Madagascar
We strengthen Madagascar’s school communities by delivering daily nutritious meals, enhancing literacy, and building sustainable systems that support children’s health, learning, and long-term success.
Across Madagascar, drought and poverty are straining families and schools, leaving children especially vulnerable. More than 75% of the population lives below the poverty line, with rural communities particularly affected. In the southern region, four consecutive years of severe drought have triggered widespread food insecurity and chronic malnutrition. Nearly 40% of children under five experience stunting, putting their growth, learning, and long-term development at risk.
Global Communities is working to change this through an integrated school feeding project that tackles both hunger and education. By providing nutritious meals each school day, we help children grow stronger, stay healthy, and focus in class. Our approach adapts to the unique needs of each school and community, leading to higher enrollment, better attendance, improved learning outcomes, and preschool and primary students who are well-nourished.
Working closely with the Government of Madagascar, schools, and local communities, we extend our impact beyond meals. Our project improves children’s health by supporting clean water, safe latrines, and good hygiene practices in schools. We also work with schools and communities to ensure they have the skills and resources to sustain these efforts. Every meal served and every safe, supportive learning environment brings Madagascar’s children closer to a healthier, more secure future.
Current Program
Mianatra: From Full Plates to Full Potential
With funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, Global Communities is leading a dynamic partnership with Catholic Relief Services and FHI 360 to carry out the first McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition project in Madagascar. This five-year project, known as Mianatra (“Learn” in Malagasy), works closely with the Government of Madagascar and local communities to improve children’s education and give them a healthier start in life.
Every school day, Mianatra provides nutritious meals to about 51,760 preschool and primary students across 150 schools. By combining U.S.-donated commodities with locally sourced food, these meals fight hunger, help children focus, and encourage more families to send their children — especially girls — to school.
To improve literacy, Mianatra supplies schools with books and teaching materials, sets up libraries, and trains teachers and school leaders. Parents are also connected to community savings and lending groups that give them added stability and make it easier to support their children’s education.
The project is also making schools healthier places to learn. Students are taught simple, healthy eating and hygiene habits, while new latrines, handwashing stations, and water points create safe, clean environments for every child.
To ensure lasting impact, Mianatra is working closely with the Government of Madagascar, schools, and communities to expand the National School Feeding program and build a model that communities can sustain for years to come.
Impact
6.65 million
school meals served, fueling students to grow, stay healthy, and succeed in class
412
educational facilities improved with kitchens, reliable water sources, and safe latrines
4,020
metric tons of U.S.-donated commodities delivered to fight hunger
Resources
News
Igniting Children’s Potential, One Bite at a Time: Reflections from the International Food Aid Showcase
By Paula Rudnicka, Sr. Manager for Public Affairs Last month, Global Communities participated in the 2024 International Food Aid Showcase at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The showcase brought together diverse stakeholders representing all segments of the U.S. food assistance value chain—from farmers to implementing partners and government agencies. At the beginning of…
The Role of Mianatra in Enhancing School Attendance and Health in Madagascar
Until early 2023, EPP Toby Mahatsinjo, a primary school in the chronically food insecure Androy region of Madagascar, faced significant challenges related to water, sanitation and hygiene, nutrition and the overall health of students. The school lacked onsite access to water or latrines, and students were expected to use a shared latrine housed at the local…
First School Meals Served up in Madagascar
By Chloe Pan On February 6, 2023, Global Communities and its consortium of partners in Madagascar served the first school meals supported by Mianatra (“Learn” in Malagasy), a McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). By the end of the week, a total of…
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