Rose Madagascar 2012

Amazing success for Mahatsara Students in 2012. Amongst
top in region ! 

Who we are

Rose Madagascar is a small, volunteer-run group that is committed to improving access to education in rural Madagascar. While our Canadian Board is based in Western Canada, the heart and soul of our work lies in the hands of our Malagasy partners who work tirelessly to improve the quality of life in rural Madagascar.

Mahatsara Rural Education Initiative

Our main project, the Mahatsara Rural Education Initiative, is located in Tsarahonenana, Madagascar. The vision for Mahatsara came from a group of community members who saw a need for education development in their village.

In English, Mahatsara literally means ‘getting better’, or ‘improving’ and that is exactly what the project aims to do. Having recognized a deficiency in early childhood education, environmental awareness, nutrition, and literacy, Rose Madagascar teamed up with Mahatsara to start a school in their village. The school is the first project of many in a 10 year plan that will concentrate on improving the quality of life in rural Madagascar.

Our Objectives

• To reach out to individuals and communities facing adversity.
• To empower individuals and communities to improve their quality of life from within.
• To provide children and adults with access to academic and vocational training to improve the standard of living.
• To encourage sustainable and holistic development through programs that consider the environment, health, education, and social well-being of communities as fundamental principles guiding development.

Mahatsara Projects & Achievements:

• Quality Education - In addition to providing access to education to children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend school, Mahatsara is committed to ensuring that each child receives a quality education. 

News from the 2011-2012 school year – Mahatsara students have had an amazing year of success.  We are very proud to report that our grade 5 students were ranked amongst the top in the region this year. The top grade on the National Examination in the Alarobia region went to one of our students (with six other Mahatsara students scoring in the top 10). 

In addition, all 27 Mahatsara grade 9 students passed the difficult National Exam to receive their diplomas (we are still awaiting the regional results to see where the students rank).

• Community Garden Project - The school has a series of community garden plots that are cultivated by parents, students, and other community members. A portion of the harvest from each garden plot is contributed to the Mahatsara nutrition program.

• Nutrition Program – The nutrition program provides lunch to students in an effort to ensure that each child receives at least one healthy meal per day. Parents volunteer at the program on a daily basis and students take turns bringing firewood for cooking from home each day.

• The Mahatsara Parent’s Association - The Mahatsara Parent’s Association is the driving force behind the project and the school. While the parents of Mahatsara do not always have the ability to contribute financially to their children’s education, they contribute in many other resourceful and much needed ways.

• Community Library – The school has a library with a small collection of books and educational resources. Books are very expensive in Madagascar so virtually all of the books have been donated by international volunteers.

• Sports Programs – The School is engaged in a variety of sports teams and programs. In 2011, the Mahatsara basketball team made it to the regional finals.

• Health Education – Throughout the years Mahatsara has organized community health education sessions at the request of community members. Some of the topics that have been covered include: sex education, nutrition training, and training on the hazards of cooking on a fire indoors.

• The Mahatsara Store – The Mahatsara store sells school supplies and other small items to community members who can afford them. All proceeds are put back into the project.

• Field Trips – The school has taken students on several field trips in the surrounding area. Among the most significant field trips has been a trip to the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo through which older students at the school had the opportunity to see the capital and to tour the University. For most students, this was their first trip to Antananarivo.