In October 2016, we are celebrating the anniversary of the inauguration of the Belo Hospital in Madagascar. This is an opportunity to take stock of the hospital's activities and look back on the eventful journey that led to this achievement, which was so eagerly awaited by the local population.

A year ago, the teams at Louvain Coopération realised a dream that was born eight years earlier: to provide a hospital for the 150,000 inhabitants of the district of Belo-sur-Tsiribihina, located on the west coast of Madagascar. In this remote corner of the island, some patients sometimes had to walk for three days to reach a health centre, with terrible consequences. Under these conditions, infant and maternal mortality rates, in particular, were sky-high.

This situation could not continue... "For more than three years, we were approached by the population, by representatives of health committees, by the mayor... Many people told us that they had no access to a hospital. We therefore asked the INSPC (National Institute of Public and Community Health) to conduct a study to determine whether or not this project was really relevant. The answer was positive, without ambiguity," recalls Dr Christian de Clippele, health expert at Louvain Coopération.

At this stage, there were still many obstacles to overcome. Administrative complications against a backdrop of political crisis forced the Louvain Coopération teams to modify the basic project several times. Finally, the UCL NGO joined forces with the community of Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Mary to lay the foundations for the future hospital.

Today, the dispensary, maternity ward and surgery departments are already operational at Belo Hospital, as are the laundry and laboratory. However encouraging these developments may be, they do not represent the end of the story. In fact, the ‘Belo adventure’ is far from over. In reality, it is only just beginning...

The NGO's goal is to further develop this hospital so that it can treat more cases. ‘During the first few months, we faced significant shortages in terms of sterilising equipment,’ comments Dr Christian de Clippele. "But thanks to the generosity of our donors, this problem is now behind us. Now we need to increase the number of hospital beds. The hospital currently has 20 beds and their occupancy rate is over 200%!"

The range of care services must also be expanded. The hospital still lacks a paediatric department, even though children aged 5 to 15 represent 20% of the country's population. "In terms of surgery, certain essential instruments are still lacking: an electric scalpel, abdominal surgery instruments, trauma surgery equipment for road accident victims... But more importantly, this care must be made accessible to a wider audience. "

In Madagascar, extreme poverty is more than just a phrase. It is a daily reality for thousands of people who survive on less than two dollars a day. Under these conditions, hospital fees are a luxury that a large part of the population cannot afford.

Identity is not limited to the nationality written on a passport, skin colour or gender. It is more elusive than that, and difficult to sum up in a few words. Beyond national identity, a vague and widely exploited concept, personal, cultural and social identities offer many more opportunities to meet others... (S. Merle)

Louvain Coopération is not just about projects in the Global South.

Since March 2016, Louvain Coopération has embarked on a new adventure on the campus of the Catholic University of Louvain (UCL). In collaboration with Cafrikap (a student project that addresses issues facing the African continent in a participatory and friendly manner), relevant organisations and the academic staff of UCL, Louvain Coopération has created the Louv'ID festival. This event celebrates the concept of identity.

To this end, the festival aims to raise awareness among students and the entire university community about issues related to identity and diversity. The aim is to highlight a diverse society whose future lies in accepting the identity of others, a society in which everyone is recognised as fully as possible for who they are, where each person is a full citizen regardless of their religious, cultural, political or ethnic background.

In practice, the festival takes place over four days during the second academic term. A wide variety of activities take place each day, ranging from basic awareness-raising to more informative and engaging activities.

As the successor to associations founded by UCL academics, Louvain Coopération has always maintained close ties with the university on several levels. Here is an overview.

Every year, UCL commits to doubling its members' donations to Louvain Coopération. In 2015, this initiative raised more than €70,000 for the NGO's projects.

Every year, Louvain Coopération enables around 50 science students, architects and engineers to put their skills to use in a concrete project in collaboration with students from universities in the South.

What sets Louvain Coopération apart is its use of university research and the expertise of Belgian academics to propose solutions tailored to the problems reported by populations in the South: robust medical equipment, agricultural plots for research into drought-resistant plants, etc.