar. A 2009 coup takeover placed former president Rajoelina in power; however, there are little reported developments with only about a 22% increase in GDP during his reign.

Fed up with electricity and water outages, Gen-Z protests in the capital Antananarivo, in late September 2025, provoked yet another government takeover. Frustrated with the nation’s immense corruption, weak institutions and  lack of accountability from the government, many Malagasy’s lack job opportunities and are left to fend for themselves.

On the other hand, grassroots innovations such as Solar United Madagascar (SUM), Jirogasy and SAYNA have given hope to many Malagasy citizens.

Solar United Madagascar

Solar United Madagascar utilizes an environmentally friendly approach in providing electricity to rural areas in Madagascar by mobilizing their light libraries throughout communities. The company installs solar panels on school buildings and ultimately allows families to lend power banks. This provides light to schools and homes after dark by non-toxic light instead of kerosene and candles, which can be hazardous. It has also been beneficial to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Recent developments include a total of 243 solar panels, 80 school buildings benefiting and servicing more than 7,000 customers in Madagascar.

Jirogasy

Founded by Yann Kasy, Jirogasy is a Malagasy startup that provides solar kits and solar computers to consumers. A team of engineers designed it for e-health and e-education in areas where electricity is scarce. The solar computers have provided an affordable alternative for hundreds of students in Madagascar, providing access to digital education and have been a vital resource for hospitals.

Sayna

Founded by Franco-Malagasy entrepreneur Martina Razafimachefa, SAYNA provides a digital gamified platform where users can improve their computer literacy with micro tasks that also allow them to earn income. Tasks focus on missions that involve quizzes, videos and games. Orange Venture, Malagasy Investment Club and Launch Africa Ventures provided $600,000 in equity funding to support this initiative, which addresses both the education and employment crisis in Madagascar.

From the Bottom Up

These initiatives reveal a different story about Madagascar than the narratives that are perceived. They define a population that is actively engineering its own future. Whether it is through solar-powered classrooms, off-grid computers or digital platforms that transform skills to work, grassroots innovations are reshaping poverty politics in Madagascar. In a country defined by instability, these innovations show that sustainable development is not only possible but currently taking place.

– Gloria Bwenge

Gloria is based in New York, NY, USA and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr