The PPSC Rose Medical Elective Program is newly established although Rose has had experience in providing a medical elective program in the past. Our star Surgeon, Dr Nous Sarom has moved to become the Head of Surgery at the Preah Mettokelea Surgical Centre (PPSC) at the Military Hospital in Phnom Penh. Dr Sarom has had a long history with Rose and we have adapted our program to follow this wonderful surgeon and teacher. The Program is now being administered by Ms Sophak Chim who has excellent organisational skills and fantastic written English. She is managing our complicated schedule and ensuring that students receive communication from Cambodia upon receiving their email enquiries. Obviously being a new program there will be teething problems but we hope that the program will evolve to be a leading elective program in Cambodia, especially with the assistance of great feedback from the students! … read more…
Category Archives: General interest
Rose Madagascar 2012 marked by amazing academic success !
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| Amazing success for Mahatsara Students in 2012. Amongst top in region ! |
Who we are
Rose Madagascar is a small, volunteer-run group that is
committed to improving access to education in rural Madagascar. While our Canadian
Board is based in Western Canada, the heart and soul of our work lies in the
hands of our Malagasy partners who work tirelessly to improve the quality of
life in rural Madagascar.
committed to improving access to education in rural Madagascar. While our Canadian
Board is based in Western Canada, the heart and soul of our work lies in the
hands of our Malagasy partners who work tirelessly to improve the quality of
life in rural Madagascar.
Mahatsara
Rural Education Initiative
Rural Education Initiative
Our main project, the
Mahatsara Rural Education Initiative, is located in Tsarahonenana, Madagascar.
The vision for Mahatsara came from a group of community members who saw a need
for education development in their village.
Mahatsara Rural Education Initiative, is located in Tsarahonenana, Madagascar.
The vision for Mahatsara came from a group of community members who saw a need
for education development in their village.
In English, Mahatsara
literally means ‘getting better’, or ‘improving’ and that is exactly what the
project aims to do. Having recognized a deficiency in early childhood
education, environmental awareness, nutrition, and literacy, Rose Madagascar
teamed up with Mahatsara to start a school in their village. The school is the
first project of many in a 10 year plan that will concentrate on improving the
quality of life in rural Madagascar.
literally means ‘getting better’, or ‘improving’ and that is exactly what the
project aims to do. Having recognized a deficiency in early childhood
education, environmental awareness, nutrition, and literacy, Rose Madagascar
teamed up with Mahatsara to start a school in their village. The school is the
first project of many in a 10 year plan that will concentrate on improving the
quality of life in rural Madagascar.
Our Objectives
- To reach out to individuals and
communities facing adversity. - To empower individuals and
communities to improve their quality of life from within. - To provide children and adults
with access to academic and vocational training to improve the standard of
living. - To encourage sustainable and
holistic development through programs that consider the environment,
health, education, and social well-being of communities as fundamental
principles guiding development.
Mahatsara Projects &
Achievements:
Achievements:
- Quality Education – In addition to providing access to education to
children who would not otherwise have the opportunity to attend school,
Mahatsara is committed to ensuring that each child receives a quality
education.
News from the 2011-2012 school year – Mahatsara students have had an
amazing year of success. We are very
proud to report that our grade 5 students were ranked amongst the top in the
region this year. The top grade on the National Examination in the Alarobia
region went to one of our students (with six other Mahatsara students scoring
in the top 10).
amazing year of success. We are very
proud to report that our grade 5 students were ranked amongst the top in the
region this year. The top grade on the National Examination in the Alarobia
region went to one of our students (with six other Mahatsara students scoring
in the top 10).
In addition, all 27 Mahatsara grade 9 students passed the
difficult National Exam to receive their diplomas (we are still awaiting the
regional results to see where the students rank).
difficult National Exam to receive their diplomas (we are still awaiting the
regional results to see where the students rank).
- Community Garden Project – The school has a series of community garden plots
that are cultivated by parents, students, and other community members. A
portion of the harvest from each garden plot is contributed to the
Mahatsara nutrition program.
- Nutrition Program – The nutrition program provides lunch to
students in an effort to ensure that each child receives at least one
healthy meal per day. Parents volunteer at the program on a daily basis and
students take turns bringing firewood for cooking from home each day.
- The Mahatsara Parent’s Association – The Mahatsara Parent’s
Association is the driving force behind the project and the school. While
the parents of Mahatsara do not always have the ability to contribute
financially to their children’s education, they contribute in many other
resourceful and much needed ways.
- Community Library – The school has a library with a small
collection of books and educational resources. Books are very expensive in
Madagascar
so virtually all of the books have been donated by international
volunteers.
- Sports Programs – The School is engaged in a variety of sports
teams and programs. In 2011, the Mahatsara basketball team made it to the
regional finals.
- Health Education – Throughout the years Mahatsara has organized
community health education sessions at the request of community members.
Some of the topics that have been covered include: sex education,
nutrition training, and training on the hazards of cooking on a fire
indoors.
- The Mahatsara Store – The Mahatsara store sells school supplies and
other small items to community members who can afford them. All proceeds
are put back into the project.
- Field Trips – The school has taken students on several field trips
in the surrounding area. Among the most significant field trips has been a
trip to the capital of Madagascar,
Antananarivo
through which older students at the school had the opportunity to see the
capital and to tour the University. For most students, this was their
first trip to Antananarivo.
Sight-saving truck for Cambodia: with love from NZ !
Rose Charities NZ has donated the funds for a truck to Rose Cambodia Eye/Sight Centre for their outreach program. Collecting for the truck was primarily orchestrated by Mr Mike Webber, Optometrist and Rose Laureate 2009, of Wanganui who worked tirelessly to see the project through. In Mach 2012 a fundraser was held (
http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/truck-in-sight-after-eye-fundraiser/1293047/) which hosted over 110 people and, thanks to the Wanganui attendees, raised over $NZ5000. The remainder was donated with huge generosity by a private NZ Foundation which specifically targets international projects which have outstanding cost effectiveness (as the Eye Centre does) .
The Rose Cambodia Sight Centre / Eye Clinc has now been operating since 1997, some 15 years (at the time of writing). It has treated well over 100,000 Cambodians the majority of who have been extremely poor, giving them free or low cost blindness preventing treatments or restoring sight mainly through cataract operations.
Many of the techniques for low cost eye surgery have historically been thanks to great New Zealanders such as Ray Avery or Fred Hollows so the centre carries on a a long and distinguished NZ history
Rose Charities New Zealand’s relationship with the Cambodia Sight Centre was initiated by John Veale (Optometrist Christchurch) in the year 2000 who then introduced Mike Webber and Dr David Sabiston (retired). The three have spent over a decade working with Drs Hang (clinic co founder) and Natalia Vra suppling materials, equipment, and most importantly of all, their considerable expertise to help bring the clinic to the leading eye Centre it is today in Cambodia.
In recent years, outreach programs for village level screening and eye care promotion have played an increasingly important role. Some of the roads to the villages become almost impassable in the wet season so a strong vehicle is needed, both for access and to be able to return patients to the clinic.
The truck is a fantastic gift, so needed: it will be pivotal in the continuation and expansion of delivery of high quality eye care to poor Cambodians. Thank you Wanganui and other generous donors !