Madagascar

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Illiteracy is high and child labour is widespread. The once lushly wooded land still has about 10% of the original vegetation. Especially in the south, famines occur again and again due to drought. The Swiss Association "Kinderhilfe Madagaskar" is involved with its own schools and the support of existing private schools in the Antsirabe region. Here, "Forest creates future" supports individual projects of this association financially and personally. Through regular visits, "Forest creates future" convinces itself of the effect in the sense of the foundation's purposes and the observance of human rights.

"Forest creates future" has also been involved in improving the environmental situation with its own afforestation project.

2022 Activities Madagascar P-care Katrin Sutter

Teaching staff and teaching aids for the Bon Berger School

In 2022, the FCF Foundation will finance the salaries of two competent teachers and have invested in a large number of books and other teaching materials. With this measure, the school received exceptional support from an educational point of view. This means a lot for Bon Berger, because she could not bear these costs on her own.

We are pleased that our partner, the association Kinderhilfe Madagaskar, is also involved with a Swiss school class for the construction of a small playground. Together is simply more.

A visit to our afforestation program in 2019 shows that the planting has produced healthy trees, despite severe drought. The enrichment with humus in the generous planting holes and the individual irrigation proves to be a complex but successful way of reforesting deforested areas.

2021 Support for the Bon Berger school supervised by Katrin Sutter

Renovation work on facades and roof as well as new teaching aids

The year 2021 was a difficult year for many people in Madagascar. The island has been in a state of emergency since the beginning of the corona pandemic. Poverty is a big issue and many people lost their jobs through various measures, transports to the larger cities were temporarily impossible, bartering was difficult and access to medical care was unaffordable for many people.

Our cooperation with the school “Bon Berger” worked thanks to the internet and our Malagasy employee Carole Ravololoniaina. Immediately after the roadblocks were lifted, she traveled to Vinaninkaren and attended school.

Carole organized and bought teaching and school materials that are needed for regular lessons. She brought the material by hand and handed it to the school administration. "Forest creates future" also finances two teachers who teach in the school mentioned. This meant that all of our projects could be implemented by the start of school in 2021/2022.

In addition, 5 boxes with play and didactic material for the school were shipped from Switzerland.

Completion of the renovation work

The renovations which were financed last year could be completed at the beginning of this year. It is nice to know that with a little effort the students can now attend classes in a pleasant environment.

2020 Reforestation of a 4 hectare area and the creation of an additional garden. Project management Helmut Hälker

Our work is based on the experience of the work of the non-profit organization Association Voiala in Fianarantsoa. We want to support the population and the environment through a reforestation concept of fruit trees, trees for deforestation and vegetable gardens. The very poor population is dependent on sources of income of this kind. Hardly anyone recognizes the value of the few remaining primeval forest areas for the preservation of the climate, water supplies and natural, unique diversity of flora and fauna. We participate with our project for the following goals:

Afforestation of bare areas to obtain wood and fruits
Creation of a vegetable growing area alternating with forest areas
Integration of schools and practice days on the topics of sustainability and reforestation

Toilet construction at the Bon Berger school

2020 Support for the two schools Aina and Bon Berger in cooperation with “Kinderhilfe Madagascar” supervised by Katrin Sutter

The “Forest Creates Future” foundation took on another teacher sponsorship for a qualified teacher and the associated costs for the “Aina” school in Vinaninkarena.

The Bon Berger school in the Vakinankaratra region was given the opportunity to build new school toilets and thus improve the hygienic conditions at the school.

Nursery for endemic plants in the area of rain forest

Slow Food cultivation waiving synthetic pesticides and inorganic fertilizers

Until 30 years ago, these two Malagasy people still lived autonomously from hunting in the then still large rainforest areas. Today they nurse the tree nurseries and restore the cleared virgin forest areas together with the Association Voiala

2019 A partner for afforestation projects in Madagascar- Project Manager Helmut Hälker

Our work is based on the experience of the Association Voiala in Fianarantsoa. Madam Sahondra Raheliarisolo, the president of the non-profit organization, has been trying for years to bring people's needs in the region together with problems in environmental, rainforest and climate protection. The Association sees their chance in protecting the Ranomafana National Park through a plethora of measures. The park and its surroundings are repeatedly threatened by loggers and slash-and-burn. The very poor population has shown the sources of revenue for forest clearing. Hardly anyone recognizes the value of the few remaining jungle areas for the preservation of the climate, the water supply and the natural, z.T. unique variety of flora and fauna. Sahondra Raheliarisolo considers this problem holistically and launches projects in the following areas.

1. Restoration of primeval forest areas

2. Afforestation of bare areas to obtain wood, fruits and forest climate

3. Creation of small vegetable crops alternating with forest areas

4. Establishment of schools and practice days on sustainability and the water cycle

5. Catching homeless children

6. Rice field irrigation in areas at risk of drought

7. fish farming

8. Slowfood production with 500 farming families

Example: For planting 40 to 80 cm wide and deep holes are dug and initially filled with compost. Only then, the young plants can survive in the erosion-threatened and barren soil.

Example: The reforested areas consist of a mix of plants that provide both wood and fruit yields and reclaim life in the soil. At intervals, dead plants are replaced.

Steps for the foundation "Forsest Creates Future" in the field of Afforestation

The "Forest Creates Future" Foundation is taking the first step in the idea of a holistic approach in the catchment area of the Ranomafana National Park. It was decided, together with the Association Voiala, to reforest a fallow area in the region of High Matsiatra and at the same time to build a small vegetable plantation. Owner of the land is the local community. After reforestation, the work, materials and rights of use that have been performed pass to and remain there. Also, the care and reforestation after removal of timber lies with the new owners.

Work will begin in autumn of 2019

2019 Support for schools in Antsirabe - Support Helmut Hälker

A new roof for the school and the vision of the school administration

The Bon Berger school is located in Antsirabe, the capital of the Vakinankaratra region in Antananarivo province in the highlands of Madagascar.

161 school children are taught here at primary and secondary level. The state-recognized private school was founded by a NGO, which has since retired. Today, the school run by a couple suffers from the consequences of low income through school fees.

The buildings are in need of renovation and it rains through the roofs. But the parents of the schoolchildren are behind the school and support them as best they can.

Funding of the Bon Berger School in Madagascar

The "Forest Creates Future" foundation has decided to enter into a support partnership in cooperation to Schweizerische Verein «Kinderhilfe Madagaskar» and pay this year for the renovation of one of the buildings, and in particular the roof construction.

Director Monsieur Fano wishes that we give a boost to his vision of providing a solid school and education for the children.

Schoolchildren of the Bon Berger School. The path and the wild meadow in front of the building are the playground

Childhelp Madagascar

The Swiss association Der «Kinderhilfe Madagaskar» also operates a private school in the Antsirabe region. It is a good example that some private schools follow. Katrin Sutter, the project manager of the "Aina" school in Vinaninkarena, is committed to an exchange between the schools. The "Forest Creates Future" Foundation will take over the sponsorship of a qualified teacher and the associated costs from 2019 onwards.