Madagascar: Minister of National Education visits the ECAR Ephata Centre
Published on 18 March 2021 at 10:06 - Modified the 2 August 2024 at 03:02
On 15th March 2021, the Madagascan Minister of National Education, Ms. Marie Michelle Sahondrarimalala, visited the ECAR Ephata Centre, a socially-oriented care centre for visually impaired children and youth in Fianarantsoa, Madagascar, and lent support by the Government of Monaco since it was first established.
This visit gave the ECAR Ephata Centre the opportunity to showcase its activities and to turn the spotlight on the approach promoted by the establishment which is based on all the staff being trained in and committed to providing educational support to every pupil. On this occasion, the Madagascan Ministry of National Education also handed over equipment and school supplies for the beneficiaries of the Centre.
Founded in 2002 by the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate, the mission of the ECAR Ephata Centre is to cover the specialised support and educational needs of the visually impaired beneficiaries and to prepare them to reach the maximum degree of professional and social autonomy taking into account their impairment. Since 2002, the Centre has welcomed 103 pupils, 22 of whom have been reintegrated both socially and professionally following the training provided.
The Office of International Cooperation, for whom Madagascar is its primary country of intervention, has been supporting the Centre since its creation. The latter also benefitted from the support of 3 International Volunteers of Monaco (V.I.M.) from 2008 to 2019.