Following the release of our inaugural sustainability report this year, our team made a spring trip to Madagascar to launch new sustainability projects we first discussed during a visit in summer 2018. We were specifically looking for projects that laddered up to our overall sustainability goals:
During the trip our sustainability manager had the good fortune to meet face-to-face with farmers and their families, as well as local suppliers to hear directly about their lives and what type of projects would best benefit their community. As a result, we committed to three new projects in key areas of Madagascar’s vanilla-growing region.
The first project is the construction of a primary school in Ambohitsara that will serve 82 children. The farmer collective requested this project as the current school building was severely damaged by recent cyclones. With Nielsen-Massey’s help, the school will also receive new school supplies and a latrine and rainwater catch system to provide proper hygiene for students. This project is slated to be completed by fall 2019.
Nielsen-Massey’s supplier in Andranovato assessed this village’s needs and found their current source of water was unsafe. To improve the quality of life for Andranovato’s 575 residents, the company will fund construction of a new well system that provides clean and accessible water. Additionally, the village requested assistance with building four new latrines next to a newly constructed primary school to ensure proper hygiene for students. This will largely improve the quality of life for villagers who currently fetch water from one uncovered well, and for the students who do not have any toilet facilities. Estimated completion is fall 2019.
In collaboration with others, Nielsen-Massey is funding a centrally-located solar powered water pump in the village of Ampohibe to replace its current well. The pump will feed to 10 points throughout the village and provide the 3,300 residents with access to safe water. The project is scheduled to be completed by spring 2020.
Together with our suppliers we will remain in close contact with the farmers in Madagascar to ensure these projects are being completed in an ethical and timely fashion, and to assess the impact these projects have. The Nielsen-Massey team is planning another trip to Madagascar in the fall of this year, and will continue to share updates on the vanilla market as well as our sustainability efforts. Sign up for our newsletter for all the latest information.
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