Youth Voices
Climate Change is Threatening Madagascar’s Water
By Lisa Rakoto
In Madagascar, climate change is not something we just hear about on the news. We feel it every day. For many of us, the biggest impact is water. What used to be normal, such as steady rains and reliable wells, has become unpredictable.
In the south, some families go days without clean water. I know people who walk for hours in the heat to fill one bucket. When the rains don’t come, crops dry up and families go hungry. Then sometimes heavy rains come all at once, flooding homes and washing away everything people have worked for. It feels like we are stuck between two extremes: too little or too much.
And it’s not just about water itself. Some Kids miss school because they spend their days fetching it. People get sick from drinking unsafe water. Farmers lose their income because they can’t grow food without it. What makes it worse is knowing that Madagascar is one of the countries that pollutes the least, but we are suffering among the most. That doesn’t feel fair.
But I believe things can change. Our leaders must make sure every community has access to clean water. We need to protect our forests and rivers. Companies must stop polluting and wasting water. And richer countries must take more responsibility and help.
I may only be 22, but I know this: water is life. Protecting it means protecting our future. My generation cannot afford to stay silent. We have too much to lose.
About the Author
Lisa Rakoto is a 22-year-old student and climate activist from Antananarivo, Madagascar. Passionate about environmental justice, she advocates for youth voices in the fight against climate change, with a special focus on water security and community resilience.
Articles published under Voices represent the personal views and experiences of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, editorial stance, or policies of VIP News.
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