Overview:

Réseau Mihari successfully empowered women and youth in sustainable coastal ecotourism in Madagascar, contributing to poverty reduction, gender equality, and marine conservation.   

The Challenge:

Women in coastal communities in Madagascar faced marginalization in marine governance and decision-making processes, limited access to education and economic opportunities, and high vulnerability due to socio-cultural norms and economic constraints.   

The Solution:

The project focused on empowering women and youth by providing training in ecotourism management, developing tourism infrastructure suited to local contexts, and promoting collaboration among stakeholders to improve their socio-economic conditions and support their involvement in the management of Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs).

Why this matters:

This initiative not only improved the economic and social well-being of women and youth but also strengthened community-based marine conservation efforts and promoted gender inclusivity in governance of Locally Managed Marine Areas.   

Main outputs and achievements:

50 women and youth were trained in sustainable marine ecotourism management and provided with essential communication tools, materials, and/or equipment. Two pilot sites benefited from key tourism infrastructure, including a community ecolodge, an environmental interpretation center, and a community-managed restaurant, thus creating income opportunities, increasing visibility, and promoting sustainable tourism.

Support the project:

Potential partners could support Réseau Mihari by providing funding for scaling up ecotourism initiatives, expanding training programs to other LMMAs, and supporting community-based conservation efforts.   

Lessons learned:

The project highlighted the importance of thorough site assessments, streamlined administrative procedures with the country’s context, and reliable procurement strategies for project materials. A sufficient project completion timeline is a key success factor for such a project, especially when it comes to the implementation of infrastructures. It also emphasized the need for adaptive project management and proactive stakeholder engagement to ensure successful implementation.