The project - stage 4
Not a one-time action, but a sustainable project
In order to secure school education in Ambalafenomby in the long term, it is necessary
to accompany the school permanently.
From our point of view, the very modest contribution to the teacher's salary in kind, which is quite noticeable in the situation of the parents concerned, namely the "kapoaka" rice (approx. 385 g) per child and month, must be retained so that the appreciation of the school offer is maintained. School uniforms must continue to be provided in accordance with the growth of the pupils and new school enrolments, the teaching materials - blackboards, exercise books, writing implements - and teaching materials - books, wall maps, diagrams -
must be issued or supplemented on an ongoing basis. The school building must be inspected for damage and, if necessary, repaired, especially after the annual hurricane season.
Most of the children are malnourished, come to school in the morning, often after a long walk, without breakfast, at lunchtime there is little or nothing to eat at home and in the evening, for the lucky few, a bowl of rice with leafy vegetables.
We want to remedy this.
The plan for a water supply for the village through a pipeline, which taps a source higher up the mountain, about 1.5 km away, and a school kitchen has been drawn up. The water pipe would not only provide the hygienic prerequisites for the operation of the school kitchen, but would also significantly improve the hygiene in the school's toilets, but above all would mean considerable progress for the whole village. Instead of having to laboriously fetch the water about 800 m below the village from the often brackish irrigation of the rice fields, pure water would be available directly in the village.
Two or three women from the village would be employed to run the kitchen, preparing a bowl of rice soup for each child in the morning and a Madagascan meal of rice and leafy vegetables at noon, with the occasional meat or fish.
A family friend, the retired General Jean-Baptiste Randriamaro, ensures that the school and the kitchen run properly - buying and managing food supplies and kitchen equipment including cutlery for up to 100 children.
Jean-Baptiste has an off-road vehicle and can therefore visit the school regularly and, as "technical director", monitor the condition of the building, the regularity of the lessons, the provision of school materials and school clothes for the students and the functioning of the school kitchen.
We will cover the costs incurred by him and an appropriate fee for his work and that of his wife.
The ongoing school meals with breakfast and lunch costs approx. € -.50 / per day and child.
However: the cost estimate for the planning of the water supply and school kitchen that is now available (December 2010) ends with a sum that clearly exceeds our available funds.
In the first quarter of 2011 we will examine the conditions of the plans on site and conduct price negotiations with the construction company together with Father Zocco SJ. The aim is to be able to offer the full program in the new school year 2011/2012 and at the same time to significantly improve the quality of life for all villagers.
We want to give the children in the village the chance to get a basic education that opens the way to a self-determined, better future.