Britain and Madagascar just got a bit closer!

This week the British Foreign Office announced its intention to open a new British Embassy in Madagascar. This is fantastic news for Brit's thinking of visiting, volunteering or doing business in Madagascar. It is also good news for our Malagasy friends who wish to visit the UK, as they will be able to apply for their visas in Madagascar. To read the announcement in ‘The Independent’ see: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/foreign-office-makes-diplomatic-push-with-string-of-new-embassies-2282112.html

If you are in the mood to celebrate Anglo-Malagasy relations, as well as the Money for Madagascar concerts in June and November, the Anglo Malagasy Society is also having a party! to celebrate 51 years of Malagasy Independence and 50 years of the Anglo-Malagasy Society the AMS is holding a big party in London on the 26th of June. There will be food, dancing and the launch of the new album of acclaimed Malagasy acoustic guitarist Modeste. The event will also include a charity auction, which will benefit Malagasy charities such as Money for Madagascar. For more info see the AMS website www.anglo-malagasysociety.co.uk

25 Peaks for 25 Years!

Our 25 peak hero - Laura Sewell

In 2008 and 2009 Money for Madagascar supporter Laura Sewell travelled thousands of miles to work as a volunteer at Akany Avoko, a children's home near to Antananarivo supported by Money for Madagascar.

As if this weren't enough she has now decided to help celebrate our 25th anniversary year by setting herself another incredible challenge. On the weekend of the 28th and 29th of May Laura will be taking part in a sponsored 25 peak hiking challenge in the Lake District. That's one peak for every year of our existence - and all within the space of one weekend.

Please support her by making a secure donation, at www.justgiving.com/25peaksfor25years. Whether it be 10p or £10 per peak, every little helps!

I'm sure you'll join us in wishing her the very best of luck for what will be an extremely demanding 48 hours. Go for it Laura!!!

Save the date!

Money for Madagascar Celebrations are stepping up!

If you can't make the concert in Birkenhead next month then don't miss our celebrations at the Union Chapel in Islington, London on Saturday the 12th of November 2011.

The day will have something for everyone: Malagasy crafts and stalls, a presentation about the inspirational work of the charity, a delicious Malagasy meal and a live concert from the renowned Malagasy musician, 'Nogabe'.

So tell all your friends to save the date and join us to celebrate!

There will be a choice or 2 tickets to purchase, either an all-day ticket which includes the meal, or a ticket exclusively for the Nogabe concert.

Details of where to buy tickets will be coming soon...

Celebration in Swansea

On Saturday 16^th April about sixty MfM friends and supporters sat down for a meal in celebration of 25 years of work in Madagascar. 

The Malagasy first course (a choice of coconut chicken with green peppercorns, pork meatballs with ginger and garlic and a tasty bean casserole) was very popular, and the wonderful Welsh desserts brought oohs and aahs from everyone.  

The Mayor and Mayoress of Swansea came and we discovered that the mayor’s father had spent some time in Madagascar after the second world war working as a doctor !   

This picture shows the Mayor with Hilary Bradt, a very generous and supportive patron, and Barbara Prys-Williams who dreamed up MfM in Swansea 25 years ago.

With crafts to buy and exhibitions to look at, there were no dull moments and a thoroughly good time was had by all.  Very many thanks to all who gave so unstintingly of their help.

Further 25th birthday celebrations are planned throughout 2011 to which you are cordially invited- please visit our Events page to learn more.

Hand-washing Malagasy style

A few years ago MfM gave some money for cyclone relief in an area of the central highlands where a particularly bad cyclone had flooded all the ricefields and ruined the rice crop.  There was great concern that the children were in danger of becoming seriously malnourished so part of the money was spent on a feeding programme at three remote primary schools.  The rest went on seed potatoes which their parents could grow on the hillsides out of danger of the floods. 

Children use an improvised handwashing contraption

We arrived at the first school just as the children were getting ready for their lunch.  There is no water supply to the school so the older children fetched some in buckets from the well which was some distance away.  They then filled half a dozen empty plastic bottles. These had holes drilled in the lids and were attached to a plank. One child squeezed gently while another washed their hands in the fine spray of water that came out.  Some 300 children washed their hands by this method in a very short time.  I fear that British children would be more likely to use the bottles as water pistols, unlike the Malagasy children who were impeccably well behaved! The ingenuity shown by this school in creating an innovative solution using receycled materials is typical of what we see in communities across Madagascar in the course of our work.

Pupils at Akany Avoko primary school.

In a country where diarrhoeal diseases are responsible for almost 10% of all deaths providing access to clean water is a vital part of our work. In addition to building or improving wells Money for Madagascar has also sent funds to enable Akany Avoko Children's Home to construct a rainwater capture and storage system to enable students at its primary school to wash their hands in clean, fresh water. 

All of the projects that Money for Madagascar funds depend on local resourcefulness and ingenuity for their success. Your support enables us to back the Malagasy people in finding small-scale solutions to the big problems facing the country, its wildlife and people.

Happy birthday to us!!

This year Money for Madagascar celebrates its 25th birthday. That's 25 years of funding ingenious, driven, Malagasy people to solve the problems that their communities face.

Our 25th birthday seems like a great excuse for a party (or three!!)

 We have a number of events planned to celebrate our 25th anniversary year, please visit our Events page for the latest details.

Please join us at one or more of them to learn more about our work and of course to enjoy a great party!

Welcome!

Welcome (or "Tonga Soa!") to "Madagascar Matters", the blog of UK registered charity Money for Madagascar

 

Every week we will use this blog to bring you updates from our projects, news from Madagascar and the stories and experiences of our development partners and supporters. 

Visit as often as you can for all the latest from the Red Island.

Net profit

News agencies reported today that five hundred expatriate workers at a Mining project in Madagascar had been sent home due to a Malaria outbreak.

Sadly for ordinary Malagasy people there is no such escape route from mosquitoes and the parasites they carry, particularly in humid coastal regions.

Africa's biggest killer

Hope in a plastic bottle

The initiative, ingenuity and energy of the Malagasy people is at the heart of all that Money for Madagascar does. Even after decades supporting projects across Madagascar our trustees never cease to be amazed by the resourcefulness of our partners and their communities. On a recent visit to Toamasina on the east coast of Madagascar, our Coordinator Theresa Haine witnessed first-hand the results of an innovative Money for Madagascar sponsored training programme aimed at both recycling waste and generating much-needed income for local people.

Madame Charnette - leader of the market garden training initiative

The road less travelled

Ever year one of Money for Madagascar's trustees visits the Red Island to monitor the progress of the projects that we support. As much of the work that we fund takes place in isolated rural communities such journeys are rarely without incident.