Combating Malaria through Microfinance

Microfinance Focus, April 20, 2010: PlaNet Finance , a Paris-based international NGO working on reductions of poverty through microfinance, shares learning experiences of their project on “Microfinance & Health”. Since 2001 PlaNet Finance and the global pharmaceutical company, sanofi-aventis, have been working in tandem to develop “Microfinance & Health” programmes. Both recognised that the networks created by microfinance activities could be a powerful means of getting information across to target groups about ways of preventing and tackling malaria.  With sanofi-aventis’ support PlaNet Finance developed two anti-malaria programmes. The first, carried out in Benin between 2004 and 2007, claimed to raise awareness among 121,000 microentrepreneurs of ways of fighting against malaria.

Madagascar was the setting for the second programme (called “Tazomoka”) which has been running now for two years. Working in conjunction with microfinance institutions and local NGOs, the programme’s aim has been to carry out awareness raising and education campaigns via anti-malaria information sessions. It has enabled the women on the programme – known as “Women Leaders” – to go into communities in their local areas and raise awareness about malaria. The programme’s main aims are to: go into communities in their local areas and raise awareness about malaria. The programme’s main aims are to:

• Increase anti-malaria awareness levels among MFI clients and improve measures that can be taken to prevent the disease.
• Encourage microcredit beneficiaries to better protect themselves against the risks of malaria through daily hygiene routines and by using mosquito nets impregnated with long-lasting insecticides.
• Develop new “health loan”-type products tailored to the needs of the groups being targeted.
• Recommend models for health microinsurance provision – based on assessments of the health microinsurance needs of disadvantaged groups – and to make it easier for these groups to access health care.

Having participated in the programme, “Women Leaders” are now able to provide anti-malaria training and awareness-raising activities to fellow members of their savings and loans associations or to others within their communities.

Over the two years, the Tazomoka Programme in Madagascar has already trained 715 Women Leaders who have then gone on to raise awareness among 14,150 people. Through these two programmes, PlaNet Finance has thus so far enabled 135,150 people to increase their awareness of malaria – 121,000 in Benin and 14,150 in Madagascar.

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