Madagascar > Country Background and Current Challenges
Madagascar’s population is one of the poorest in the world. .Access to clean water and sanitation is absent for the great majority of its people. For instance, in the rural areas, only 46 percent of the population have access to clean water [1].
In addition, Madagascar is regularly hit by devastating cyclones. This combination of factors has a disastrous effect on both the health and the economic status of the population, slowing down the development process and leading to increased vulnerability, especially among the poorest residents.
When cyclones strike Madagascar, strong winds and heavy rains destroy buildings, bridges, and crops. Villagers are forced to live in one or more metres of water for weeks at a time. Water points become contaminated in the massive floods that follow. Medair focuses its response on this last element. In a country where cholera outbreaks have happened in the past, access to clean water is a priority–especially after a disaster, when the population is already weak.
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[1] www.instat.mg/pdf/epm_10poly.pdf
