Mila Rano - Clean Water for Madagascar

Positive impact generated

Context

In southern Madagascar, water scarcity is one of the most acute challenges facing rural communities. Entire villages depended on rivers and contaminated wells, with women and children walking for hours each day to collect water contaminated with bacteria and parasites. Waterborne diseases - cholera, typhoid - were the leading cause of child mortality in the region.

The Atsimo-Andrefana region in Tulear District is among the poorest areas of Madagascar, with dramatically low rates of access to safe drinking water. When water is available, it is often boiled using firewood or charcoal - a practice both economically and environmentally costly, accelerating local deforestation and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Women and girls bear the primary responsibility for water collection, with direct and devastating consequences for their education, health, and economic opportunities. In this context of systemic vulnerability, Mila Rano - meaning "need water" in Malagasy - was designed as a concrete and scalable response to both a humanitarian and an environmental crisis.

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Stakeholders and local partners

Who are the key stakeholders?

The project is developed and promoted by Carbon Credits Consulting. Local implementation is carried out by Mada Projects, an operational partner with deep roots in the rural communities of southern Madagascar, responsible for constructing the towers, training local caretakers and coordinating the water committees. The beneficiary communities - approximately 4,000 households across five villages - are actively involved through local water committees (comités d'eau), which ensure participatory management and equitable access to water.

Project Developer:

Objectives and approach

To provide universal access to safe, free drinking water to rural communities in southern Madagascar, reducing CO₂eq emissions from wood-fuel water boiling and generating lasting social impacts.

The project aims to eliminate dependence on contaminated water sources by building durable, solar-powered infrastructure that is safe and accessible to all community members regardless of income. A core objective is the verified reduction of climate-altering emissions, achieved by replacing biomass combustion with photovoltaic energy for water purification and distribution. In parallel, the project seeks to reduce the disproportionate unpaid workload placed on women and girls, freeing time for education and income-generating activities. In terms of employment, the project creates stable, skilled jobs both during the construction phase and in the permanent management of the structures. Finally, the project intends to strengthen local water governance capacity through the training of community committees and caretakers responsible for the daily maintenance of the towers.

Mila Rano operates through the construction of five solar-powered water towers, each equipped with photovoltaic panels for pumping, chemical and microbiological filtration and treatment systems, and a high-capacity storage tank ensuring continuous supply even in the absence of solar irradiance. Each tower is entrusted to a full-time, on-site local caretaker responsible for distribution, cleaning and infrastructure security. Local water committees (comités d'eau) ensure participatory management and usage monitoring. Water quality is regularly verified through microbiological and chemical analyses. Emission reductions are monitored following Verra methodology AMS-III.AV, with periodic data collection and independent third-party verification. The project runs for seven years, renewable twice, ensuring a long-term impact horizon.