Meet the Students – a short introduction to the Fihavanana Centre

‘During my two years studying the Women’s Promotion course at the Centre, I gained invaluable skills and knowledge. With the confidence and expertise I’ve developed, I am now ready to seek employment, which will provide the start-up funds for my personal life project: opening a hairdressing salon. My heartfelt thanks also go out to everyone who supported me along the way—my teachers, my parents, my entire family, and especially the Centre and its sponsors. Their encouragement and guidance have paved the way for my success.‘

Avotriniaina Fandresena graduated from the Fihavanana Mahamasina Centre in 2024, its most recent graduating class. She is just one of thousands of young people who have been helped by the Money for Madagascar-funded centre to develop her dreams, and the means to achieve them.

The Fihavanana Centre, founded in 1986, is run by the Sisters Of the Good Shepherd (SOGS).

It helps young boys and girls (aged 5-13) and older girls and young women (14-18) in the Malagasy capital Antananarivo who have – because of poverty, homelessness or other challenges – been unable to start, or forced to drop out of, school, to start or re-enter education.

Vonintsoa and Nirina Rianah had never set foot in a classroom when they first came to the centre.

They could not read or write, but through their own hard work, that of the centre’s teaching staff, and support from their parents, they can now not only read and write, but have also learnt Maths.

The children work towards their CEPE (Primary School graduation) exams, while the older girls and young women spend two years learning vocational and other practical skills, including baking and cooking, embroidery, knitting, cutting and sewing, basket weaving, hairdressing, English language and computer skills, so they can find fulfilling employment.

Some continue to study, if they have the means.

Sabrina Elina Razafindranivo, 17, is in her second year of the centre’s Women’s Promotion course. She had to leave school in the third grade because her parents could not afford to enable her to attend.

She had few to zero skills, and close to no confidence, when she first arrived at the centre, but after a year and a half of professional training she knows how to sew a skirt, a shirt, pants and a jacket. She also knows how to cook, having learnt baking and cookery at the centre, which has inspired her to set out for a long-term career.

She said: ‘I dream of becoming a chef when I finish my training. I thank God Almighty for giving me an opportunity to study at the centre. I also thank Money for Madagascar for financing the centre’s activities, because it helps us a lot to be able to have jobs in the future, so we will have financial autonomy to face life.‘

Jeanne Nantenaina, 16, was, like Sabrinia, forced to stop attending school in the third grade because of her parents’ poverty.

She is now in her first year of the centre’s Women’s Promotion course, learning embroidery.

She has learnt baking and cooking, embroidery, cutting and sewing, knitting, English language, mathematics, family management, education of life and love (EVA), and religion.

She said: ‘I feel good studying at the centre because I have seen and learnt things I hadn’t been able to before, like embroidery, I know how to make frames made by embroidery now.‘

All who attend also receive nutritious snacks and lunch every day, and are given basic health, including dental, care.

In the last year, 163 children and young people attended the centre, 119 girls and 44 boys.

Your donations and support, along with the work of MfM and the staff at Fihavanana Centre, are making this life-changing and in some cases -saving, work possible. Thank you.

But we can always do more, including helping more children, and enabling young women to continue their study when they complete the centre’s courses.

If you would like to be part of the community helping Malagasy children and young women, you can donate here.

For more information about the Fihavanana Mahamasina Centre, read the 2024 Annual Report.