Schooling 2021-2022

As every year, NGO Jade set up a project to help fund the schooling of disadvantaged children during the 2020-2021 school year with the help of the SorOptimisten Pirna Association. The first goal of this project is to help rural families finance their children's schooling when they lack financial means, provided the children are willing to attend school regularly. The second goal is to encourage children to persevere in their studies. NGO members serve as role models for the children, who can hope to continue benefiting from the project according to a merit and excellence system agreed upon with their parents and themselves.

As part of this project, NGO Jade organized the distribution of school kits in several public primary schools in the Toamasina region of Madagascar. The distributions took place in the fokontany (neighborhoods) of Ambodisaina, Ambodimanga II, Fanara and Andranokobaka. NGO members traveled to the sites by private car or bush taxi, depending on the distance, and handed out the school kits to the students and parents present.

Ambodisaina - September 1, 2021

The fokontany of Ambodisaina is located in the suburban area of Toamasina II. The municipality reportedly has more than 10,000 inhabitants who live mainly from farming, livestock raising, and charcoal production and sale. Five members of NGO Jade and one external collaborator traveled to distribute the school kits on September 1, 2021. They handed out the supplies in a classroom of the Ambodisaina public primary school (EPP).

Ambodimanga II - September 5, 2021

The fokontany of Ambodimanga II is located about 10 km west of the town of Fénérive-Est and about 110 km north of Toamasina, in a remote and very hard-to-reach area. The fokontany is only served by a single secondary road in poor condition, which can only be traveled by off-road vehicle or on foot. NGO members stopped over in Fénérive-Est before changing bush taxis toward Ambodimanga II. The distribution of school kits took place in a classroom of the Ambodimanga II EPP on September 5, 2021, in the presence of the principal and other school representatives, the FRAM (Regional Fund for Municipal Assistance), a few parents, and all the children.

Fanara - September 9, 2021

The fokontany of Fanara is located in the rural area of Toamasina II, more than 30 km north of the town of Tamatave. According to the principal of EPP Fanara, the fokontany currently has close to 1,000 inhabitants who live mainly from farming, gravel breaking, crafts and fishing. Three members of NGO Jade traveled to the site to distribute the school kits, by bush taxi and on foot, on September 9, 2021.

Andranokobaka - September 16, 2021

The fokontany of Ambodikinina is located 12 kilometers west of RN2 (only accessible by secondary road), which must then be followed for about fifty more kilometers heading north to reach Tamatave. The fokontany's population was reported to us at 1,200. The main economic activities are subsistence farming (bananas, ravimpontsy, rice) and livestock raising. Four members of NGO JADE traveled to the site for the occasion by land (in a private car made available by an external collaborator). The SAP chief, the fokontany chief, the principal of the Andranokobaka primary school, the FRAM president, as well as a few parents of students and the students themselves, were present to attend the ceremony for the distribution of school supplies and the payment of FRAM fees, which took place in a classroom of EPP Andranokobaka.

NGO members were also able to meet the parents of the beneficiary students and discuss with them the importance of schooling for their children. They encouraged parents to continue supporting their children's efforts by helping them stay motivated and providing financial support if needed.

In total, NGO Jade's schooling project for the 2020-2021 school year helped more than 60 disadvantaged children in rural areas of Madagascar continue their education. The school kits distributed included basic supplies such as notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, rulers and school bags.

Regarding the project's financial results, we were able to enroll almost 100% (i.e.
60 out of 60 children) with the help of the SorOptimisten Pirna Association (€1,500). In total, we
spent 6,775,300.00 Ariary (i.e. 33,876,500 FMG) on purchasing supplies, paying
annual school fees, and all expenses related to this project (including follow-up costs
for the coming quarters), which amounts in total to €1,505.62 (based on the average exchange rate
for November 2021, estimated at €1 = 4,500 Ar).

For the 2021-2022 school year, NGO Jade plans to continue supporting the schooling of disadvantaged children in rural Madagascar. They also plan to expand their reach by extending the project to other rural areas of the island. The NGO's goal is to provide equitable access to education for children who need it, so as to enable them to fulfill their potential and contribute positively to their community and country.