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Vahatra – Madagascar

In 2008, the NGO Inter Aide decided to create an NGO under Malagasy law: Vahatra (roots, in Malagasy language), aiming at the sustainability, development and greater empowerment of the program. From the outset, the desire was to put in place an integrated program, combining both social and economic services, financial and non-financial services.

Currently, about 8 in 10 people live below the poverty line (set at less than USD 1.90 per day by the World Bank). While the economic indicators of recent years are rather encouraging, they have not benefited the majority of the population.

Vahatra is an MFI looking for a strong social impact. It focuses exclusively on a population living on less than USD 2 per day and mainly targets women (67%), agricultural activities (70% of the portfolio) and activities related to services and trade (23%). It supports its clients, both economically and socially (via a social support service and a health mutual) in order to make families more resilient. Vahatra serves its customers through its 38 branches and more than 230 employees.

The mutual health insurance offered by the institution allows micro-entrepreneurs to meet their family’s hospital expenses, for USD 20 cents per year. In 2018, 17,269 members had already joined the mutual, allowing more than 60,000 people to benefit from health coverage.

For more information, you can visit their website: VAHATRA