In Madagascar, the ambition of the “Dignified Housing for All” project which ends this month, after three years of construction, is to change the face of one of the largest slums in Antananarivo and life of its inhabitants. Funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Abbé Pierre Foundation to the tune of 1.1 million euros, it enabled nearly 600 residents to access dignified housing adapted to their environment. Enough to soften, a little, the daily lives of 200 families in these disadvantaged neighborhoods. Report in the 4th arrondissement of the capital.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Pauline Le Troquier
Neat and colorful brick facades have replaced the old housing made of sheet metal and wood. Here, sewage surrounds the inhabitants. But today, each rainy season, they no longer risk overflowing inside the houses raised one meter high.
Marie-Jeanne, a resident of this Ivolaniray slum for 15 years, has seen her makeshift accommodation, once reduced to a simple dormitory, become a haven of tranquility. “ Compared to our old house, here is paradise! Before, we lived in the wastewater that overflowed from the canal. Rainwater also fell from all sides, through the roof, from the left, from the right. Now the children can play in the yard peacefully. Before, we were afraid that they would catch diseases or fall into the water », she describes.
Construction site as inclusive as possible
The Fonenana Mendrika association (AFM), responsible for implementing the project, wanted this site to be as inclusive as possible. The beneficiaries not only had to get involved in the work, but also made a financial effort: 10 to 50% of the renovation cost was their responsibility. An essential parameter for Haingo Maharoniaina, operations coordinator.
“ When we talk about working-class neighborhoods, for the inhabitants of Antananarivo, we always think of insecurity, unsanitary conditions, that they are rude people, who will always wait for assistance. We wanted to change that outlook, they have their opinions, their proposals. It is really important to promote their vision and their understanding of their situation in the popular district of Antananarivo. It changes their lives and it also changes how others view them. »
The project with visible and immediate impacts remains for the moment carried out on a limited scale. According to the UN, 72% of the Malagasy population now occupies these precarious neighborhoods.
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