ECOLES DU MONDE
Besely – Majunga region – Madagascar
DESCRIPTION
CONSTRUCTION OF A VOCATIONAL SCHOOL IN THE BUSH IN BESELY, MADAGASCAR
Ecoles du Monde was created in 1997 by Charles Gassot, a film producer, following a shoot in Madagascar during which he was confronted with the terrible poverty of this country whose bush inhabitants are totally destitute and abandoned by all.
The objective of Ecoles du Monde is to settle the villagers on their original lands in order to slow down the exodus of the population towards the mirage that is the capital. To do this, the NGO works in three areas: education, development aid, reforestation and maintenance of biodiversity. Since its creation, Ecoles du Monde has built 15 primary schools in the bush, in the North West of Madagascar in the region of Majunga, dug more than 150 wells and planted more than 300,000 trees. On the Besely site, the most recent one, Ecoles du Monde is building a vocational school to welcome the children who have completed their education in the primary school.
The Comgest foundation has decided to support the construction of this vocational high school in the bush which will offer interesting professionalization perspectives to the students as well as numerous employment and commercial opportunities in the village of Besely.
IMPACT / MAIN INDICATORS
Objectives:
• After 5 year, a dozen graduates. 100 students at the end of the project (approx 30 students per level)
• Local employment and job creation opportunities (energy, agronomy and agricultural techniques, pharmacology and biochemistry)
• Increased local employment rate
• Creation of local income generating activities
LOCAL
PARTNER
Ecoles du Monde in Besely, Madagascar
Selection
Duration
Project selected in September 2021
Multi-year project: 4 years
Financed
by
The Comgest Foundation
COMMENT FROM THE AMBASSADOR
Wedig von Gaudecker
I am pleased to present a progress report on the construction of the Besely Agricultural and Technical Vocational School. As of May 2024, completed constructions include the Caretaker’s House, Sanitary Facilities, and Water Fountains. The Water Tower and Well are currently in the final stages and are expected to be completed by mid- to late-August 2024.
Since EDM’s last report in August 2023, the initial architectural project by Jean-Michel Wilmotte was discontinued due to technical and budgetary constraints, unfortunately resulting in a delay. A new project has subsequently been developed in collaboration with a local firm, encompassing various facilities such as classrooms, housing, cafeteria, and agricultural warehouse. Attached are photos of the new main school building designed by the consulting firm based in Mahajanga.
Plans to open the high school for the academic year 2024/2025 remain unchanged. However, the construction of the new main building will not start before March 2025, following the rainy season, in anticipation of the response to the AFD/FICOL call for proposals by November 15, 2024. The construction phase for all buildings is estimated to last 18 months, from March 2025 to the end of August 2026. Nonetheless, this adjusted timeline will not impact the scheduled opening date for the 10th-grade class, which remains set for the 2024/2025 academic year for the nine students currently in 9th grade.
The COMGEST Foundation remains fully committed to the successful completion of the Besely Agricultural and Technical Vocational School project. Despite the challenges encountered along the way, we are encouraged by the progress achieved thus far and remain optimistic about the transformative impact this school will have on the local community.