Changing lives in the village of Fiarenana

Changing lives in the village of Fiarenana

Changing lives in the village of Fiarenana

Children enjoying their breakfast of rice

Children enjoying their breakfast of rice
Most villagers in Madagascar can only afford two meals a day. These children are lucky because their parents were able to give them a plate of rice from the previous night's dinner.

Girl gets water at Fiarenana’s communal well

Girl gets water at Fiarenana’s communal well
In Fiarenana the communal water well is a 10 minute walk from the village. Women and children are currently carrying the water in buckets back home. Getting to the water level with a bucket is best described as precarious. Contaminants in the water are a problem and the rate of diarrhea and other water borne diseases among children is high.

Boy gets water at Fiarenana’s communal well

Boy gets water at Fiarenana’s communal well
In Fiarenana the communal water well is a 10 minute walk from the village. Women and children are currently carrying the water in buckets back home. Getting to the water level with a bucket is best described as precarious. Contaminants in the water are a problem and the rate of diarrhea among children is high.

Fiadanana’s 2005 water supply

Fiadanana’s 2005 water supply
Until 2005 the village of Fiadanana got all their water from two ground holes like this one and a nearby stream. Since the community built their own clean water system, diarrhea among children has come down to virtually zero. Seven communal water faucets throughout the village now give easy access to safe water to over 1000 people.

Children drinking from the communal water faucet

Children drinking from the communal water faucet
With the help of Zahana, the community of Fiadanana, the pilot project, built their own clean water system. Clean spring water flows over pipes from the mountain into seven communal water faucets. Many more photos at www.zahana.org

Children washing hands at a communal water faucet

Children washing hands at a communal water faucet
With the help of Zahana the community of Fiadanana, the pilot project, built their own clean water system. Clean spring water flows over pipes from the mountain into seven communal water faucets. Many more photos at www.zahana.org

Boy with harvested fruit (soursop) in Fiarenana

Boy with harvested fruit (soursop) in Fiarenana
In contrast to most other villages in the area, Fiarenana is surrounded by fruit trees providing shade and supplementing a diet mostly consisting of rice or sweet potatoes. Especially children eat fruit, adding much needed vitamins to their diet.

Rice field in Fiarenana

Rice field in Fiarenana
Rice is the main crop in Malagasy subsistence agriculture. Rice paddies can be seen anywhere humans live around the country. Culturally a meal is not considered a real meal if no rice was eaten.

Working the soil for dry land rice planting

Working the soil for dry land rice planting
All farming fieldwork in Madagascar is done by hand. A digging tool, similar to a shovel, is used if the farmer does not own a cow or an ox to plough their field.

Boy in a fruit tree in Fiarenana

Boy in a fruit tree in Fiarenana
In contrast to most other villages in the area, Fiarenana is surrounded by fruit trees. The trees provide much needed shade and a nutritious snack for anybody hungry. Especially children eat fruit, adding much needed vitamins to their diet.

Building the school and everybody helps

Building the school and everybody helps
Photo from Progress Report 'Give More - Get More to buiilt our school'

Building the communal rice storage

Building the communal rice storage
Photo from Progress Report 'Give More - Get More to buiilt our school'

Distributing potatoes as part of the seed bank micorcredit

Distributing potatoes as part of the seed bank micorcredit
Photo from Progress Report 'Fiadanana is implementing many changes'

Rice stored in the new storage building

Rice stored in the new storage building
Photo from Progress Report 'Fiadanana is implementing many changes'

Coffee seeling sprouting

Coffee seeling sprouting
Photo from Progress Report 'Fiadanana is implementing many changes'

Coffee seedling in the new bed in the nursery

Coffee seedling in the new bed in the nursery
Photo from Progress Report 'After the rice harvest'

Distributing Mosquit nets to the community

Distributing Mosquit nets to the community
Photo from Progress Report 'After the rice harvest'

Mosquito nets in use

Mosquito nets in use
Photo from Progress Report 'After the rice harvest'

Building the grain storage building

Building the grain storage building
Photo from Progress Report 'The Fiarenana Project'

Building supplies for water system and grain storage

Building supplies for water system and grain storage
Photo from Progress Report 'The Fiarenana Project'

Cassava, and alternative food crop

Cassava, and alternative food crop
Photo from Progress Report 'The Fiarenana Project'

Old communal well before rebuilding it

Old communal well before rebuilding it
Photo from Progress Report 'Building the new communal well'

The community builds a new well

The community builds a new well
Photo from Progress Report 'Building the new communal well'

The new communal water tank is almost ready

The new communal water tank is almost ready
Photo from Progress Report 'Building the new communal well'

Children drinking water in Zahana’s school from a yogurt cup

Children drinking water in Zahana’s school from a yogurt cup
Photo from Progress Report '2008 Challenge - the last week - an update'

The classroom of the smaller children with our teacher

The classroom of the smaller children with our teacher
Photo from Progress Report '2008 Challenge - the last week - an update'