The Situation
The GDP per capital in Madagascar is $271, it thus counts as one of the poorest countries in the world. Due to many and early births per woman, population growth is at a very high 2.8%. Legally, every child has to go to primary school, but practically access to schools is limited. 14.2% school age children have never been to school and 34% drop out before finishing primary school. 36% of the adult population are an-alphabets. Especially in many rural areas schools and teachers are scarce and even in cities tuition fees, school uniforms etc. are high burdens for many families. Our Idea Onja and Laura share a will to help people, especially children, who are the most innocent victims of the worlds political and economic shortcomings. So they started organising godparenting relationships. Sponsoring one single child might seem like a drop on a hot stone, but what better to spend an extra 30€ on than education? Direct money Contrary to most organisation based around godparenting, the money goes directly to the child/the child's family, not to community projects. While some argue, that money is better spent in projects benefiting the whole community, we believe that children's needs should not be exploited to advertise for such projects. Personal Relations We want to create a personal relationship between you and your child. You can write them, sometimes even skype and exchange pictures. When you come to Madagascar, they can show you around their home town. There is much to be said for large scale projects, but personal stories just touch us most, don't they? |
The History
When our guide Onja was a teenager, he had to help his family selling hand-made post cards to tourists. He became pen-pal with a tourist who, over the years, grew to something like a godmother, helping him and his family out with money for tuition and occasional health bills. Onja was at school at the time, but when his parents lost their jobs the extra money made their lives just that little bit easier. When Onja was older, he started helping foreign interns to godparent other children, manageing the money, maling sure it goes to the right places, keeping the children and godparents in contact. |
Madagascar Life Tours | support a child |