In the community of Sarehangy, in the district of Ambovombe in Madagascar, villagers remember a time when hunger did not exist.
“It was a forest and now there’s nothing,” says Didier, the village chief.
Because of its prosperity and abundance of cattle, the village was once called “Sarehangy,” meaning “jewel” in the local dialect. But due to chronic drought, families began to move away and cattle numbers dwindled. The once expansive woodlands—home to a variety of wildlife as recently as 25 years ago—have become a desert where only cactus can grow.
“This used to be a forest,” Didier recalls, “but now even the turtles have disappeared.” Turtles are considered sacred in some Malagasy traditions, so their absence signals how desperation for food has pushed people to break long-held taboos.
“Before, even if there was drought, we could still eat fruit from the forest, but now there’s nothing to eat,” Didier shares. “We’re hungry. We’re thirsty.”
The cisterns families rely on to collect rainwater run dry long before the peak of the drought season. “We have to buy water from the village,” says Didier. A single jerry can of water can cost the equivalent of a day’s income. To earn that money, many people walk long distances to gather firewood to sell at market.
This creates a difficult cycle: cutting trees for income further depletes the environment, which in turn worsens the drought. Yet for many residents, there are no other options.
To address immediate food needs, World Renew and Canadian Foodgrains Bank are working with SAF, the humanitarian arm of Madagascar’s Reformed church, to distribute food to households in Ambovombe.
At the same time, long-term solutions are taking root. Through Village Savings and Loans Associations, community members are able to save money together, access small loans, and support one another financially. New efforts are also underway to grow seedlings—an initiative that gives Didier hope.
“We want to plant trees to rebuild the forest that was here.”
This story was originally published by the Christian Courier. To learn more, visit christiancourier.ca.
