In Nosy Be, a widow's donation transforms family inheritance into collective heritage. A new six-classroom school has just been inaugurated in the remote village of Antsatrabevoa. The regional chief, accompanied by Roberto Ricci and widow Rosaria, cut the ribbon.
Education is advancing in the most remote areas of Nosy Be. The Italian association IAM "I Aid Madagascar" continues its mission to provide access to education in the island's most isolated zones. It inaugurated its 21st school in Nosy Be on Saturday.
Located in the remote fokontany of Antsatrabevoa, in the Befotaka district, the new facility aims to offer better learning conditions for children in a locality long confronted with isolation and lack of school equipment. The ceremony held strong symbolic significance. In this remote village, where access to school infrastructure remains difficult, children, parents, teachers, and local officials gathered to inaugurate the new school.
The choice of Antsatrabevoa was deliberate for this association led by Roberto Ricci, who relentlessly pursues education initiatives in Nosy Be. However, the village's geographic isolation presented an additional obstacle. Poor road conditions made transporting materials and site preparation particularly complex. "Transport was only possible by truck and dhow," states the IAM president.
To overcome this challenge, the association received support from Diana region, which provided equipment for necessary earthwork on both the access road and the school site.
A Personal Story
This support explains the presence of regional chief General Louis Francio Marovavy at the ceremony. He called on parents to fully appreciate the value of this new infrastructure and prioritize their children's education.
The school's inauguration took on particular significance. Behind these walls lies a personal story that became a collective one. After her husband's death, widow Rosaria Santagata sold part of her belongings and decided to allocate funds toward building a school in this remote locality. A generous gesture of solidarity that extends far beyond family to benefit an entire community. More than simple financing for classrooms, this donation represents an investment in the future of several generations of children. What could have remained family inheritance became heritage for an entire community.
The modern facility comprises two buildings totaling six classrooms. The first building, measuring 24 by 10 meters, contains four classrooms and was financed through widow Rosaria Santagata's donation. The second, measuring 12 by 10 meters, contains two classrooms and was provided by Assosoftware association, led by president Roberto Bellini. Both traveled to Madagascar for the inauguration ceremony. The total investment for both buildings represents 200 million ariary.
Before this project, village children often had to travel long distances to reach school. The fokontany had only a private school built primarily with local materials, including "satrana" leaves. This situation particularly affected younger students and contributed to absenteeism and school dropout.
Beyond the official ceremony, this school's inauguration conveys a powerful message: the finest inheritance is not necessarily what we keep, but what we pass on.