Climate Action Madagascar Project #43503

Improved cookstoves prevent deforestation

by Zahana

Improved cookstoves prevent deforestation

Project Report | Aug 27, 2024
Reviewing the past few months

By Markus Faigle | Volunteer

Bio-charcoal drying in the (evening) sun

THE QUALITATIVE LEAP PROVIDED BY ZAHANA’S RECENT WORKSHOPS

The Bongolava Region experienced a heavy rainy season this year (2024) but, paradoxically, this only minimally disrupted the monitoring and strengthening of Zahana's activities in the 4 localities in the area of Tsiroanomandidy, where we operate.

On the contrary, the conditions of the road on several sections, made it impassable for three months. Taking this impediment into consideration, we took advantage of the situation and held three successive workshops with the now called “Committee of Leaders” in the town of Tsiroanomandidy. This was made possible by the reality that they can just walk for a few hours to Tsiroanomandidy, making traveling by car obsolete. The fourth meeting was held in situ, after the weather cleared.

These focused intensive committee meetings made it possible to make a real qualitative leap in what we are undertaking together with the population of the region. Making people leave their homes and focus on the meeting agenda distraction free was also very beneficial for everybody.

Brief reminder of the achievements of the last three months:

Success of “Friday Village Soup” reassured Zahana, the Committee of Leaders and the beneficiary population, that we are still active, despite the weather challenges. (see reports)

Follow up of the Football Tournament: to celebrate Independence Day and to promote sportsmanship among young people: in 2024 children 8-12 years old will compete in 2024. (website)

Micro-credit: focusing on financing the duck breeding activities. To avoid untimely requests for microcredit, it was decided to establish a schedule of microcredit requests which must be validated by the committee of leaders first. The schedule’s first draft was validated during the workshop on May 17, 2024 in Tsiroanomandidy. The final version will be shared with each local Zahana members.

A member of the Committee of Leaders is assigned to the position of livestock vaccine dispenser. The training in this area is provided by Donné and the equipment needed is available and ready to be used.

Introduction and adoption of the equipment for drying fruits and vegetables with successful tests. (see dedicated report)

Number of Zahana members in each village
Fiarenana:100
Fiadanana: 300
Analakely: 54
Tsaramandroso: 300

The reforestation component has always been at the heart of the efforts of the Zahana Association. In 2024 the people from all four villages where Zahana is running its activities are involved. The newly set parameters have a bold new objective: Green Villages.

The first major decision is the formal establishment of a Committee of (local) leaders responsible for raising awareness, mobilizing, leading and supervising all development activities undertaken locally. This responsibility includes the Zahana Reforestation efforts.
The second is we are exploring the possibility to secure a substantial area of land, which will be called ‘Zahana Reforestation Zone’. This larger reforestation area will be maintained mainly by the residents with the supervision of Zahana’s committee of leaders.

This approach to reforestation aims in fostering a new culture or lifestyle that makes reforestation sustainable and future oriented. This is a long-term goal and aims to span from generation to generation.

Education:
Project to renew the school uniform for the students of the two Zahana schools as well as the teachers (aprons, blouses and sandals.)

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Aug 4, 2024
The tradition of the Zahana Cup

By Markus Faigle | Volunteer

Apr 20, 2024
Cooking Friday Volunteer Soup

By Markus Faigle | Volunteer

Preparing Friday Volunteer Soup

The Challenge:

This is a great example for a project that involves all villages on all levels of their community. Using improved cookstoves to cook the soup for this ambitious project was a pre-condition for its implementation. Hunger in the époque dure remains a persistent challenge in rural Madagascar and requires creative solutions.

Zahana works currently in 4 villages that have a formal relationship with us. Additionally, 2 more villages are associated with us and involved in carrying out certain activities such as running a tree nursery, soap making or improved cookstoves.

During this lean season (époque dure, the time between the end of the year and the next rice harvest), everyone is suffering from malnutrition, also in our villages. Zahana is trying, thanks to the support of its partners, to contribute according to its possibilities.

A mini-workshop in the town of Tsiroanomandidy was organized by Zahana. Representatives from each of the four villages attended and participated in our mini-workshop to analyze the situation together and seek out solutions to this persistent systemic problem within our reach.

Learning basic knowledge about nutrition was part of the workshop. It has been highlighted by the presenters that many foods could be an alternative to or possible replace rice. (Background: Rice is culturally the foundation of any meal in Madagascar, please see our website). It is time to diversify our diet. We were seeking solutions that would foster solidarity at the community level and help find pragmatic and workable solutions that can be implemented immediately.

The participants are aware that most people, being poor, face difficulties during the lean season in their own, and all surrounding villages.

The Solution: Friday Village Soup

After discussing it was decided by mutual agreement to organize the “Friday Village Soup (FVS)” or “Lasopy Zoma an-tanana” in Malagasy (lasopy = soup; zoma = Friday; village = tanana).

Thus, a day of soup reserved for malnourished children but also elderly people in difficulty in their community will be organized every Friday, hence the name “Friday Village Soup” (FVS).

Surveys carried out by the Local Leaders Committee and current support received by ZAHANA from GlobalGiving have identified the following needs:

Analakely: 50 (poor children and elderly people): 4 x 5-kilo bags of macaroni pasta per month
Fiadanana 188 (children and elderly): 12 bags per month
Fiarenana 72 children (children and elderly): 8 bags per month
Tsaramandroso 45 children (children and elderly): 4 bags per month

Total 355 (including 30 elderly people in difficulty): 28 bags per month or 56 bags for January and February.

Remarks:

Approximately twenty elderly people will benefit from the soup, combined with a vitamin supplement.
A plea to funders is envisaged to ensure a longer duration and more consistent coverage of the operation.
The operation will be organized by the Leaders' Committee with the help of its Enlarged Committee.

It was decided during the mini workshop that we would use noodles, not rice for the soup. Noodles also are easy and quick to cook and different or an alternative to what they used to eat all their lives.

Based on the availability of each village, green leaves like moringa, sweet potato leaves or vegetables are added to the noodles. Dried shrimp add flavor to the soup and are considered a special treat.

Representatives from each village, having participated at this mini-workshop, accepted the challenge to prepare the soup for these vulnerable groups, which will be cooked with Zahana’s improved cookstoves and only bio-charcoal as cooking fuel.

The beneficiaries will have to come with their own bowl and a spoon at the time set by each respective team from their village. In order to strengthen their immune system, elderly people will be provided with multivitamin tablets as well.

Our students from our Zahana schools will benefit as well. In addition to their already reinforced school food, they are also entitled to share in the FVS together with the above-mentioned groups.

This approach falls within the framework of strengthening community solidarity and the relationship between kids in the village with the elderly that we call “Raiamandreny = parents” in Malagasy.

At the same time, the school vegetable garden is encouraged to grow vegetables that can be used to make the soup with noodles more nutritious.

Feedback for the last March 2024 meeting of the Leader’s Committee:

As the poverty is plaguing all the villagers, the committee’s leader reported to us the request from their respective communities to continue the FVS until April and to extend it to all children in each village. Many children couldn’t understand why they weren’t included within the group of vulnerable people getting FVS, or why some of their friends who playing football with them enjoyed it and they couldn’t.

Enjoying FVS

The noodles to be used in the FVS

FVS in Fiarenana our second school

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