South Jersey Nonprofit Philawell Provides Life-Changes Aid to Villagers in Madagascar
Philawell co-founder Karen Cohen with villagers in Madagascar. Photo courtesy of Philawell Instagram
BY NATHALY SUQUINAGUA | For AC JosepH Media
CHERRY HILL — South Jersey and Madagascar seem like worlds away — literally and figuratively – but retired educator Karen Cohen and her nonprofit Philawell has connected the two in a unique, rewarding and life-changing way.
Now Philawell is giving others in the area and across the country a chance to make positive and meaningful impact on the African island nation.
An unexpected change in itinerary transformed Cohen’s journey, reinventing how she pursued her mission to support communities in need in Madagascar.
After losing her father in April 2022, Cohen planned a three-week trip to South Africa in August 2023, followed by a surprise visit to Madagascar and an itinerary made by her travel agent.
Given that she had just retired from Katz JCC that same year, she had time to focus on her upcoming trip and decide where she wanted to spend her vacation days.
Heading over to Madagascar and meeting her tour guides, Andreas Miha and Zafison “Theo” Theophile, she continued on her journey, and when she realized that as she was passing by neighborhoods, she noticed how these villages had almost nothing.
“My whole attitude changed like I can’t feel sorry for myself anymore,” Cohen told Front Runner New Jersey.com in a recent interview. “Other people have it a lot worse. So that was like my wake-up call, to be honest.”
Deeply affected by what she saw in the village, Cohen felt compelled to make a meaningful difference, even leaving behind many of her clothes and sneakers for those in need. As the only guest on the trip, she also formed a strong bond with her tour guides, making the experience even more personal and impactful.
After returning home from her trip and staying in touch with her tour guide Theo, Cohen expressed her desire to continue helping those in need in Madagascar. By December 2023, the two had teamed up and successfully delivered 300 flip-flops to one of the local schools.
“It was just a beautiful, beautiful thing. I was just so excited to do that, and the kids were so happy,” Cohen said. “So, we distributed all the flip flops, and the kids were so excited and the teachers were happy and that was very life-changing, not only for them but for myself.”
After successfully delivering flip-flops to the children, Cohen and Theo began thinking about the deeper needs of the community specifically, access to education and a proper place for the children to learn.
They realized that building a school would also require access to clean water. After discussing the next steps, a few months passed before they decided to dig wells that could collect and store rainwater.
However, one of the biggest challenges they faced was the region’s extreme dryness, which made it incredibly difficult to dig deep enough to find water for the villagers.
By February, they were able to build their first rain-sustainable well with Cohen’s retirement funds. Before Cohen knew it, she was building a second well that same month.
Cohen learned, though, that with 52 villages in the Madagascar region — many in need of life-saving clean drinking water — it was only a start. That’s when Philawell, Cohen’s South Jersey nonprofit, was born in March 2024.
In the summer of 2024, drought in the area grew so severe that many villagers were forced to walk miles barefooted just to fetch water from a river.
The news of Cohen purchasing a water transport motorcycle capable of carrying approximately 23 gallons of water presents a valuable opportunity for villagers to receive water.
According to the United Nations, more than half of the population (57%) does not have access to an improved water source in Madagascar. Through its outreach efforts, Philawell is working to raise awareness of the difficulties Madagascar people are having and hopes to inspire support from those who can help.
Philawell makes it easy to support families in Madagascar. You can give a general donation or choose a specific gift: $50 provides a backpack with school supplies, $35 funds a handmade dress for a young girl, and $25 gives a child a bucket and flip-flops. Every contribution helps improve daily life and brings hope to communities in need.
Philawell has participated in several events, including hosting a “make your own vanilla extract” workshop using vanilla brought back from Cohen’s trip to Madagascar. The organization has also been engaging with the community by speaking at local middle schools and establishing connections with the Rotary Club.
During Juneteenth last year, Cohen set up a vendor’s table at the Congregation Beth El Synagogue in Voorhees celebration and told attendees of her improbable story to Madagascar and her new mission in life. Cohen continues to speak with enthusiasm and hope about the positive possibilities, her new friends and changing the world, one clean water well at a time.
In addition, they’ve been actively networking to raise awareness and keep people informed about Philawell’s mission and ongoing efforts.
Cohen’s unexpected journey to Madagascar sparked a deeper mission to create lasting change. From building wells to launching Philawell, her work has already made a meaningful impact. Though the path hasn’t been easy, Cohen said she remains driven and hopeful knowing this is only the beginning.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was created from an earlier interview FRNJ Editor Clyde Hughes conducted with Philawell co-founder Karen Cohen.
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