Caring Response-Madagascar Foundation

I have been familiar with the work of Caring Response Madagascar for many years and never fail to be impressed with the work they are doing. I am personally acquainted with the directors and several of the doctors who volunteer and travel to Madagascar each year. They are self-less, giving people who truly put themselves out full force for the people they serve and have achieved miraculous results empowering the people of Madagascar.
Sister Judith Metz
Cincinnati, Ohio

My experience with CRMF has been as a volunteer (2019) and as a donor. My nursing background includes public health nursing. I have been continually awed and amazed by the dedication of CRMF to its mission, both coordinating programs in Madagascar from home base in Cincinnati, and also "on the ground" with their annual service visit. I have had the privilege to work as a nurse with Brother Edwin/ ONG and the array of volunteers and providers in Madagascar in 2019 , and am humbled to have been part of that team. I am a regular donor and consider it an honor to support their mission. This non profit has been helping the people in this area in and around Tomatave for 20 years, setting up innovative programs to support public health and literacy, among others, and also to have parallel programs that provide medical education to Madagascar health care workers, as well as their knowledge with both hands-on consultations when there, and virtual throughout the year. I am happy to provide this review

I had the good fortune of volunteering for CRMF for two years, traveling with the CRMF team to Madagascar. The organization, efficiency, and attention to detail of this trip was unbelievable. Interactions with the Malagasy people were life-changing. Simple things like clean water and sanitation, are proudly showcased in some Malagasy homes. Things made possible by the work of CRMF. In addition, literacy programs are effectively changing lives of the young and old. I am truly grateful to have experienced the tremendous work of this topnotch organization.

I am a physician who works with CRMF in Madagascar. We focus on formal and informal medical education and mentoring/modelling for 4th yr medical students. The students are hungry for knowledge of medicine and for insights about how medicine is practiced in developed countries. We teach the culture and the ethics of the profession as well as scientific facts. I have also been able to see all of CRMF projects as they are operating on the ground. CRMF is an astonishing organization that focuses on women's health, literacy, sanitation, hygiene, clean water and economic development and empowerment. Seeing the huge impact on the ground and the enthusiasm, gratitude and pride generated within the recipients is amazing. CRMF is also developing new leaders among the women and the medical students in Madagascar to have a lasting impact. Both the community leaders and the government representatives are also grateful and supportive. CRMF just celebrated the 25th anniversary of working steadfastly in this same location. Equally amazing is the minimal 5% overhead cost that enables 95% of funds donated to go directly to the people and projects on the ground in Tamatave, Madagascar. This organization is focused, dedicated, steadfast, and committed. It punches way above its weight. Its enduring work and success should be celebrated and shared with the world.

Mrs. Caroline and Georgette shared their passionate journey in the Self Help Group (SHG).

For a long time, Mrs. Caroline managed her fish ponds alone, without achieving significant results or extra profits. A turning point came when she learned about her friend Georgette's success as a member of the SHG for four years. Inspired by the visible benefits of the initiative, Mrs. Caroline decided to join the group.

Today, with the support of the SHG, she owns three large ponds, two of which each hold 3,000 fingerlings. She invests in purchasing 30 bags of fish feed to nourish the fingerlings during the six months leading up to the harvest. Her ambitious goal is to achieve one ton of fish per pond, hoping to reach the same results as her friend Georgette, who has seen significant profits since joining the SHG. Georgette has managed to expand and transform her fish farming business, noting consistent growth each year. She can harvest up to one ton of fish every six months, and even in challenging times, she still produces around 700 kg. With a selling price of at least 12,000 ariary per kilogram, she secures a substantial income from each pond every six months.

Mrs. Caroline and Georgette initially started their fish farming careers with a local business in Tamatave that specialized in aquaculture training. However, this partnership proved disadvantageous, as they had to reimburse the company for any losses, leading them to seek a different path. Now, with the support of the SHG and their own dedication, they have gained independence and are reaping the rewards of their hard work.

Although Mrs. Caroline and Georgette have not yet utilized online networks to market their products, word-of-mouth has helped them build a loyal customer base. Fish vendors in the city contact them directly by phone to purchase their fish, and sometimes, their production is not enough to meet the growing demand.

Nirina, the project leader of the Healthy Model Village, explained that the Self Help Group in Antetezambaro village was established in 2020. The idea emerged when Nirina moved to Analamalotra in collaboration with Georgette, a dedicated and active community agent. The group quickly took shape, bringing together 20 female entrepreneurs under the name "FIAVOTANA," which means "help" in French. The women, who were already beneficiaries of the Healthy Model Village project, engage in various activities such as pig and chicken farming, managing grocery shops, sewing, selling Malagasy crafts, and, of course, fish farming.

While some women are still illiterate, they successfully manage their projects, support each other, and plan to join literacy programs to strengthen their management skills. Together, they embody solidarity and entrepreneurial dynamism, supported by SHG loans that help them grow their businesses.

I was part of the first Caring Response Madagascar Foundation [CRMF] volunteer board and made three visits to its projects in villages in and around the port city of Toamasina/Tamatave. My warmest of many memories is centered around CRMF’s early literacy program. When I returned after my first visit, I saw the smiles, indeed pride, of those who went to a blackboard, wrote their name, and did some simple addition and subtraction. Several successful projects followed over the past twenty-plus years, including computer literacy, sanitation, clean water, a program to decrease infant mortality and improve overall health. Amid many challenging conditions, CRMF continues to inspire hope and change lives.

Caring Response Madagascar Foundation fills a vital infrastructural and educational role in eastern Madagascar through its literacy, hygiene, health care, and micro-lending initiatives. CRMF provides both direct educational and relief services to vulnerable populations in the Toamasina region and, through the efforts of its medical mission, continuing education opportunities for local health care professionals. Its reach, while quantifiable on many levels, such as patients seen, local physicians trained, and villages equipped with sanitation infrastructure, also extends to less concrete measures. The lives positively impacted, including those of volunteers, donors, and local recipients of CRMF’s services, are innumerable.

I have been involved with CRMF for the past 15 years. I am an obstetrician/gynecologist and lead the teaching program at the Ankirihiry obstretric clinic, teaching midwives best practices to save the lives of mothers and babies. It has been a life-changing experience for me as well as the clinic staff and patients.
We have focused on Post partum hemorrhage as it is the number one cause of maternal death in the world especially in developing nations. Teaching suturing techniques, safe protocols for obstetric complications and how to avoid them and an overall interest in learning. I so admire these midwives who participate every year. None of this would have been possible without the Caring Response Madagascar Foundation.

I'm inspired by CRMF's work. This nonprofit is dedicated to uplifting impoverished communities in Madagascar through sustainable development projects, education, entrepreneurship as well as health and wellbeing initiatives. CRMF's "compact and comprehensive" approach empowers individuals and families to build better futures and create lasting change. CRMF makes a true difference!

I am well acquainted with Ginny Wiltse, her husband, Dave and several Board members. This organization has done fantastic work bringing clean water, medical care and educational services to the people of Madagascar. My wife and I have financially contributed to their work for many years. 90+% of the donations they receive are used for direct hands-on services to their constituents.

CRMF is an outstanding organization. CRMF equips the poor to lift themselves out of poverty by providing essential education and skills training. Their programs include adult literacy, computer training, self-help group economic training for women, vocational training in sewing and cooking for girls, and so on. I have personally been donating to them for years!
This is an outstanding organization that deserves recognition!

CRMF, through it's dedicated team of volunteer doctors, nurses and other individuals, helps the poor population of Madagascar by providing tools and education for the residents to further help themselves. They teach about hygiene, prenatal care, literacy and so much more. I have met many of their volunteers and love hearing their success stories and experiences. Please consider donating to this worthy cause!

My name is Magali, I am from Madagascar.
I had the opportunity to volunteer as a translator for CRMF's medical mission this year.
These amazing persons are motivated by love as they traveled more than 14 800 km to help the needy people in Madagascar.
And they do it every year, how praiseworthy is that?

I was personally impressed by their willingness to help in several fields : health, literacy, sanitation, education etc.

As a translator for the medical mission, my main responsability was interpreting the lectures for the mentoring program and the consultations.
Not only CRMF's doctors were helping Malagasy patients, but they were also sharing their knowledges with the Malagasy medical students.

An event that marked me was when we saw this patient who suffered from a decompensed heart failure, he came from a disadvantaged background. Hospitalization was required for him. Since there is no medical insurance in Madagascar, the four CRMF's doctors were wondering what to do so this patient can receive the best medical care and can heal in the best conditions. They have taken into account the availability of materials, medicines, blood test etc.
Their empathy and care for this patient saved his life.
That's what CRMF does, they are changing lives for the better.

''Misaotra CRMF'', which means "Thank you CRMF."

What is important about CRMF is decades of sustained efforts to help the poor of Madagascar. Their specific interventions are the core development goals essentially required for poor countries like Madagacar, that are Education and Health. As far as the Education is concerned the alfabetation programs are really empowering women in large scale, imagine a women educated is resulting in the whole family educated. Thousands of literate families of Toamasina area are greatful to CRMF, evidently these families will continue to inherit this culture for future their incombants also. This is triggering the whole community, that is the beauty of CRMF's intervention. As far as their Health sector intervention is concerned, CRMF is running the Model Health Village Programs in the past few years, although they were doing the health programs for decades now, the MHVP are unique in nature that they select particular villages and accomplish all the health needs togther, that is Water, Sanitation and Hygiene which includes house internal air pollution free environment. In a household of the selected villages, a hygienic latrine, a water filter kit and a smoke free cooking ovens are provided. The health parameters are monitered over a stipulated period before the villages are declared to be a Healthy Village. This may look simple that the intervention is for a few villages in a year but this has trigerred this model culture many of the sorounding villagers to have the facilities out of their own efforts, that is again the beauty and uniqueness of this program. I need to specially mention about the humanity of the person who is behind all these CRMF activities and no wonder it has resulted in the collective activities of many good hearted volunteers and partner team that are making the CRMF program a real success in helping the humanity.

I volunteered with this group several years ago, and I know from experience that donation to CRMF not only helps fulfill an immediate need, it empowers people with the knowledge and skills they need to build and maintain a better future. The CRMF leadership team has an open, honest, and well-established relationship with the partner program in Madagascar that has lasted over 20 years. They are also very careful in choosing other groups to partner with who also believe in the same education-based model of support to further their main focus of literacy education and hygiene. Finally, I am also impressed that more than .95 of every dollar raised goes directly towards the programs, as all of the work done by the CRMF team is done on a volunteer basis. All around a great organization!

I was extremely fortunate to be able to volunteer with CRMF in 2010. I had read and heard about the incredible accomplishments of this organization for years, but finally seeing them firsthand was that much more inspirational and moving. While working in Toamasina, perhaps the most impressive aspect of CRMF's programs was their interconnectedness. Every program empowers the locals who participate, and ask that they all have an investment in the programs they're participating in. The programs are so successful because, ultimately, they empower the people. As part of the initial OB-GYN medical program discussions, I can't wait to see the improvements CRMF brings to the medical practice and facilities of Toamasina. CRMF has an amazing board, one that is committed to its community and has proven it knows how to successfully run programs for the people of Toamasina. It was an honor working with CRMF, and I look forward to a day when I can return to Madagascar with them again.

My experience with CRMF extends over 6 years, as a donor and a volunteer. CRMF is run by a group of dedicated and talented people who marshal the resources their donors entrust them with to serve the people of Madagascar efficiently and effectively. While I worked with CRMF, I was continuously impressed by the scope and depth of the work that they did, by their entrepreneurial spirit and by their unflagging dedication to serving the disadvantaged in Madagascar despite many challenges. Upon reflection on my time spent working in Madagascar with CRMF, I've realized that it would be easy to justify sending all of our philanthropic giving to CRMF for their use serving the people of Madagascar.

If there's any way to sum up my experience with CRMF, it's to say that it has been a privilege to work with the organization. From their leadership to my fellow volunteers, there is not enough I can say about it. I am looking forward to the next trip!

CARING RESPONSE MADAGASCAR FOUNDATION.[ CRMF] This is not the first foundation for which I have been a board member/volunteer but it sure is one of the best. Less than 5% of CRMF's donor revenue is spent on administration . AMAZING! And CRMF successes are numerous, impressive and most importantly, measurable. Two examples: since its beginning, twelve years ago: 11, 400 women and men have "graduated" from our Literacy project. More recently, CRMF built, from the ground up, a small factory to produce latrines a project intended to reduce the high incidence of dysentery. There is much more. In short;. this one is a winner!.

I have worked in developing countries for 10 years. I have personally been involved with Caring Response Madagascar Foundation (CRMF) doing medical work. I have also personally witnessed their work in reading/writing literacy, computer literacy, water/sanitation improvements and micro-lending. MANY people in Madagascar have been helped to survive and improve their opportunities by the efforts of CRMF!!! Jack Gardner PA-C

CRMF is a phenomenal organization that provides services to the poor in and around Toamasina that enable them to live better lives. The free literacy programs have served thousands of people, some of whom have then qualified for additional CRMF sponsored programs such as micro-loans for small businesses, seeds for family gardens and computer programs. As a volunteer coordinator for web updates and social media, I have read many testimonies from program participants about how the literacy classes have changed their lives, creating new opportunities for work and stability for their families. A Grandmother raising several young children wrote that being able to read forms and sign her name had helped to alleviate her burdens and better provide for her grandchildren. A young mother and waitress, taken advantage of since she could not write down orders, was able to find better work and not worry about providing food for her toddlers. Martine used her skills in literacy and her micro-loan to open a small souvenir shop. The stories are many but the message the same, people are grateful for and feel empowered by the CRMF fund literacy classes. Every year in September teachers and graduates celebrate World Literacy Day, and every year as a read the testimonies and post the photos I feel good knowing that I have indirectly helped provide opportunities to so many people. CRMF is a dedicated, financially responsible group, and their vision has provided education, healthcare, job opportunities and disaster relief to thousands and I am proud to be a part of the group!