The Madagascar project was started by EWB-Denver members with the help of a non-profit organization located in Boulder, CO, called Hope for Madagascar (HFM). The people of the village of Ambalona currently collect water from a nearby river and carry it back to the village for everyday use. The river water is often contaminated from upstream users and is believed to be a significant cause of illness to the villagers. This is a common problem in Madagascar, where only 29 percent of the Malagasy people have access to safe drinking water. The goal of the EWB Madagascar project is to assess the water supply system of the village with plans to upgrade the system through engineered improvements.
Two visits to the village are anticipated in 2008 with the assistance of HFM. The first visit will be a site assessment trip in the spring to determine the best option for healthy and easily attainable water supply. The second visit is planned for the fall and will hopefully involve implementation of the engineered improvements.
The project team envisions long-term involvement in Madagascar to ensure that the water supply to the village continues to operate as designed. Anyone interested in the Madagascar project are encouraged to contact project leader Tom Rutkowski at trutkowski@golder.com.
