Irenee to be awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National Malagasy!

We are happy to share some exciting news with you all. Tomorrow, Friday 13th of May, the director of MfM – Irenee Rajaona-Horne - will be awarded the ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre National’ (a knighthood) from the Government of Madagascar in recognition of her services to the children of Madagascar.

The ceremony will take place in Madagascar at one of 34 schools taking part in MfM's Education for life programme. It will involve a guard of honour and will be attended by all the local dignitaries. We will be publishing more details on the event in the next fortnight.

For the past 20 years Irenee has worked tirelessly to help improve the lives of vulnerable and destitute children in Madagascar.

During her 10 years as a Quaker Volunteer at Akany Avoko Children’s Centre (1998-2008), Irenee worked directly with destitute children as well as helping to raise vital funds to enable the centre to continue its work. The attached photo shows Irenee with two women whom Irenee taught many years ago as teenagers. "It is a delight to see the children, who were once destitute,  grow up into caring parents who are able to provide a home and an education for their children." (said Irenee)

Since her return to Lancaster in 2008, Irenee has worked for Money for Madagascar, initially as the Development Officer and now as the Director. In this time MfM has had the privilege to support over 10,000 Malagasy people to fight against poverty and improve the environment.

Irenee would like to thank all the Malagasy partners who have made this work possible.  Likewise we would not have been able to make such a positive difference without the help of supporters like you. So thank you for your encouragement, interest and contributions!

To find out more about what we do in Madagascar and to see how you can get involved visit https://www.moneyformadagascar.org. To make a donation to support our partners who are trying to protect forests and livelihoods in Madagascar, please visit
http://moneyformadagascar.org/english/make-a-donation.asp

Job Vacancy - MfM Seeks Madagascar Country Representative

Money for Madagascar seeks a country representative to be based in Antananarivo starting in July 2016. Applications are invited from individuals as well as from NGOs who are interested to deliver the services that Money for Madagascar requires.

Money for Madagascar is a British charity founded in 1986 to enable Malagasy people to reduce poverty and protect the environment through sustainable, community-led initiatives.  Beneficiaries include: orphans, street children, and vulnerable teenaged girls, farmers in environmental hotspots and women’s cooperatives, in Central, Eastern and Western Madagascar. MfM seeks an experienced development agent with the dynamism and commitment needed to enable MfM to scale-up its work.

1. As the Money for Madagascar Country Representative you will support and strengthen a network of Malagasy NGOs to help Malagasy people to climb out of poverty and restore Madagascar’s unique eco-system. You will do this by providing the following services:
2.  Representing MfM nationally for example on development and environmental forums, in order to create opportunities for new collaborations and to help MfM to respond to current needs and opportunities in Madagascar.
3. Helping Money for Madagascar to demonstrate the impact of its work by supporting its partner NGOs with Reporting, Monitoring & Evaluation. This will include providing Capacity-Building Training tailored to the needs of the NGOs.
4. Helping Money for Madagascar to develop its programmes by supporting partners, networking and identifying new funding streams.
5. Facilitating communication between Money for Madagascar’s UK Office and its Malagasy NGO partners. 

This new role will start on a consultancy basis for an initial period of 12 months. Fees will be paid upon delivery of agreed outcomes. It is envisaged that this work will be extended and developed into a permanent role with Money for Madagascar. Remuneration package for 12 month contract 7,000 GBP to 9,000 GBP.

To find out more and to make an application please follow the link to our website below:

https://www.moneyformadagascar.org/english/support-us.asp?idSMenu=22

Applications to be submitted in English or French by 10th of April 2016. Interviews in Tana 17th & 18th May 2016.

Support Development in Madagascar whilst you shop!

Supporting a charity whilst Christmas shopping is only a mouse-click away...

Christmas is one of the busiest times for shoppers and shopkeepers alike as we search for those special presents for our loved ones. Increasingly online shopping is being used for quick and convenient ordering without having to leave the house.

Christmas is also a busy time for fundraisers like Money for Madagascar as we try to tap into the Christmas spirit with sales of Christmas cards and calendars, and appeals for special projects through donations and Alternative gifts.  Much of this is also done online. 

Recently several schemes have been set up to help shoppers raise money for their favourite charities simply by shopping online. It's simple, thousands of stores have signed up to donate a percentage of every online purchase to charity - at no cost to the shopper.

For every purchase that you make a small % goes to your named charity. It’s amazing how quickly you can build up quite a donation to your favoured charity. Have you thought of supporting Money for Madagascar in this way?

Online shopping is now a part of everyday life. We aren’t trying to promote online shopping over local shops because, as we know from our work in Madagascar, it’s also important to support local enterprise.  However, many small shops and enterprises also rely on online sales for much of their business.  So if you already shop online for such things as your weekly shop, presents, clothing, DVDs, electrical and domestic goods why not turn your normal purchases into a fundraising activity at the same time? 

By nominating your favoured charity from over 200,000 charities you can donate with every purchase you make - at no additional cost to you. We would be very grateful if you would help us to raise funds by shopping for Money for Madagascar.

Two companies that our supporters already use are:

• Give as you live:   www.giveasyoulive.com 
• All you have to do is download Give as you Live (it is totally secure and it takes only a few seconds to register a password and username) and then you can shop online using the same stores that you already use.
• Easyfundraising: http://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/moneyformadagascar.
• To raise funds you just log in before you start shopping, using the username and password you have chosen, and up to 15% from each purchase can be donated to Money For Madagascar.

Happy Shopping!

Back to school - with your help!

Access to education is a right denied to thousands of Malagasy children, none more so than those living in remote rural areas. 

Local dignitaries cut the ribbon to open the latest MfM-funded school in rural Madagascar

August saw the inauguration of the a new MFM-funded school in the rural Commune of Maritampona. This star-studded (by rural Malagasy standards!) event was attended by one of Money for Madagascar's most trusted development partners - Mr Martin Ravelomanantsoa (Director of Association ALF), who had overseen the construction project, along with a host of dignitaries including the Head of the Region. But of course the most important VIP's in attendance were the 275 excited schoolchildren whose lives will be changed by the new facility. 

The real VIP's of the inauguration - the dozens of schoolchildren whose lives will be changed by this new facility.

In his speech the Head of Region praised the new 3-classroom facility that Money for Madagascar and ALF had delivered stating that "this  new building is going to help a lot, not just the children of our village but also the children of many neighbouring villages".

The primary school at  Ampihoaramaso is the latest in a long line of schools and classrooms built by our Malagasy partner organisations thanks solely to the kindness and generosity of Money for Madagascar's supporters. Without a decent education there is little hope that the children of rural Madagascar will ever escape the poverty trap and realise their full potential. 

Director of ALF and trusted MfM partner: Martin Ravelomanantsoa accepts the congratulations of the Head of Region. 

By working through local partner organisations Money for Madagascar also helps to ensure that the capacity to identify and prioritise needs, apply for funding and manage projects through to completion is encouraged and supported.  We believe that this approach will also help ensure that the ingenuity and energy of the inspirational people we work with helps the broadest number of beneficiaries possible.