L'Amade
Six young Burundian orphans who have successfully completed their primary schooling will be able to pursue their secondary education at the AMADE college in Burundi, thanks to financial support from CFM Monaco.
In a country with more than 800,000 Orphans or Vulnerable Children (OVC), almost 10% of the population, AMADE has for many years been committed to a comprehensive care programme for the OVC. In the area of primary education, nearly 30,000 children have benefited from this year's support from AMADE (distribution of textbooks...).
For those children now reaching the end of primary school, access to secondary education remains a challenge. Thus, currently only 20% of the supported OVCs have the possibility of continuing on to the college; a situation even more dramatic for young girls, since they represent only one in five pupils.
AMADE, through the mobilization of the Government of Monaco and its donors, has undertaken to overcome this situation by initiating the construction of a reference college. After two years of work, this college, composed of 6 classrooms, 1 administrative building, 2 dormitories, 2 sanitary blocks, 1 refectory, 1 kitchen, 1 basketball court, opened its doors last year, welcoming the first 60 students. At the end of this first year, the results are already very encouraging, with a success rate of 98%.
In full capacity, this college will accommodate nearly 460 students. In order to ensure its financial autonomy, it will also be open to families that are able to pay school fees, as part of these fees will be used to take care of the schooling of OVCs. Beyond the financial aspects, this college must ensure a certain quality of the education provided and promote a good social mix. A minimum target of 30% OVC per class has been set.
In order to achieve this objective, AMADE also wished to propose to private partners to join this initiative by taking charge of an OVC's education. Tuition fees, the purchasing of school supplies and textbooks, full care in the boarding school, and access to a health insurance scheme amounting to €1,500 per year per child.
Strongly attached to its local roots in the Principality, CFM Monaco is committed to supporting AMADE Mondiale by taking charge of the schooling of 6 OEVs this school year.
With a dynamic policy regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR), CFM Monaco had already committed itself to AMADE by donating 50 computers. This action is part of its sustainable development policy by giving its computer equipment a second life and not generating unnecessary waste. It also contributes concretely to the efforts of AMADE in Burundi to promote access to education by supplying materials, some of which has been allocated to the school in Matana.
Testimonials of two female students:
Florine - 14 years old.
"I did not know if I was going to continue studying because my mother had no way of supporting me. At the elementary school, where I was, we were in the process of building a basic school, but my mother did not even have the money that each household was asked to contribute. I was expelled from school several times and my mistress helped me and spoke about my case to the principal and I was able to go back to school. After the exam my mother sent me to town to my older sister to help her manage her newborn baby. It was from there that I learned that they were looking for me to come and study here. I did not believe it because I did not see how my mother could have found the money to pay for me to go to a high school like this. It was after returning home that I was told that it is AMADE's benefactors who will help me. When I arrived here, I did not believe I was in Burundi."
Florine would like to be a doctor, since "many people no longer know how to protect themselves from diseases and prevent them".
Loriane - 13 years old.
"I love everything here, how they take good care of us and the education they give us without forgetting that they are patient with us. I like computer science even if sometimes it is difficult; but I love all courses in general. Teachers look after us well, we have a good relationship, and they give us the grades we deserve. Later I would like to be a journalist but I would also like to be a doctor, I still do not know how to decide. "