Stop the Famine in Madagascar
Donation protected
Update! Please no new contributions - your gifts have met our goal for this final effort to deliver food to 750 households in Ambato ao. Will update with pictures after Friday. And then in the future when it comes to wells or job creation efforts.
To provide planting grains (it is raining right now) for the Communities of Analapatsy, Andronobury, Ankilavao, Ankareria and Ambatoabo, we need $6000 more...it's a BIG ask, but while people are hungry now, planting grains NOW will alleviate future hunger. And, because they've eaten what they had to plant, we are at a bit of an impass.
Here is the current financial statement and planning for Ambatoabo:
Google Sheets Accounting
*February 2021 Update* The major aid organizations remain overwhelmed they are actively providing support but cannot reach everyone. The lack of mobile networks and internet in the south makes communication and coordination a challenge. People are starting to migrate out of the south impacting communities to the north. Our current work is exploring options to support migrants that have arrived in town and then also focusing on one community in the mountains that is not receiving aid.* In February we gave $650 to Support the Sisters of Marillac who are supporting the Androy Migrants.
I am sad to share that the famine situation here in the south of Madagascar is ongoing. Unfortunately, while the WFP (PAM) and the gov't have responded in some regions and some progress has been made, including cash distributions in the cities, too many rural villages are seemingly forgotten and or not receiving adequate support. It is simply so heartbreaking that even the WFP is asking for help.
I am moved to tears of gratitude for those who have already sent us significant support. This will be an ongoing process until the rains and the crops return or until other avenues for income generation arise.
What we've done so far:
Oct 30th and 31, we visited Analaptatsy, Ankilavao, and Andranobory - villages within 60 km but two to six-hour drives from Fort Dauphin.
Nov 4th we delivered 1000 Euros of medicine to Military Doctors dispatched to the south to treat communities in famine.
Nov 23rd and 24th we delivered food to AMBATOABO and ANKARIERA plus another delivery of Medicine to the doctors.
On Dec 5th we repaired the hand pump (broken for two years) in Ambatoabo -- so they no longer have to wake at 3 AM to walk for water!
Accounting of funds raised (balances sheets, proformas for each action).
For the actions listed above we've raised USD 11, 092.85 (this includes GoFundMe, and direct donations from friends and family (this translates to Ar42,152,816 or €9,367.29).
Feb 2nd, 2021: 2.5 million Ar went to the Bon Samaritan to support the work of the Sisters of Marillac who are receiving primarily Androy children on the south side of Fort Dauphin.
.
We expect this to be a multi-tier project. We expect to go out more than once. We may share funds with other organizations acting efficiently in the region as we can only do so much as a couple.
How you can help:
Our current goal is to raise at least an additional $10,000 USD to by seeds for planting corn in 6 communes and do another food delivery.
Funds will go to transport rice, manioc, water, oil, protein sources by AMI Atsimo Miray, Yves, and me. We will also do at least one run, but ideally, three with a full pharmacy for the three districts overseen by the Malagasy military medical team. Famine in the south is not a new story; however the situation this year has exceeded expectations. After long months of drought, crop failures, and reduced economic activity due to COVID, households are so tight that folks have even sold their cooking pots and spoons. The military is present in the region to assist with censuses, food distribution, water delivery, and security.
Long-term Planning:
We are raising funds for seeds to plant this and next season's crops, water, and health projects, reforestation, and permaculture.
We also have a strategic plan forthcoming for Atsimo Miray the association and a social enterprise (Life Work Purpose).
In the short term you can get an idea of our plans here:
Life Work Purpose
Background:
Here is an article from CRS (Catholic Relief Services) on the situation in the first quarter of the year. It's only gotten much worse.
The first article that notified even us in Madagascar that the famine had reached a dire situation came from an overseas newswire.
Famine in the South
This article documents the President's visit to the south, which signaled the start of important work that is ongoing, and still yet not enough widespread.
The purple shows the regions touched by Famine or kere as it is called in Malagasy. We live just up from the bottom right-hand corner. This region is home to over several million people with at least 35,000 already touched by the famine.
If you want to understand more about the situation this is my outsider's insight from "inside."
The first article that I wrote about the situation -- processing the situation and trying to understand.
The second article that I wrote making an analysis of why the situation is ongoing and not yet effectively addressed:
What can you do?
Donate.
Share the donation page.
To provide planting grains (it is raining right now) for the Communities of Analapatsy, Andronobury, Ankilavao, Ankareria and Ambatoabo, we need $6000 more...it's a BIG ask, but while people are hungry now, planting grains NOW will alleviate future hunger. And, because they've eaten what they had to plant, we are at a bit of an impass.
Here is the current financial statement and planning for Ambatoabo:
Google Sheets Accounting
*February 2021 Update* The major aid organizations remain overwhelmed they are actively providing support but cannot reach everyone. The lack of mobile networks and internet in the south makes communication and coordination a challenge. People are starting to migrate out of the south impacting communities to the north. Our current work is exploring options to support migrants that have arrived in town and then also focusing on one community in the mountains that is not receiving aid.* In February we gave $650 to Support the Sisters of Marillac who are supporting the Androy Migrants.
I am sad to share that the famine situation here in the south of Madagascar is ongoing. Unfortunately, while the WFP (PAM) and the gov't have responded in some regions and some progress has been made, including cash distributions in the cities, too many rural villages are seemingly forgotten and or not receiving adequate support. It is simply so heartbreaking that even the WFP is asking for help.
I am moved to tears of gratitude for those who have already sent us significant support. This will be an ongoing process until the rains and the crops return or until other avenues for income generation arise.
What we've done so far:
Oct 30th and 31, we visited Analaptatsy, Ankilavao, and Andranobory - villages within 60 km but two to six-hour drives from Fort Dauphin.
Nov 4th we delivered 1000 Euros of medicine to Military Doctors dispatched to the south to treat communities in famine.
Nov 23rd and 24th we delivered food to AMBATOABO and ANKARIERA plus another delivery of Medicine to the doctors.
On Dec 5th we repaired the hand pump (broken for two years) in Ambatoabo -- so they no longer have to wake at 3 AM to walk for water!
Accounting of funds raised (balances sheets, proformas for each action).
For the actions listed above we've raised USD 11, 092.85 (this includes GoFundMe, and direct donations from friends and family (this translates to Ar42,152,816 or €9,367.29).
Feb 2nd, 2021: 2.5 million Ar went to the Bon Samaritan to support the work of the Sisters of Marillac who are receiving primarily Androy children on the south side of Fort Dauphin.
.
We expect this to be a multi-tier project. We expect to go out more than once. We may share funds with other organizations acting efficiently in the region as we can only do so much as a couple.
How you can help:
Our current goal is to raise at least an additional $10,000 USD to by seeds for planting corn in 6 communes and do another food delivery.
Funds will go to transport rice, manioc, water, oil, protein sources by AMI Atsimo Miray, Yves, and me. We will also do at least one run, but ideally, three with a full pharmacy for the three districts overseen by the Malagasy military medical team. Famine in the south is not a new story; however the situation this year has exceeded expectations. After long months of drought, crop failures, and reduced economic activity due to COVID, households are so tight that folks have even sold their cooking pots and spoons. The military is present in the region to assist with censuses, food distribution, water delivery, and security.
Long-term Planning:
We are raising funds for seeds to plant this and next season's crops, water, and health projects, reforestation, and permaculture.
We also have a strategic plan forthcoming for Atsimo Miray the association and a social enterprise (Life Work Purpose).
In the short term you can get an idea of our plans here:
Life Work Purpose
Background:
Here is an article from CRS (Catholic Relief Services) on the situation in the first quarter of the year. It's only gotten much worse.
The first article that notified even us in Madagascar that the famine had reached a dire situation came from an overseas newswire.
Famine in the South
This article documents the President's visit to the south, which signaled the start of important work that is ongoing, and still yet not enough widespread.
The purple shows the regions touched by Famine or kere as it is called in Malagasy. We live just up from the bottom right-hand corner. This region is home to over several million people with at least 35,000 already touched by the famine.
If you want to understand more about the situation this is my outsider's insight from "inside."
The first article that I wrote about the situation -- processing the situation and trying to understand.
The second article that I wrote making an analysis of why the situation is ongoing and not yet effectively addressed:
What can you do?
Donate.
Share the donation page.
Organizer
Alison Rakotonirina
Organizer
