The original school at Ankijabe was utterly destroyed by the floods in Ferbuary. With your support we have built a brand new school with a house for the teacher, at a new site on higher ground with a flood resistant design.
We’ve also created an additional outdoor learning space, building benches, planting fruit trees, and supporting the community to dig a proper latrine nearby. Many people from neighbouring hamlets have moved nearer to enable their children to access education for the first time. This is a profound community development and we want to pass on their thanks to you.
Excited parents, teachers, and local dignitaries assembled on May 5th for the Handover ceremony. The children explored their new school, whilst the many speeches got underway.
The deputy head of the district Mr. Jocelyn thanked HoverAid. He also pointed out that within the construction we met all their priorities in the region: education, sanitation (latrine and particularly hand washing facilities which are so important), and reforestation (making children aware and involving them in planting trees for their future).
This was echoed by the deputy mayor of Ankijabe Mr. Fleurien Rabesandratana in his speech.
By this point the children were very aware that sweets might be given out…they waited.
Cisco, the local representative of the Ministry of Education, thanked HoverAid for the rebuilding of a school and in a much better quality than before. Most importantly the number of students has increased from around 20 to 46, with many children going to school for the first time.
We were really encouraged to hear his guarantee that the head teacher will be in charge of the school for the coming years as now other teachers would like to go to this outpost due to the good quality school building and living quarters.
The children listened and then finally the sweets were handed round. There was much rejoicing!
The head teacher Ms. Tanjonirina Tolsjanahary is incredibly grateful for the buildings; she now has a place to live after her house was destroyed and good classrooms for the students. She and second teacher Ms Lydia Rasoanambinina are also delighted to see the number of students increase.
Tanjonirina gave the children a pep talk, no more sweets – time for teaching – and they quickly got into lesson-mode in the new classroom.
Everyone spoke about the hope that the school could grow with another classroom and we are hopeful that funding can be found in the longer term to build further using brickwork rather than timber – forget the sweets, in Ambato Boeny there is enormous hunger for education!
We’ll keep you posted.
From the pupils,parents and teachers in Ankijabe,
Misaotra betsaka amin’ny rehetra – Thank you very much everyone!
