Today, the Malagasy youth face significant challenges regarding their future and their development: limited access to social services, a weak education system with a strong early dropout rates, and widespread practice that are rooted and harmful (teenage pregnancy, crime or smoking). The lack of informational resources is also a fact widespread in Madagascar. All of these factors make it difficult to access information and specific services to youth and adolescents, whether in education, reproductive health, or others. The youths from the rural parts are most vulnerable to these problems.
In 2007, Ny Tanintsika created a Youth Centre in the rural commune of Ambohimahamasina, Ambalavao district. The project aims to help young people become better informed, express themselves, gain a more comprehensive view of the world and of the future and to become responsible citizens, actors of the dynamism of their territory. This place is primarily a space for sharing, listening and exchanging. The centre currently has a large meeting/training/event room, two rooms provided for the board family planning for girls and boys, a small library and a reading room. It is also equipped with musical instruments and various board games, table football, billiards, table tennis, balls, petanque and basketball court.
But our support is not limited to the provision of equipment. The youth is a vibrant and strong power, able to greatly contribute to the development of a society. Ny Tanintsika, therefore, provides various training for the economic independence of youth and the creation of income generating activities: agriculture, livestock, crafts and design, cutting and sewing clothes. We also organize a competition of agricultural micro-projects, which will see the winners receive financial support to implement their projects, always innovative and bold.
Currently, there are more associative clubs: environmental clubs, sports clubs, cultural and language clubs.
Improve the health of youth, in close connection with the « empowerment » female, has always been the main reason for the center. Trained counsellors therefore help young people better know their body to protect the health and medical risks. For this, we organise trainings on reproductive health, family planning or leadership and we inform on Sexually Transmitted Diseases and hygiene so that youth awareness to turn their friends, parents or brothers and sisters. Finally we provide outreach and communication materials such as brochures, an amp-speaker, megaphone, microphone, to boost awareness sessions and meetings and information in villages and schools in the community of Ambohimahamasina.
