A dedicated micro credit fund for rural Madagascar

In the past, microfinancing by Zahana was considered and granted individually and all year long, depending on the time the request was submitted and approved.

Implemented in 2025, the requests for microcredit take into account the agricultural calendar, and the successful participation in training for the planned activity. Further the application needs to meet the requirements and basic technical conditions for the chosen activity (such as building and adequate duck fence) and take into account the market opportunities for the activity.

The outline of this new microcredit award schedule was validated and decided on by the committee of leaders during the workshop on May 17, 2024 in Tsiroanomandidy (see prior reports).

Important changes
 
Applicants must form a group of 3-5 people to be able to benefit from microfinancing. They must know each other well to avoid non-reimbursement when the deadline comes. The group leader is the guarantor for the group. The guarantor is chosen among the group and accepts to responsibility to guarantee the reimbursement of the loan. That’s why the group is composed of people who knows each other very well.

To date 23 microcredit groups formed, most of which are related to seeds (such as rice or soybeans) to improve crops and income.

Thanks to the campaigns and trainings carried out by the Zahana, people are moving towards ducks and fish farming. 
 
Zahana encourages duck farming by providing trainings by experts. It can be expanded by forming more groups thereby quickly and very directly improving rural living standards. Ultimately the goal is to create an association to sell duck products (e.g. eggs, duck meat and ducklings) regionally.

Duck farming is highly encouraged because ducks are easy to raise, and many villagers have done so successfully in the past (see our reports). Ducks are in high demand in Tsiroanomandidy, the town nearby and sell well, especially for holidays. Ducks are also too small to be of interest for cattle thieves (dahalo), and ever-growing problem.

Fish farmed in fresh water offer access to high quality protein where people live. Fish farming is ideal to be done by a group, since it is too much work for a single person of family to be successful.

The public health benefit of duck breeding to fight schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is one of these epidemic infections that have become endemic in our villages and the surrounding communities. Schistosomiasis mainly affects poor and rural communities, especially rice farming populations that work in water.

Zahana has made a special effort in our public health activities to focus on the fight against Schistosomiasis. Its treatment causes difficulties in the family and makes people even poorer having to pay for expensive treatment they cannot afford.

Transmission occurs when people with schistosomiasis contaminate freshwater sources with their feces or urine containing the parasite’s eggs.

Contact with contaminated water makes children particularly vulnerable to infection.

Women who perform domestic chores in infested water, such as washing clothes, are also especially at risk. Staying longer in the water make the skin soft and makes the penetration of the schistosomiasis easier.

The vital role of ducks in the fight against schistosomiasis recognized and well documented. Ducks can be used as a biological control method to reduce the snail population, that serves as a host for schistosomiasis. It offers a unique opportunity to combine and income generating activity with a possible positive public health outcome, what can be called a classical win-win opportunity.