COVID-19 response: HI assisting schools in Madagascar

HI has worked in Madagascar for a quarter of a century. In recent years, it has successfully developed an inclusive and solidarity education programme which ensures the most vulnerable students, including children with disabilities, are enrolled in school.

In 2019, for example, 1,349 girls and boys with disabilities, vulnerable children, and students at risk of exclusion or dropout returned to school in the regions of Boeny, in the west of the island, and Diana, in the north.

HI is now working to better protect students and teachers from the spread of Covid-19 in Madagascar.

As part of a consortium , the organisation has launched a project to supply 21 schools with disinfection and protection equipment and products and is now actively supporting the Malagasy education system to help communities cope with the spread of COVID-19.

Since May, the Malagasy authorities have organised workshops on the COVID-19 protocol with school staff to ensure personal protection measures are implemented.

We launched our activities in the north of the island in schools in the Betsbiboka and Boeny region. Together with local authority  officials, HI has trained officers to disinfect beneficiary schools.

In total, 56 people have been trained to disinfect school premises in 21 schools in the communes of Ambatoboeny, Berivotra and Maevatanana.

Donation of equipment to the project's target schools

Every classroom in each school will be supplied with hand-washing kits containing a bucket with a tap, soap, and information posters on personal protection measures.

These schools will also be supplied with school-cleaner kits containing disinfectants and protective equipment. The kit can be used to disinfect all classrooms for up to 50 days.

Informing the community

COVID-19 awareness announcements are also being broadcast on the local station Varatraza to help inform the community.