By John Colbourne, Joe Shaw & Elisabeth Andrews

The Malagasy and their government are not shy about their ambition to be a “global exporter of health”. This vision will materialize from work that was started with the creation of Madagascar’s Health and Pollution Action Plan. This HPAP is the first such plan for any country to address its deadly pollution problem. Although Madagascar is well known for its biodiversity (more than 80% of the species in Madagascar exist nowhere else) its plan to solve a public health crisis, which the whole world is facing, is less widely recognized. Pollution is the leading cause of death in low and middle income countries. With sufficient help and support, Madagascar’s solution for environmental health protection of the 2nd largest island country becomes the blueprint for other countries to follow.

More help is on its way.

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation named our project, to improve health in Madagascar, as one of the highest-scoring proposals (designated as the Top 100) in its 100&Change competition for a $100 million grant to help solve one of the world's most critical social challenges. Our Environment Care Consortium joins Indiana University with Pure Earth and other partners forming the Solve Pollution Network. By having received this recognition, our project is now featured in the Foundation’s Lever for Change Bold Solutions Network, designed to unlock significant philanthropic capital by helping donors find and fund vetted, high-impact opportunities to improve people’s lives. So far, MacArthur has raised an additional $419 million to support bold solutions.

Our fundraising campaign thus continues with new momentum! We are committed to ensuring that Madagascar succeeds at leading the fight against pollution, while meeting the specific needs and reflecting the priorities of the Malagasy. We are confident that the HPAP strategy can be sustained and adapted over the long term.

The Solve Pollution Network assembles government, academic, civil society, and community leaders in Madagascar with our Consortium. This coalition that is led by Indiana University brings together the critical expertise and commitment needed to build lasting solutions.

International collaborators:

• Indiana University

• Environment Care Consortium

• University of Birmingham, UK

• Pure Earth

• Global Alliance on Health and Pollution

• Education Development Center

• Global LPG Alliance

Madagascar collaborators:

• Université de Fianarantsoa

• Government of Madagascar

• Centre National de Recherches sur l'Environnement

• UNICEF Madagascar

• World Health Organization Madagascar

• Clean Cooking Madagascar

• Pivot Madagascar

• SEED Madagascar

• ONG Ranontsika Madagascar

• Wildlife Conservation Society Madagascar

• Comité Malgache de Butane Madagascar

• Institut National des Sciences et Techniques Nucléaires Madagascar

• Initiative pour le Dévelopment la Restauration Écologique et l'Innovation

• Madagascar Green School

• Collectif d'eco-citoyen Tangala Maitso

• Think Green Madagascar Green N Kool