Aust & Hachmann are pleased to announce that the much-needed new primary school in Andamoty is now complete.

The inauguration ceremony took place several weeks ago, attended by the village and representatives of the MDF and Aust & Hachmann. We are confident this new facility will be enjoyed by the families of Andamoty for years to come!

In keeping with an ongoing commitment to social responsibility and sustainable practices, Aust & Hachmann and the MDF are looking forward to our next project together.

BRIEF PROJECT OUTLINE

Rationale:

Since 2009 Madagascar has experienced serious political tension and social unrest. According to a recent World Bank report 82% of the population of 25 million live in extreme poverty.

Like most villages around Sambava, Andamoty is a deprived and very poor community – one of the poorest in the area. The majority live in harsh and primitive conditions – reflecting the extreme poverty that exists throughout Madagascar.

The original primary school building at Andamoty has two classrooms and was built by the villagers in 2015 using their own meager resources. In one classroom there are 7 benches donated by the nearby secondary school (CEG) that are already in a very poor state. Most pupils sit on empty rice sacks on the muddy floor. The roof, which consists of dried leaves, is also in poor condition. When it rains water pours through onto the children and their books, and they have to be sent home.

Poor conditions in this school building, where there is a shortage of teaching materials as well as classroom furniture, contributes to the high drop-out rate. The school has no access to water, and the latrine consists of a dried leaf enclosure. Conditions in this building for the children and their teachers are unacceptable, and fail by far to meet standards of hygiene and health.

In response to a growing crisis in the community and at the school, the Malagasy government built two new classrooms in 2018. As a result the number of children increased dramatically last year from 205 to 403. In addition, in line with government instructions, the school has succeeded in creating a new pre-school class in which there are 90 children – making a total of 493 pupils.

Primary schools usually have classes only in the morning. But due to the high number of pupils and lack of capacity, Andamoty Primary School now has two daily sessions. In addition, as there are insufficient classrooms, two groups of children of different ages and levels share the same space and the only blackboard – causing confusion, reducing the effectiveness of the teaching and having a negative impact on exam results.

In light of the problems mentioned above, and in response to the growing number of school age children, the Mayor of Sambava, the local representative of the Ministry of Education (Chef CISCO) and members of the community and teachers have sought MDF’s help in securing funds to improve conditions for the children and increase the school’s capacity.

Objectives:

• To build three cyclone-proof classrooms that are light, airy and welcoming but above all – dry

• To furnish them with school benches, bookshelves and lockable cupboards, and desks and chairs for the teachers and age appropriate furniture for the pre-school class
• To construct a three compartment ventilation improved pit latrine, with boys’ urinals and separate facilities for boys and girls

Main Outputs:

• The new school will increase capacity and enable more children to receive a basic education in decent conditions
• Better access to a basic education will in due course make an important contribution to development and increase the children’s employment prospects – thereby helping to alleviate poverty.