For eight years, we have been working to improve the wellbeing of people living in Ankaranana region. In this remote part of  Madagascar, it is everyday conditions such as childbirth, diarrhoea, coughs and colds that pose the most serious health risks. Today, we are helping mothers to safeguard the health of themselves and their babies, increasing students’ awareness of sexual health and STIs, supporting communities to build clean drinking water wells and safe sanitation, and much more. Our programmes have produced significant positive changes but the current situation in the country is challenging and much work remains to be done.

Madagascar’s health system has never been robust but the political crisis in 2008 had a devastating impact on the provision of formal services. Government spending on health has dropped dramatically and as the number of services provided has shrunk and the quality slipped, the impact on those unable to afford private healthcare.