(English) Children’s centre reaching even more young people

Miala tsiny fa tsy mbola misy amin’ny teny malagasy ity lahatsoratra ity.

A Money for Madagascar partner’s services are so popular it is having to hold activities outdoors because its inside spaces would be overfull.

The Akany Hasina centre is a day centre in Ambohitrabiby, a rural area 25km from Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo.

Every Saturday, it opens its doors to young people who would otherwise have little to no access to education and activities outside of school, providing sessions on Malagasy values, dance, music and the environment, as well as teaching English.

It has a library, accessible to the whole community, and also runs ‘school support’ sessions on Wednesday afternoons for children preparing for school exams.

And in the last year, these services and resources have proven extremely popular.

A regular attendance of 60-65 youngsters in October 2024 for its Saturday sessions, has increased today by more than a third to 86 children each week.

Its team reports: ‘This sustained increase is largely due to word-of-mouth recommendations, which continue to draw new participants.

‘While this enthusiasm is heartening, it also presents ongoing challenges. The current attendance exceeds the physical capacity of our facilities and the ability of our educators to manage the larger groups effectively. To address this, we are making use of the courtyard space to ease congestion and maintain the quality of our activities.’

Youngsters at the centre take part in dance classes, music lessons using traditional Malagasy instruments including the valiha, traditions including the position of elders in Malagasy communities, and environmental awareness, skills and protection.

They are also provided with a meal and/or treats every Saturday, to help improve health and ensure the youngsters occationally have something unusual they can enjoy.

In its latest report, the centre’s staff note: ‘Parents have also expressed their deep satisfaction. They observe that their children have become more open, less shy, and better prepared for the future.’

Children’s centres, run by our partners and funded with money we bring to them – some of it donated directly by you – are a part of our Children for the Future programme.

The programme funds residential and day centres to help ensure Malagasy children receive the care and attention they need to thrive and succeed, as well as to ensure their communities also have access to equipment and items which help the whole community can grow, and improve its situation.

In hand with our Education for Life programme, which focuses directly on schools, this is one way Money for Madagascar is working with Malagasy communities to ensure Malagasy children get the best possible start in life and all Malagasy people benefit now, and for generations to come.

To find out more about Akany Hasina’s experiences and achievements this year, click here.