“The Famine Is Here.”
Lying near the southeast coast of Madagascar, Ankaramalaza is one of the poorest villages in one of the world’s poorest nations. The past 2 ½ years, sadly, have been downright catastrophic. Here are some of the setbacks:
In late November 2019, a whirlwind-like fire raced through the northern part of the village, destroying 130 buildings and displacing 300 of the residents.
The Coronavirus pandemic brought additional hardship to the village, not only hampering rebuilding efforts but also bringing economic activity to a crawl. In July 2020, we helped see to it that 488 families (1,319 individuals) received small amounts of money to purchase food and other necessities.
Medical supplies were rushed to the area when we learned that villagers, along with their leaders, were hit not only with Covid but also influenza and malaria. Tragically, the place was also experiencing a months-long drought.
On January 1, 2022, everyone in the village (1,800 people) received a meal of rice and zebu. This was not a New Year’s celebration; it was intended to bring hope to hungry people.
Things got worse. At the end of December 2021, our WGLO-Madagascar partner was hospitalized with Covid. In early February, he returned home, bringing along the aftereffects of Type 2 diabetes, heart, blood, and kidney issues. For years, this saintly man played key roles in overseeing the life and health of the Ankaramalaza community.
Get this: On February 6, 2022, Cyclone Batsirai scored a direct hit on Ankaramalaza. A recent report informed us that:
Although each family received an emergency two-day supply of rice, Ankaramalaza villagers are back to suffering hunger. Family gardens have been severely damaged or flooded out.
This part of the report kills me:
“The large jackfruit and pine fruit trees are almost all uprooted. Their fruits are part of the diet in times of famine. Almost nothing. Almost nothing. The famine is here.”
One in ten homes was seriously damaged, including Madame Henriette’s WGLO-sponsored sewing center, where young mothers gain income-producing sewing skills. The village clinic also suffered damage.
Rising waters covered all the existing water wells with all kinds of dirt and even feces, contaminating an already-fragile water distribution system.
We think you would agree that With God’s Little Ones has seldom asked directly for money. We’ve figured that, if we accurately describe a crisis or need, our friends would freely and generously respond. The Ankaramalaza needs and crises are so many and so deep, we’re asking for your help.