The Ambohidena Public School is a high-vulnerability primary school located on the remote East Coast of Ile Sainte Marie. The school serves 87 students and 5 teachers in a community that faces intense economic hardship.

The school facility operates with severely restricted infrastructure. There is no electrical lighting in the village, presenting a constant safety and operational challenge for students and staff.

Following our proven operational framework in the villages Sahasifotra and Agnafiafy, NORA-Madagascar has launched a comprehensive infrastructure and nutritional development project to establish a self-sufficient school ecosystem.

Absolute local Anchoring – a true Collaboration

In May we had an incredible kickoff day with the students, teachers, parents, and village volunteers of Ambohidena. For us, sustainable development requires knowing our communities and doing the groundwork before we start – so we visit a lot and spend time in the villages. This day was about establishing mutual expectations, formalizing local commitments, and ensuring the village is the driving force behind this project. The community’s response was definitive: they are fully on board and ready to work.

Since then we have completed Phase 1 in collaboration with local volunteers, the parent group and the school:

• We built a School Kitchen and have launched a Nutrition Programme
  Providing a twice a week nutritious lunch service for all students. The village provided a large portion of the natural materials and wood needed for the construction. The volunteers were ready and the construction was done in record time. The canteen and school kitchen is run by our village liaison and volunteers from the parent group.
• The solar lights went up – along the path to the school, and across the school grounds
  What looks like a school upgrade is, in practice, a village upgrade. The school sits between two clusters of huts – two parts of Ambohidena – which means the path isn’t just a route to class. It’s used by most of the village after dark, at one point or another. The 9 new solar street lamps on that stretch of ground has made it safer for everyone who walks it, not just the students. As with everything we build in Ambohidena, this was done together – alongside the people who’ll actually be using that path every day.
• Launched a Blue Economy Circular Partnership
  To secure high-quality protein for the children’s meals without creating external dependency, we have initiated a formalized social contract with local Ambohidena fishermen. NORA-Madagascar have procured and supplied professional-grade, sustainable fishnets directly to local fishing families. In a strict 50/50 trade agreement, the fishermen provide a consistent portion of their daily catch to the school kitchen, establishing a local, circular food supply chain. Read more about the Blue Economy Initiative here.

We are also:

Supporting Athletic Development & Integration
Physical education and training in ball-games are mandatory components for students transitioning into regional colleges. Because students previously lacked functional equipment (often playing with tightly bound plastic bags)NORA-Madagascar delivers athletic sets to fully support the school’s physical education curriculum.

Expanding the weekend programme “Beyond the Classroom” to Ambohidena
Commencing in September, we are officially expanding our established “Beyond the Classroom – Strengthening Skills” program to Ambohidena. This initiative offers structured weekend activities; academic support, literacy, creativity, sports and games as well as exploring the local environment.

Phase 2 – A school Garden to sustain the Nutrition Programme & provide a Living Classroom

In 2027 we will commence a School Garden Project & Land Cultivation!
The project roadmap outlines terrain clearing, layout mapping, and protective fencing to establish a robust school garden. This space will yield year-round fresh vegetables for the canteen and function as a “living classroom” to train students and local families in sustainable agricultural techniques. More information will come as we approach the end of year and progress the plans further!

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NORA-Madagascar operates on a model of absolute local anchoring and verified execution – local engagement, participation, and co-ownership is the foundation of all our projects. Our daily management is physically present and has a direct overview, which gives us a unique opportunity to act quickly, follow up in real-time, and ensure quality and accountability. Reach out to us if you want to know more about Partnerships with NORA!