What’s the specific problem you tackle and why does it matter?

Currently, Madagascar and Malagasy people face several pressing challenges. There are two main specific problems that I tackle through initiatives led by my grassroots organization called Mi’Art Eco:

1) Poverty can worsen the environmental issues

According to the World Bank, 80% of Madagascar’s population lives under $2 per day. Moreover, nearly half of Malagasy people are illiterate and without basic education. Traditional agriculture and farming are the most common ways to make a living. Despite land and environment being key to their livelihoods, many Malagasy people lack awareness of the importance of natural resources and how climate change can affect their lives. Extreme poverty affects collective efforts towards environmental conservation because no one can prioritize the environment without meeting their immediate needs.

2) Deforestation

As the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development has reported, 80% of Madagascar’s natural forest has been lost in Madagascar due to slash-and-burn agriculture and charcoal practices. Currently, 95% of Malagasy people still use charcoal and wood to cook and to make money to survive.


ACTIONS

Our Clean Cooking Initiative at Mi’Art Eco is guided by the following four actions:

1) Advancing reforestation

Using Smart Reforestation Approach:

- Identifying soil
- Mixing trees: Fast, Native and Agroforestry
- Monitoring and Evaluation

2) Promoting green charcoal and energy-saving cooking stoves

- Train many people to make charcoal made out of organic waste instead of cutting trees down and using wood for cooking.
- Teaching them to produce cooking stoves which save energy
- Start business


3) Building climate change awareness

- Environmental education Program from primary school in collaboration with the Ministry of National Education.
- Train more responsible community leaders
- Use technology to raise climate change awareness (social media platforms, Radio, storytelling)


4) Advocating for a clean cooking initiative.

- Foster partnership with the government to implement waste management policies in Madagascar.
- Develop climate justice strategies


IMPACTS


1) Short-term outcomes

 Create 10% job opportunities such as agribusiness, farming and agriculture, handcraft, and recycling waste every year.
 This year, we can provide 500 cooking stoves for 100 family members.
 From 2021 to 2024, we saved 200 hectares of mangrove forests.
 1000 people will be educated on the impact of climate change every year.


2) Long-term outcomes

We strive to reduce the risks of climate change and deforestation by 50% and create permanent job opportunities for young people, especially women by 2030 in Madagascar. Malagasy people will live in a peaceful environment and have sustainable incomes.


RESPONSIBLE LEADERSHIP

Our project demonstrates responsible leadership in the following ways:
1. We Lead by leaving no one behind. We strive for sustainability by supporting greener environmental practices that respect local Malagasy customs and the needs of affected communities. We prioritize integrity, diversity, and inclusion in all ways.

2. We lead with empathy and compassion. We pledge to listen and make sure that all voices, especially those of vulnerable communities, are heard and considered to find sustainable solutions.

3. We share knowledge and skill-building: We equip youth and adults with the necessary skills and knowledge to understand the impacts of climate change impacts and to produce ecological charcoal by recycling crop waste and renewable energy transition.


4. We collaborate with different stakeholders. To scale our impact for building a greener future, we work with local partners such as Regional Directorate of Environment, WWF and Authentic product Madagascar that align with our approach to conserving Madagascar’s environment

5. We integrate arts in our conservation efforts. At the heart of our approach is the use of arts and creativity, which we believe are essential for raising awareness and making environmental education more accessible.