Reports on Reforestation 2.0 in our villages in Madagascar

Project Report | Nov 24, 2025
Evaluating reforestation 2.0

By Markus Faigle | Volunteer

Planting seedlings rainy season 2025

In order to strengthen its village reforestation activities, the Zahana association carried out a mid-term evaluation in November 2025 of the activities jointly identified with the leaders' committee in 2024 to achieve the target of 20,000 seedlings planted by the beginning of 2027 (the end of the 2026 rainy season). The project aims to plant 20,000 young seedlings over a period of two calendar years (2025 and 2026). Being half there, this evaluation took a close look at what worked and what can be imporved.

Keep in mind the seasons:
To be effective, reforestation campaigns in the Bongolava region (our geographic project area) have to be undertaken in the rainy season to have the biggest chance for survival. Rainy season traditionally started around December and/or January and can last until March. In the summer, or December of 2024 the rainy season started unusually late for the trees planted and counted for 2025, so we can only wait and see for this coming year of 2026.

The results of this assessment made it possible to adjust and rectify the course of action so that the expected outcome meets both the project's numerical targets and contributes to a better quality of life for those involved in the project.

The reforestation is be carried out and supervised by members of the leadership committee of the localities of Fiadanana, Tsaramandroso, Fiarenana, and Analakely (Fi Tsa Fi A).

The project involves the parents of the students at our two ZAHANA schools, the beneficiaries of microcredit loans granted by ZAHANA (here referred to as members of the association) and local sports clubs and cultural associations in the villages. These three entities together cover almost all the members of each Fokontany site. (Fokontany is an administrative unit in Madagascar on a local level). An concrete example: A reforestation service offer was offered by a soccer team in exchange for a series of jerseys for their team.

The reforestation sites currently are:

Lining the paths bordering each main (dirt) road leading to the villages. This line of trees, as an ally way, is a visible symbol for anybody that this village is serious about reforestation.
The areas surrounding each village, extending from the edges of town outwards but not encroaching on the nearby farmland.
In addition, some villages have already decided on areas specifically dedicated to reforestation activities within their own boundaries.

The planting methods used are the traditional reforestation method: planting young seedlings from the ZAHANA nurseries; the throwing of “seed balls,” which consists of scattering balls of treated soil containing two to three plant seeds that will burst open spontaneously at the start of the rainy season and naturally attach themselves to the ground where they land. (See website)

In general, the four project sites each already planted between 2,000 and 2,500 young trees in 2025. That is approximately 10,000 trees already reforested in the first year of the project.

Giving Tuesday 2025 is coming up and you can increase your donation

GlobalGiving’s 2025 GivingTuesday campaign will last 36 hours, from December 2, 2025, at 00:00:00 EST to December 3, 2025, at 12:00:00 EST. The 2025 GivingTuesday campaign will have an Incentive Fund of $500,000 USD.

The Incentive Fund will be distributed to participants proportionally based on final fundraising totals. This means that, at the end of the campaign, the projects that bring in the most dollars will win the largest portion of the Incentive Fund and every project that activates donors will win something. Thank you!

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Community reforestation 2025

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Sep 3, 2025
Reforestation and our school curriculum

By Markus Faigle | Volunteer

Old water bottle to grow seedlings

Context:

Our students have always been the backbone of our reforestation efforts for over 15 years by now. In Fiarenana and Fiadanana the tree nursery is currently located on the school grounds. Reforestation is part of our curriculum. The gardeners have become an integral part of the teaching staff, getting students involved hands-on in reforestation and the care of growing seedlings, by planting and watering.

As part of the teacher skills development program, assessments were made with written responses to questions relating to their respective responsibilities complemented by on site interviews with teachers and parents.

Focusing on this August 2025 assessment we highlight here the feedback from the Zahana to teachers regarding reforestation:

Continuing with involving students in active reforestation and the care of the nursery
Continue planting tree seedlings from the nursery and using innovative tree spreading methods such as the seed balls, that are also great fun to make and throw for our students (see videos.)
In addition, in 2025 Zahana schools will experiment with the Foxhole Model (the Ecosia reforestation approach in Madagascar). This method consists of identifying and actively protecting and fostering the spontaneous regeneration of floral species that have become rare or are endemic to our region.
Experimentation with seedling sleeves made from reconditioned plastic bottles that can be re-used almost indefinitely, instead of plastic black bag bags, which are pricy and more difficult to manage.

The 2025 Passport to Purpose campaign is a special fundraising opportunity exclusively for organizations registered in countries most impacted by the USAID funding cuts. Madagascar unfortunately qualifies.

GlobalGiving’s Passport to Purpose campaign will last 103 hours, from September 8, 2025, at 10:00:00 EDT to September 12, 2025, at 17:00:00 EDT. The details can be found here: https://www.globalgiving.org/leaderboards/passport-to-purpose/terms/

Repurposed old plastic water bottle in the nursery

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Jul 5, 2025
Green tshirts celebrate reforestation at our fairs

By Markus Faigle | Volunteer

Green thirts = reforestation

For the first time in its history, the Zahana schools organized what we called an ‘open market’ or open house to promote its products. Initiated by teachers, endorsed by parents and supported by Zahana, these open house days took place in May 2025 of this year.

What was planned as a local event to involve the community to showcase our schools and our students’ achievements became more what we can call a fair, where we could showcase our activities. For Zahana, with our integrative approach for development, all of our activities are interconnected. The improved cookstove in action, the production of bio-charcoal hands on, the tree nursery for reforestation and the school gardens gave visitors something to see and experience.
It was also a great opportunity to show the solar dryer (see reports) in action. Developed and paid for by our microcredit program this solar dryer can produce dried vegetables and fruits to create value-added products for sale. The solar dryer is safely stored in the school grounds when not in use.

The preparations for the fairs began in February already. It all started with a meeting or a General Assembly of the parents to include them and the students in the planning. This led to a general mobilization for a thorough cleaning of the school grounds, with repairs and renovations of the classrooms and meeting spaces (like the pavilions used for meetings and cooking school meals). Around the school it involved the beautification and upkeep of the school’s vegetable gardens and the tree nursery for reforestation. As it has become a tradition, it also involved active reforestation by the students and their parents in preparation for the fair, so they could show the planted trees.

In May, the Zahana school fair was held. Green tshits and hats were proudly wirn by our students, the green symbolizing their committment to reforestation. It also featured a sale of local produce like vegetables and solar dried food by the students. The sale of their products raised a substantial 1,002,700 Ariary for our 2 schools.

The mayor of the commune of Bevato (Bevato is the administrative center for the larger region) was invited to these events at our schools and he attended both fairs. In return he extended an invitation to Zahana to take part in the communal fair to be held at the beginning of June in Bevato. This fair saw the participation of 13 Fokontany (districts) from the area!

We were happy to attend this regional fair. At its first official outing, the school and rural university won an award at the fair organized by the commune of Bevato. Zahana's stand showcased its various activities, including the production of Zahana bio-charcoal, presented by Metosela, and Zahana's solar perishable food drying, including ground ginger, packaged in small packages for easy use (and sale). The dried ginger powder was of great interest for the mayor and others, since it can be used to spice up the laoka, a soup of greens that is traditionally eaten with the rice at meals. (See rice on our website).

And, can you believe it? Zahana took first prize, receiving: 1 cell phone, 1 t-shirt, 2 buckets and 1 cap.

For the first time in its history, the Zahana schools organized what we called an ‘open market’ or open house to promote its products. Initiated by teachers, endorsed by parents and supported by Zahana, these open house days took place in May 2025 of this year.

What was planned as a local event to involve the community to showcase our schools and our students’ achievements became more what we can call a fair, where we could showcase our activities. For Zahana, with our integrative approach for development, all of our activities are interconnected. The improved cookstove in action, the production of bio-charcoal hands on, the tree nursery for reforestation and the school gardens gave visitors something to see and experience.
It was also a great opportunity to show the solar dryer (see reports) in action. Developed and paid for by our microcredit program this solar dryer can produce dried vegetables and fruits to create value-added products for sale. The solar dryer is safely stored in the school grounds when not in use.

The preparations for the fairs began in February already. It all started with a meeting or a General Assembly of the parents to include them and the students in the planning. This led to a general mobilization for a thorough cleaning of the school grounds, with repairs and renovations of the classrooms and meeting spaces (like the pavilions used for meetings and cooking school meals). Around the school it involved the beautification and upkeep of the school’s vegetable gardens and the tree nursery for reforestation. As it has become a tradition, it also involved active reforestation by the students and their parents in preparation for the fair, so they could show the planted trees.

In May, the Zahana school fair was held. Green tshits and hats were proudly wirn by our students, the green symbolizing their committment to reforestation. It also featured a sale of local produce like vegetables and solar dried food by the students. The sale of their products raised a substantial 1,002,700 Ariary for our 2 schools.

The mayor of the commune of Bevato (Bevato is the administrative center for the larger region) was invited to these events at our schools and he attended both fairs. In return he extended an invitation to Zahana to take part in the communal fair to be held at the beginning of June in Bevato. This fair saw the participation of 13 Fokontany (districts) from the area!

We were happy to attend this regional fair. At its first official outing, the school and rural university won an award at the fair organized by the commune of Bevato. Zahana's stand showcased its various activities, including the production of Zahana bio-charcoal, presented by Metosela, and Zahana's solar perishable food drying, including ground ginger, packaged in small packages for easy use (and sale). The dried ginger powder was of great interest for the mayor and others, since it can be used to spice up the laoka, a soup of greens that is traditionally eaten with the rice at meals. (See rice on our website).

And, can you believe it? Zahana took first prize, receiving: 1 cell phone, 1 t-shirt, 2 buckets and 1 cap.