MUSOLE
Foundation for small aid projects in Africa
Project: School Canteen Fiadanana
Project owner and executor (beneficiary): Viviane Randresy
Contact: Musole administration info@viagroen.nl / contact page Musole
Country: Madagascar
Duration: 2017 – 2023
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Previous project owners: Christine Razanadrasoa, Ravo Randriamitantsoa
Former project account holders: Mart Smith & Ine Kleine Schaars, stichting.fiadanana@gmail.com
Author: Mart Smith
Many children who live in the vincinity of the family farm of the project holders, just outside the city of Antsirabe, come to the local school in Fiadanana without having had a meal. Without food, the children are often lethargic and tired, fall asleep during class or do not come to school at all. The project holders have seen that by giving a nutritious meal for lunch, learning performance is significantly improved and school absenteeism decreases significantly because the children are motivated to go to school and the parents are happy with this meal for their child. Therefore they discussed the option of providing the children with school meals with the teachers and mothers. Through the Musole foundation the donations were channelled to Christine Razanadrasoa and (later) her family, who accepted to act as project owners and executors, and coordinate the daily activities.
For 50 euro cents, each pupil of the school receives a meal, four days a week. So for 125 euros, all 250 children from the school receive a nutritious meal four times a week. The parents contribute by taking turns to prepare the meal. The local project responsables, Vivianne and George, have taken care of the benches and tables, plates, cutlery and cooking pots and take care of the daily purchases and cooking.
The project holders have provided the tents, so that even in the rainy season the children remain dry. Twice a week (Monday and Thursday) the ingredients are bought at the local market in Antsirabe and transported to Fiadanana, which is 13 km north of Antsirabe. An amount of fuel is charged of the budget.
For the preparation of meals, soap and water is also required for hand washing and washing dishes. The water is pumped up with a small petrol pump and needs fuel, which is set at the expense. Viviane in particular is the one who, with her unbridled energy, takes care of all the organization and management every week and provides solutions to the series of smaller and larger problems that arise. The continuity of the canteen depends to a large extent on her efforts. She is further supported by her daughter Ianja. Her son Rova helps with the financial affairs. Until recent, cooking had been done in the open air, but for better protection against rain and dust, a roofed construction was made at the beginning of the new school year, as an open kitchen.
Photo’s: © Mart Smith & Ine Kleine Schaars (including on the sidebar)