The Ambohidena Public School is a high-vulnerability primary school located on the remote East Coast of Ile Sainte Marie. The school serves 80 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.

In June 2026 we are launching Phase 1 in collaboration with local volunteers, the parent group and the school to:

• Build a School Kitchen and run a Nutrition Programme
  Providing a twice a week nutritious lunch service for all students from September 2026
• Install Solar lights on the School grounds
  This infrastructure provides immediate safety during early morning and evening hours while extending the functional utility of the public school grounds for community-led initiatives.
• Launch 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 procures and supplies 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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Partner with us!

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 Partneships with NORA!