Child sponsorship update from Antsirabe, Madagascar

1/ General Presentation:
In 2008, Ivohitra's village centered its activity perspective on 2 main orientations considering its evolutionary circumstance and the development of the children at the same time as that of the village :
- Reorganisation and intensification of the educational approach,
- The intensification of the reproductive health for teenagers.
Many activities were realised to reach these objectives. Because of the geographic situation of the village and its community way of life, the careful display of the children is considered as one of the factors of development and blooming in begun educational approaches. The contact of the children with the children, with the young people of the other circles can only bring of opening.

However, organisations are prepared within the village to strengthen the links of brotherhood among the children and also so that the majority of the children can benefit from the activity.

All the holidays which educate the children in the domestic life were celebrated together or by house. For example, during the Mother's Day, the children accompanied by the aunts prepare the ceremony in the house. They bought present for the mother and prepare domestic meal. Otherwise, Father's Day was celebrated together during "evening reception" during which the children present their artistic works, dance, songs, speech of wishes, …

2/ Reception of the children:
No admittance is envisaged until now since the rate full of the village in 2006. On the other hand, there were children's movements. The actual of the children of the village is at present of 117. 02 young people left in rural insertion (SISOP), 01 boy suffering of mental confusion revealed lately follows the education in a specialised centre in Antananarivo. We noticed an improvement of its behavioral state.

Growing up at Antsirabe, Madagascar

3/ Schooling:
School results 2007-2008 are all satisfying in spite of the rate of redoubling which prevented to reach the objective of the year :
- Official Exams: CEPE : 100 % (09 successes on 09),
BEPC: 100 % (01 success on 01),
- Passage in superior class: on the 116 schooled children of whom 100 in the primary and secondary schools, 16 children of the EMP (nursery school and préscolaire), 108 pass in superior class (84.4 %). 01 girl followed a training preparing her professional insertion.
The children of the village frequented eight establishments:
- 84 children in the Primary and secondary school of SOS CV Ivohitra,
- 16 children frequented the Nursery school of the SOS CV IVOHITRA,
- 16 children of the class of 4th until 1st frequented schools deprived in city of Antsirabe which is in 05 km of the village.
- 01 boy in Antananarivo.

4/ Relation with the family of origin:
The families are especially invited to come and visit the children in the village every 06 months. So every fratrie received a visit in 2008. They were enthusiastic by noticing blooming, stability and adaptation of the children who had acquired more and more good way and maturity.

Conversely, the children were sent for holidays to them so that they always keep the link or cordon with their relatives and their previous history. In July, 2008, two fratries only were not able to leave because of an ambiguity of reception further to the death of the father for the one and because of a penalty for the other one. However, they benefited from a holiday in group in Antananarivo as discovery.

Children's health and activities in Madagascar

3/ The other sociocultural activities:
Apart from the outside activities of the children as extra school activity, artistic activities, animation activities, educational activities were organised with the complete participation of the children:

-the scouting is the most attractive for the meadows ados. They practice also sport as the football, the basketball but less child become integrated into the clubs of competition, nevertheless, they have potentiality, so accompanying and sensitization for this orientation.

-competitions of reading, dictated, French writing were organized in the village. The prize-winner of every level was rewarded. It is for that reason that our teaching staff always seeks means to fill the gaps of the children in French which is the language of education, and general knowledge.

4/ Health:
The children of the village are generally in good condition of visible health. They are regularly followed by the doctor of the village. Their current medical social situation turns especially around the reproductive health of the teenagers. They are numerous and ask for a lot of attention and accompanying that justifies the activity perspective of the village from 2008, the intensification of the reproductive health for teenagers. Risk is big because of the grouping of different fratries in a domestic house. Until this day, the village has not yet known drift with regard to this situation but caution, attentiveness and accompanying are always our light.

Preventive actions (inoculation, déparasitage, …) are always given to the children.

In 2008 , two children was hospitalised further to an accident of fall for one and an repairing operation for the other one. They are in very good health at present. The diseases which frequently affected them are épidémiques diseases such as the grippes, the pharyngitis, …Three children follow specialised consultations in Antananarivo; cases with neuro psychiatric problem and systematic.

In conclusion, the educational approaches of the village follow the development growing up of the children. Most of these children are now in the period of adolescence, and that need more accompanying and presence. They look for a little more space and freedom, on the other hand, they are thirsty of advice.