Monday 24th August 2015
Supporting the Adsum Foundation in Madagascar
For several years, Gilbert-Ash has been working in partnership with the Adsum Foundation and the Madagascar Development Fund with the goal of investing money in people and communities in the developing world. As a company we have undertaken different fundraising activities to help provide clean drinking water and build schools for communities in Madagascar.
Last year a team from Gilbert-Ash completed a maracycle from Belfast to Dublin (100 miles) to raise funds for more projects in Madagascar. Money raised from the maracycle has been used to install a new clean water system in one of the villages. It is very humbling to think that something that we take for granted every day can have such a major impact on people’s lives. This was particularly so when we learned that now the villagers have a source of clean water, that many of the children will be able to go to school. Previously they did not have time to attend, as they were needed to go and collect water from the fields instead, which would take up significant time.
This year we have plans to continue our support for a further school and water project. The Tsimialonjafy project includes a new school building comprised of three cyclone-proof classrooms, a new latrine block for boys and girls, school benches and teacher desks. We will be supporting a renovated and extended water system which will supply clean and safe water to 2800 people in the community, and maintenance provision for the first two years of the project.
A few weeks ago we received a lovely letter from Brian Donaldson, former British Ambassador and Patron of the Madagascar Development Fund explaining how the money raised had been used:
"I am pleased to tell you that the safe, clean water system installed in the hamlet of Antaninandrobe, Andavabato financed by Gilbert-Ash and Adsum, was inaugurated on Thursday 21 May in the presence of Madame Celestine, the local Member of Parliament, (National Assembly) the Mayor and the Village Head. Nicole and I were accompanied from Antananarivo by reporters/cameramen from the state television station, TVM, and the most popular private TV station, MaTV - both of whom carried lengthy reports on their main evening news a few days later.
You will recall that the worst rainy season in more than 50 years prevented us from inaugurating this project after work was completed last November. The track is still in an appalling state, and as a result it took us more than 1 1/2 hours by Land Rover from the nearest tarmac road to cover the 14 miles to Antaninandrobe. On our arrival on the outskirts of the hamlet we were greeted by the Mayor and a large group of villagers and noisy, excited children. From there, accompanied by a local band of drums and flutes (made ingeniously from lengths of grey, plastic plumbing pipe) we processed through the streets to where an awning had been erected - to protect us and the dignitaries from the scorching sun and searing heat.
In his speech the Village Head expressed his grateful thanks to Gilbert-Ash and Adsum for bringing clean water to his village. For generations, he said, the villagers had been drinking polluted water collected from far-distant rice fields – and suffered the consequences. Now that safe, clean water was readily available the population were not only healthier but cleaner. A local resident, Mr Martin, a retired teacher at the Technical College in Antananarivo, said that Gilbert-Ash and Adsum had brought a vital resource to Antaninandrobe. As a child he had struggled up steep slippery paths several times a day with heavy buckets and jerry cans - to provide water for his family’s use. Having a source of safe, clean water right next to his house was little more than a miracle. He thanked all those who had played a part in making a dream become reality.
The Mayor thanked Madame Celestine for taking a close interest in the plight of the population of Antaninandrobe and finding a source of funding for the project. He asked me to pass on his deep and sincere thanks to Gilbert-Ash and Adsum for responding to their call for help, and wished everyone in both organisations good health and a long life.
In my own speech I explained the relationship between Gilbert-Ash, the Adsum Foundation and the Madagascar Development Fund, and gave details of just a few of the many projects Adsum and Gilbert-Ash have provided finance for throughout Madagascar.
Madame Celestine apologised to the villagers for taking three years to find funding for this project and expressed her appreciation to Gilbert-Ash and the Adsum Foundation for coming to the rescue. She also thanked the villagers for their active participation in the project and for supplying some of the building materials. Now relieved of the exhausting and time consuming chore of collecting water she hoped they would use their time more productively – and NOT just for gossiping!!! She urged the villagers to take good care of the system by carrying out routine maintenance and making any essential repairs without delay.
It is customary on such occasions for visitors to be presented with gifts of local produce. That day was no exception - and they just kept on coming - rice, mandarins, peanuts, corn on the cob, and even two enormous turkeys - all given with genuine thanks, appreciation and sincerity by people who have so little. No matter how often we experience this we always find it a deeply humbling experience.
The speeches over, the MP cut a ribbon across the entrance to one of the five standpipes in the village and unveiled the commemorative plaques, before leading us to Mr Martin’s house nearby where the villagers had arranged a meal in our honour - consisting of salad, followed by beef and rice, with bananas as dessert.
This was an exceptionally joyful and enjoyable occasion. The villagers gave us a warm welcome and made a real effort to ensure the event was a great success. Access to clean water will make an enormous improvement to the lives of the population of Antaninandrobe, - especially the women and children, whose task it used to be to collect (usually polluted) water several times a day from the nearest rice fields, often preventing children from going to school.
Gilbert-Ash and the Adsum Foundation can be truly proud of the difference you have made to the harsh daily lives of the population. Nicole, I and all at MDF add our own grateful thanks to those of the villagers, not only for financing this project, but for your loyal support for our work with poor and deprived communities in Madagascar.
With warmest good wishes,
Brian Donaldson - Patron,Madagascar Development Fund
