In a modest neighbourhood north of Antananarivo, Madagascar, a quiet revolution in access to clean water is changing lives. For decades, families in Antehiroka relied on precarious and often distant sources of drinking water. Now, thanks to a social water connections project led by Water and Sanitation for Urban Populations (WSUP) and funded by an anonymous donor, the community has taken matters into its own hands—with remarkable results.
Rasoarimanana Noeline, a local resident, beams as she explains her involvement in bringing these changes to fruition. “We are a group of about 10 households, and we know how to talk to each other and get together,” she said. “There were procedures we had to follow, but we did it together.”
The project brought more than just new water points. It introduced a framework for community-led management, empowering residents to take ownership of the infrastructure.
Noeline recalls the collaborative effort it took to secure the land for the water station. “We found a suitable area and obtained a letter of donation from the owner. From technical and environmental points of view, it was clear the land was ideal,” she said. With that, the groundwork was laid—literally and figuratively.
Once the water point was constructed, the community didn’t stop at just enjoying the convenience of clean water. Residents underwent comprehensive training organized by WSUP. The topics ranged from infrastructure and financial management to hygiene and environmental stewardship.
This approach reflects WSUP Madagascar’s larger mission: to address not just the physical need for clean water but also the social and operational challenges that can hinder long-term sustainability. Since its establishment in 2005, WSUP Madagascar has worked closely with local authorities and communities to improve water and sanitation services in underserved urban areas, fostering a model that combines technical solutions with community engagement.
At the heart of the Antehiroka project is a simple yet effective system. Each household maintains a notebook to track water consumption, marked with a unique code. When the monthly utility bill arrives from JIRAMA, the national water provider, residents pay their share based on recorded usage.
“For maintenance, we already have a fund to which we contribute monthly,” Noeline explained. “When there is damage, we use this money to fix it.”
The system ensures transparency and accountability, preventing disputes over payments and encouraging collective responsibility for the infrastructure. Only the 10 participating households with registered notebooks can access the water, a measure that safeguards equitable usage.
Ms. Rasoarimanana Noeline with a friend
The impact of the project extends beyond logistics and billing. Noeline noted a profound shift in the quality of life for families in her community. Children are healthier, hygiene practices have improved, and women no longer spend hours fetching water from unreliable sources.
For Antehiroka, the project has become more than a source of clean water—it’s a symbol of what a united community can achieve.
“We’ve proven that poor and needy households can benefit from this access to drinking water,” Noeline said proudly. “This isn’t just about water. It’s about dignity, empowerment, and the future of our children.”
WSUP’s work in Madagascar offers a compelling model for urban areas across the developing world. By combining technical expertise with community-led management, the organization has demonstrated that sustainable solutions to water challenges are within reach—even for the most vulnerable communities.
In Antehiroka, the transformation is visible in every glass of clean water poured and every notebook meticulously updated. But perhaps the greatest change is the intangible one: the confidence of a community that has proven it can shape its destiny, one drop at a time.