Changing lives in Madagascar

Many of us only know about Madagascar from the kids’ movie, but did you know that in this beautiful country – the fourth largest island in the world – 92 per cent of people live on less than $2 a day?

So much need

Half the population is under 14 years old. And 41 per cent of girls are married before their 18th birthday. There is so much need.

Yet your support is helping The Perla project in Madagascar to bring restoration, hope and new opportunities to young girls and women. The project restores women who’ve escaped from sex trafficking and provides skills training to vulnerable young women.

Lohambosie' story

One of those young women is Lohambosie, a 21-year-old mother to four children. When she was just 14, her parents, following age-old tradition, made an agreement with a man in their village – they gave Lohambosie to him in marriage and he, in return, gave her parents an oxen.

Once married, Lohambosie had to leave school. She now lives in a village 15km from the nearest town with no running water, no school, no church. But all was not lost.

A project team supported by The Freedom Challenge visited her village last year. They told her about the hope she could find in Jesus. As Lohambosie learned more about God, she felt passionate about helping girls and women in situations like hers.

Learning new skills

The project team have enrolled her on a course so that she can learn skills to become a literacy teacher.  She longs to run a literacy program in her village, and to lead a women’s Bible study group. What an inspiration she is!

“Girls here get married as young as 12 against their will,” said Lohambosie. “They need to know that Jesus loves them.”

Thanks to your support Lohambosie’s life has been transformed. And now she is determined to pass on that hope for a better life to other women and girls.

Help more young women reach their potential

We would love to see more young women like Lohambosie experiencing freedom and realizing their potential. But we can only do that with your help!

$150 sets one woman or child on a path to freedom. But any gift you give will change lives. Thank you.