School bench building in Madagascar

SEED views education as a pillar to social development and has 20 years of experience in responding to educational infrastructure needs through the Sekoly Programme. While the Sekoly Programme focuses on larger infrastructure such as buildings, Project Fanaka aims to improve education in Madagascar’s Anosy region by repairing and building classroom furniture. The project has been divided into two segments: one targeting schools in the town of Fort Dauphin, and the other focusing on schools in the rural areas of Anosy. SEED first concentrated its efforts on the 15 schools in Fort Dauphin and has since completed the construction of 510 benches and repair work in May. 

At the time of the bench completion, Fort Dauphin held its annual Journée des Écoles, a celebration where local schools parade through town to celebrate both academic achievements and inter-school sports competitions winners. This year, SEED was recognised specifically for the impact of Project Fanaka. At the celebration, SEED representatives presented 20 benches to the community to showcase the project. One of SEED’s Deputy Directors received a certificate on behalf of SEED and presented awards to the children for sporting achievements. Almost all of the project’s 15 target schools were present.

During the celebration, SEED delivered all the benches to the 15 schools in Fort Dauphin. Of those 220 desk-benches went to Pôle Upper Secondary School and Tanambao Lower Secondary School. Once officially handed over, each school became responsible for maintaining their newly provisioned student desk-benches. The benches were made with high quality, sanded wood, secured using durable nails, seams sealed with wood glue, and protected with varnish. Benches were specifically designed to last long-term with minimal maintenance costs which is atypical of most furniture available for purchase in town. 

SEED has planned Phase II of Project Fanaka, which will improve the learning environment of 17 isolated schools across rural Anosy by constructing 1,307 new desk-benches. 

Thank you for your support on this impactful programme.