Responding After Cyclone Fytia
Following the impact of Cyclone Fytia in February, WASH Programme Manager Fidy led a four-day mission to assess damage in Ambatoboeny.
HoverAid has previously co-funded school construction projects in three local fokontany:
- Mangatelo
- Manongarivo
- Andengondroy
The purpose of the visit was to inspect infrastructure, understand cyclone damage, and meet with local education authorities.
Travel conditions were extremely difficult. Roads had deteriorated badly after the storm, and access to Andengondroy required travel by traditional pirogue boat, as floodwaters made vehicle crossings impossible.
School Assessments
Mangatelo School
The school remained largely intact, which was encouraging to see. However, some repairs are needed, including:
- veranda maintenance
- repainting
- replacement of solar streetlights destroyed in the cyclone
The school toilets are currently unusable due to lack of water access.
Manongarivo School
Buildings were found to be in generally good condition, requiring only minor repainting.
However, the road leading to the school is now in very poor condition, creating ongoing challenges for both teachers and families trying to access education.
Andengondroy School – Priority Site
Andengondroy suffered the most serious damage and is now the priority site for future support.
Issues identified included:
- water leakage through walls
- rust damage
- broken windows
- destroyed solar streetlights
- severely damaged teachers’ toilet block requiring full rehabilitation
The community well was also affected. Its hand pump is no longer working, meaning families are currently drawing water using buckets and rope — creating hygiene and safety risks, especially for children.
Preparing for Beroroha
During March, the team also travelled to Beroroha alongside the HoverAid garage team and Andy Mayo to prepare the base ahead of April activities.
Despite a minor delay at a ferry crossing, the team arrived safely and preparations were completed successfully.
Working with Local Partners
A key part of sustainable development is working alongside local communities. In Beroroha, meetings were held with HoverAid’s two local partner associations:
- Volambita Mandroso
- Soatana Miray
Discussions focused on:
- programme progress
- infrastructure needs
- management capacity
- uniform provision
- planning for the April mission
Field Visit to Soatana
The month concluded with a field visit to Soatana, where the team installed project signboards and carried out a technical inspection of the solar-powered water pump system. Both activities were completed successfully.
Why This Work Matters
March’s activity shows that community development is about far more than building infrastructure. It means responding after disasters, maintaining essential water systems, supporting schools, and strengthening local leadership.
Thanks to your support, HoverAid continues to work alongside communities to improve access to clean water, sanitation, education and long-term opportunity in remote regions of Madagascar.
