Zahana, Madagascar: Rural transformation - participatory development

ZAHANA is a non-governmental organization in Madagascar dedicated to rural development, education, reforestation, revitalization of traditional Malagasy medicine, and sustainable and environmentally-friendly agriculture.

This first "Home" page is kept simple to accommodate log-on via telephone modem, especially from Madagascar. Please choose from the following options:

English: Web pages with Photos
(requires faster internet access like DSL or cable; many pictures/photos)

English version text only (no photos)
(loads fast with phone modem; no photos, just plain text)

The GlobalGiving Green Challenge was completed April 28, 2009. Thank you!
Zahana made it to 3rd place and got the $1000 bonus!

You can chose between a 5 x 7 regular size 8.5 by 11 card. All you need is to print, cut and mail your card. Please click here

Misaotra betsaka, Thank You Very Much! Merci Beaucoup! Vielen Dank! Muito Obrigado, Kiitoksia Paljon!!!

And yes, Zahana will still be very happy about any donations you feel compelled to make. There is always the option to use Groundsprings.org, with the "Donate Now" button below for online donations, or the Tides Foundation for checks.

June 2008: Expanding Zahana’s work to the village of Fiarenana. Please click here

You can still donate to Zahana using either with a check on on-line with "Donate Now" button from Groundsprings.org These donations will be continue to be processed by our fiscal sponsor, the Tides Foundation in San Francisco.

Some of you read about Madagascar in the news and contacted us, so we wanted to send a short message. Thanks to email, text messaging and Skype we have been in constant contact with our partners in Madagascar and they are fine. One thing becomes obvious: we have to increase our efforts in rural participatory development and education.

Zahana has been focusing on making village life more attractive and livable so people don't have to leave their village in the first place in search of a better life. This can be done for example by providing development partnerships to built access to clean water or a school for their children.

Almost a decade back Madagascar experienced a very tumultuous political situation and as a result many people fled the cities in search of safety in countryside. In the case of the village of Fiadanana, Zahana's pilot village, its population increased by 20% and after the political situation stabilized most of the newcomers decided to stay, since they discovered the advantages of the rural over the city life.

We encourage you to frequent your trusted news sources for more information. We find this UK press resource useful, since it lists many languages as links.

To watch our latest Youtube Movies in high or lower quality, please go to our YouTube site by clicking here
If you have a fast Internet connection, such as DSL or cable you may click on the YouTube movie embedded in this website. This might not work with dial-up.

The goal of Zahana is to develop a community-based rural development project focused on priorities set by the villagers themselves. It is Zahana’s philosophy that development must be based on local needs and solutions proposed by local people. It is important to start small and stay focused on local priorities rather than on or agendas set somewhere else by national or international bodies.

June 2008: Expanding Zahana’s work to the village of Fiarenana. Please click here

March 2008: We got the following feedback about Cyclone Ivan in Fiadanana:

"The impact of cyclone in Fiadanana was a little bitter, it destroyed the Maïs plants (corn).”

The roads to the village are impassable in the cyclone season (nobody is willing to drive there). It is hard to assess the damage fully, besides the information that travels by word of mouth. Corn is the second most important crop for Fiadanana for food and cash after rice. In 2005 almost 20% of the cultivated land was planted with corn.

December 2007: Santa visits Fiadanana with for the children for the first time in their lives. Please click here

SunNight Solar has generously included Zahana in their “Buy One - Give One” (BoGo) partner program. When you buy a solar flashlight for yourself on-line, you can donate one to Zahana with the same click. Click here to find out more and order your solar flashlight

This is a photo of the first BoGo flashlight in use in Faidanana in October 2007

At the last public heath event in Honolulu, September 2008, we met Limin, who has started a line of bamboo fabric products, such as bed sheets and other clothing. She told us about their affiliate program, and offered to include Zahana.

If you use the unique link provided below it tracks sales and Zahana gets a share of the proceeds from your purchase. Please check out their website: please click here

WATER has arrived in Fiadanana! (page with pictures only, click here please)

NOTE: If you make use this info email address, please do so from the website, not your address book.
We need to change this info email address occasionally to evade Spam.

THIS WEB SITE IS A VOLUNTEER EFFORT AND KEEPS GROWING AS OUR DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS IN FIADANANA BECOME A REALITY. WE TRY TO INCLUDE AS MANY PICTURES/PHOTOS AS POSSIBLE ON THIS WEB SITE, SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE AND HOW ZAHANA IS WORKING. IF YOU WISH TO EXPLORE ONE OR SEVRAL TOPICE IN MORE DETAIL PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS PROVIDED ON EACH WEB PAGE.