The Halcrow Foundation is funding a project run by Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP), which will increase access to safe water and sanitation and improve hygiene practices in Madagascar’s capital city, Antananarivo.
Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world, with 92 per cent of the population living in poverty and over half without access to safe water. Diarrheal disease is the second most lethal illness among children under five in Madagascar, and sickness caused by unsafe water means people spend less time in school and work.
The Halcrow Foundation is funding a WSUP project to build water and laundry facilities, and deliver educational campaigns to improve hygiene behaviour. The project also aims to develop the technical, business and operational capacity of urban water, sanitation and hygiene providers, such as utility companies and waste treatment facilities. The results of this should help improve the population’s health, education and livelihoods, as well as support gender equality and reduce poverty.
Halcrow Foundation funds will support women that operate the constructed laundry blocks and water kiosks, and those setting up their own small businesses, by giving financial, managerial and technical training. The involvement in the everyday decision making of water management will in turn improve women’s participation and leadership in utilities, associations and community committees, strengthening their position in the community and contributing to well-being, empowerment and improved self-confidence.
