Childhood in the south of Madagascar

In the village of Teranaombitelo, in the dry southern region of Madagascar, villagers used to walk 15 kilometers to fetch water. Soameny, a 14-year-old girl from the village, was no exception. She had to make the 15-kilometer round trip, which took nine hours on foot, to carry a single bucket of water—the most her small frame could handle. She retraces this journey with Mirado, UNICEF’s national ambassador, as they walk to the Menarandra River, the village’s former water source.

Today, with UNICEF’s support, Soameny’s village has access to clean drinking water through a new infrastructure. This precious resource, rare in southern Madagascar, is now a source of life and health for children and their families.

The journey to water...