Madagascar

Rooted in science and grown with community, this is where restored land meets healthier communities.

The Problem

In southeastern Madagascar, a lack of resources forces rural communities to rely on their natural environment for daily survival, leading to environmental degradation that drives a high disease burden. Inadequate sanitation infrastructure leaves communities without access to clean drinking water and exposure to diarrheal diseases, while deforested land creates the standing water habitat where malaria-carrying mosquitoes breed.

Our Solution

We reforest degraded landscapes, focusing on coffee-centric agroforestry, to reduce the spread of diarrheal diseases and malaria. Planting coffee and other trees restores the land's ability to absorb water, reducing both the standing water where mosquitoes breed and the flooding that spreads waterborne illness, all while creating premium fair-wage economic opportunities for these rural communities.

Fractile Institute's work in Madagascar

2.5

Acres being actively reforested in the Farafangana district, SE Madagascar

2x

We pay farmers double the local wage

100%

Of profits from coffee sales are reinvested into clean water infrastructure

The problem

How deforestation drives disease

  1. 01

    Forest cleared

    Soil loses its ability to absorb rain

  2. 02

    Runoff pools

    Standing water accumulates

  3. 03

    Mosquitoes breed

    Malaria habitat thrives

  4. 04

    Flooding spreads

    Contaminated water carries diarrheal pathogens

  5. 05

    Disease burden rises

    Malaria and diarrhea devastate communities

Our approach: Reforestation as medicine

We're planting a polyculture of coffee, bonara, banana, and pigeon pea on deforested land. Tree canopy intercepts rainfall, root systems increase soil infiltration, and evapotranspiration returns water to the atmosphere. Less runoff means less standing water, fewer mosquitoes, and reduced malaria transmission, while also reducing the flooding that spreads contaminated water and drives diarrheal disease.

The response

How reforestation heals

  1. 01

    Trees planted

    Canopy intercepts rainfall

  2. 02

    Water absorbed

    Roots increase infiltration

  3. 03

    Less standing water

    Fewer mosquitoes and less flooding

  4. 04

    Disease reduced

    Lower malaria and diarrheal burden

  5. 05

    Fair-wage jobs

    2x the going rate for local workers

Support the mission

Donations directly support reforestation that improves health, fair-wage jobs, and clean water infrastructure in southeastern Madagascar.

Donate

Fractile Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All donations are tax-deductible.

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