THE ASSOCIATION
Fighting to keep children in school in Madagascar
FIGHTING AGAINST EARLY SCHOOL LEAVING
J'IRAI A L'ECOLE is a non-profit association created in 2016, whose mission is to promote access to education for the most disadvantaged children in Madagascar.
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The Malagasy constitution makes schooling compulsory for children aged 7 to 14. However, non compliance with this constitutional principle is not sanctioned and more and more families do not have the means to send their children to school.
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The association J'IRAI A L'ECOLE helps finance and run schools that lack the means, supports families who cannot afford for their children's schoolings and helps orphaned or abandoned children stay in school.
SUPPORTING A LOCAL EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE
In order to fight against the lack of schooling for children, J'IRAI A L'ECOLE decided to develop a child sponsorship program and to support educational structures resulting from local initiatives.
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While relying on local actors, parents and teachers, J'IRAI A L'ECOLE's mission is to promote access to education and improve the quality of teaching. We are determined to ensure that these children stay in school and escape the dangers that threaten street children.
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Developing social and professional integration through education is the most effective way to fight poverty.
OUR HISTORY
In 2016, Richard Valverde took part in a humanitarian mission in northern Madagascar. During this mission, the purpose of which was to build a school in the bush, he met Hary Raharimalala, a Malagasy teacher and school director. Hary also participated in the construction site.
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At the end of this mission, Richard Valverde went to the Règne school run by Hary in the suburbs of Antananarivo, to interview her at his place of work. He then observes the extreme destitution in which Hary and her team of teachers work to keep children from very disadvantaged backgrounds in school, almost certain to drop out early. A modest house serves as a school building for 146 children. There are no schoolbooks, no supplies, no real teachers, no water, no electricity, no playground.
A few months after this meeting and this observation, the association J'IRAI A L'ECOLE was born.
Improving the conditions of access to education
Since 2016, J'IRAI A L'ECOLE has been supporting the Règne school.
Initially, we worked to improve the daily life of the children and teachers: buying books and school supplies, improving food and improving access to healthcare were our priorities.
We have supported the most disadvantaged families and paid the school fees of children directly threatened with dropping out of school. We have recruited young qualified teachers and developed the training of those already present.
Artistic workshops have been set up. The practice of these activities contributes to the personal development of children and keeps them away from the dangers of the streets.
FIRST STEPS
DEVELOPMENTS
Improve hygiene and equipment
In 2017, the small house that served as the school was abandoned for a larger house with a garden and, above all, water and electricity.
The move has led to improvements in terms of hygiene and comfort, although much remains to be done.
Two additional classrooms were built.
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However, the size of the rooms remains insufficient, there is still no kitchen for the preparation of lunch, no refectory or library. Closures cannot guarantee safety conditions allowing equipment such as photocopiers, computers or video projectors to be left at school.
Despite the strong pressure on the real estate market in the suburbs of the capital Malagasy, the association J'IRAI A L'ECOLE has reached early 2020 to acquire a plot of land to build a real school.
A building permit is obtained a few days before the start of the global health crisis.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE SCHOOL OF THE LITTLE GIANTS
BUILDING A
REAL SCHOOL
The continuation and perpetuation of our actions therefore required the construction of a real school with a social vocation.
The first phase of construction began in January 2022.
In September 2022, a new modern and functional school opened its doors to welcome 175 children threatened by early school leaving.
L'ECOLE DES PETITS GEANTS was born.
Malala and Nathalie's family is representative of the families that we support.
​Malala and Nathalie are 13 and 11 years old respectively. They are part of a family of 7 children. Their father has left home. Their mother works as a cleaner and cannot pay the school fees paid by J'IRAI A L'ECOLE. The three older sisters live with their paternal grandmother. The maternal grandmother takes care of their two younger sisters.
