Madagascar

Context at a glance

The head mason for one of the building sites in Madagascar gets to work

Madagascar is one of the world’s poorest countries, with almost two-thirds of the population living in poverty. The economy is based on agricultural activities and 77% of the labour force is employed in this industry. Most of the island was once covered with dense forests, but in recent decades nearly all of its forests have been cut down for timber export, leading to severe erosion and devastation of the agricultural industry that the country relies upon.

Habitat for Humanity programme

HFH Madagascar began building houses in 2000 and has now helped over 450 Malagasy families in 17 communities to build simple, decent homes. The homeowner families typically earn a monthly household income of less than £50 (that’s £0.30 per person per day).

Low-cost houses are built and 80% of the materials used for houses are made locally, leading to job creation and significant community involvement and development. HFHM is leading the way with appropriate technology and good partnerships with communities.

Back to list of countries