'Raise for Resilience' SEED Christmas Appeal 2023

SEED Madagascar (SEED) continues its efforts to support sustainable livelihood methods used by members of rural communities in southeast Madagascar.

Weaving mahampy, a local reed (Lepironia mucronata), remains one of the few livelihood opportunities available to women, as it is an activity that can be practiced in or close to home and with a flexible time commitment. SEED has continued to support mahampy weavers by facilitating Cooperative and Committee meetings and trainings, continuing to support the education saving scheme, in which some of the weavers defer a portion of their income to pay for their family’s education, and the participatory monitoring programme in the mahampy wetlands. Moreover, because Madagascar is now in its lean season (when there are few or no crops to harvest, thus significantly reducing income), SEED’s alternative loan programme was re-started to allow weavers to cover their immediate production costs while still being able to buy food. Finally, SEED continues to engage outside partners to find ways to sell woven mahampy products around the world to increase the women’s income. 

Beekeeping provides another valuable and sustainable source of food and income for local residents. Last year, 16 SEED-supported beekeepers harvested 1,016 litres of honey and 67kg of wax, generating nearly £2,000 in collective income. SEED is continuing its efforts by expanding its monthly apiary monitoring to three additional communities, while at the same time seeking funding for the next phase of the project, which is set to begin in July 2024. That phase will continue to provide technical skills training, equipment, and monitoring to local beekeepers, allowing them to cultivate healthy apiaries, and, in turn, provide themselves with both food and a valuable source of income. 

We are grateful for the generosity of the many donors who have helped promote the development of a sustainable and healthy livelihood for residents of Madagascar’s southeast Anosy region, and thank you in advance for continuing to support these critical efforts.