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Women's Resilience for Sustainable Development in Joffreville

  • Winner 2026

Gardens of the World

Context

Madagascar is home to exceptional biodiversity, of which 80,130 species are endemic, and a rich traditional pharmacopoeia. However, access to healthcare remains limited in rural areas., In the region where the majority of the population lives, nearly one in two Malagasy people do not consult a doctor, often due to the cost of medication. At the same time, deforestation, linked in particular to the use of wood and charcoal for cooking, is weakening the plants on which this traditional medicine depends.

Located at the gateway to Amber Mountain National Park, the rural commune of Joffreville It has approximately 5,100 inhabitants, mostly farmers. It has’a single health center, run by two nurses. Women play a central role in family life and on farms. Since 2017, the’The "March 8th" women's association brings together ten associations in the town around joint actions.. Many of its members already use plants for medicinal purposes, but without training. In 2024, the association sought support to learn more about these plants and create a medicinal plant garden. Jardins du Monde and the Mi'Art Eco association initiated the first training session in 2025.

  • In partnership with: MI'ART ECO
Funder(s):
• La Guilde

Project objectives

  • Strengthening women's resilience for the sustainable improvement of the population's health conditions in the rural commune of Joffreville
  • Promoting access to healthcare through the promotion and appreciation of traditional knowledge about medicinal plants within the women's community of Joffreville
  • Initiating changes for the preservation of a sustainable resource in pharmacopoeia among the women's community in the rural commune of Joffreville

Activities

  • Health awareness and screening thanks to the organization of a screening day for hypertension, diabetes and HIV, with 300 screenings planned for each, and workshops on women's health for 80 members of the women's association and 135 students and teachers from the college
  • Training of 40 women and 15 caregivers and community workers in the use of approximately sixty local medicinal plants, and equipping the health center with small medical supplies and awareness-raising materials
  • Creation of a medicinal plant garden a 100m2 space set up within the health center, housing around thirty species, managed by the women's association, and training of 60 women in agroecology (compost, natural treatments, eco-friendly charcoal)
  • Strengthening female leadership : training for 80 women in public speaking, self-confidence and association management, and meeting with committed women from the region.
  • Theatrical and musical performances for 600 students and residents on deforestation, bushfires and biodiversity, and the implementation of two reforestation campaigns totaling 2,000 plants

Direct beneficiaries

95 female farmers living in the commune of Joffreville, the majority of whom use traditional medicine without training

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Through its Microprojects division, the La Guilde association, in partnership with the French Development Agency, supports the implementation of microprojects in the service of sustainable development internationally.