Jonas Foundation

A second chance

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Madagascar, Africa

Books for a children’s library

April-July 2005 – The Jonas Foundation covered the shipping costs of 2000 children’s books from Switzerland to Madagascar

Sabine Finci, Zoé Glaser & Charlotte Vérolet and their books...
Sabine Finci, Zoé Glaser & Charlotte Vérolet and their books…

Three students from College Emilie-Gourd, Geneva, have achieved a social work of a special kind: to create a children’s library at a school in rural Madagascar.
Sabine Finci, Zoé Glaser and Charlotte Vérolet chose the project as an A-level project in Social Sciences. The idea to create a library in rural Madagascar appealed to them particularly, as the countryside is an area where books are nearly inexistent. French is the second official language; it is taught at School and at University.
In Spring 2005, Sabine, Zoé and Charlotte gathered 2000 books with the help of the Association Gecris, Geneva. It is an association who collects unused books from schools and colleges, and stores them at a safe place.
The books were labelled by categories of age group, genre and topic, registered in a catalogue and shipped on the ‘MSC London’ to Madagascar!
A few weeks later, by end of June, the students left for Antananarivo, in order to collect the shipping.
New challenges were waiting for them: to take the books through Customs. The task proved not to be an easy one! At last, the load was brought by van to the village of Ambohibao, about 20 km from the capital. It was fortunate that the students had made many friends who could help!

madagascar_03The books arrived safely at the village, where they were put on shelves, written down in a new catalogue and selected for special activities.
Students and teachers are very happy about the Library.
The majority of the pupils undertake a walk of over an hour to go to School, each morning.
In the afternoon, the pupils help their parents in the fields.
Neither electricity nor running water is found at the School. The pupils bring a flask filled with water for an occasional drink.
The experience filled Sabine, Zoé and Charlotte with joy and a sense of pride: not only did they learn a lot, but also, they have made wonderful new friends and came back with the feeling of having accomplished something useful: to give to a school a Library!
Well done, Sabine, Zoé and Charlotte, for a worthwhile A-level!

Library: The Library is at the School ‘Education Fondamentale du Premier Cycle d’Ambohibao’,
Ambohibao Ankadiefajoro.
Coordinator of the Project: Mrs de Balthasar, College Emilie-Gourd, Geneva
With the aid of the Association Gecris, Geneva
Project Realisation: The project was run by Sabine Finci, Zoé Glaser and Charlotte Vérolet, 3rd Year Students at College Emilie-Gourd, 15, rue Le Corbusier, 1208 Geneva

The Jonas Foundation was happy to support this project, which builds bridges across cultures and promotes the access of literature in a remote area.

In June 2006, the project won the KORCAK PRIZE of the Collège Emilie-Gourd as the Best Humanitarian Project of the Year! Congratulations!

News

  • Carolina: Master’s thesis!
  • 4th February, Gstaad: Fundraising Concert
  • Océane Masters degree and Prix Arditi!
  • Jerusalem: Jonas Alumni at the «Alleluia» festival
  • Jonas student at the Davidsbündler Music Academy in The Hague

Special piano concerts – CD available


The CD of a concert of Rati Skhirtladze’s (13 years) and his teachers Natia Beraia Taktakishvlili and Dachi Taktakishvili is available – order here: info@jonasfoundation.org
The concerts took place in Switzerland (Berne, Bioley-Magnoux, Geneva) from 12th to 15th March 2015.
On the program: Liszt, Chopin, Ravel, Lagidze.

Donations

You would like to donate? More informations you can find here.

Middle East

Drama workshops in Ramallah (Kathy Bergen, Faten Khoury) – Read more

Milman Center, Haifa

Musictherapy for children suffering from autism at the Milman Center, Haifa. Read more

Armenia: Integration of disabled children

The Jonas Foundation supports the project “Art for Inclusion” in Armenia. Documentary films: "I am a hero", "If you have wings" and "Only love". Read more

Paris-StDenis, France

The Jonas Music Class at Collège Pierre-de-Geyter, StDenis, France. Read more

London Music School

Read more about our music school.

Puzzle «Creation»

«The Creation», a painting in form of a huge puzzle! A piece of art put together by handicapped children and children from the Bernese Oberland (summer 2007). During the International Year 2008 of the Earth, «The Creation» was hosted by the International Airport Geneva at Gate A8. Read more

June 2006: UN Human Rights Council

Jonas Choir UN Geneva
19th June: The «Jonas Singers» sing with the «Petits Chanteurs de la Cathédrale» at the first Session of the Human Rights Council, United Nations, Geneva. Young singers from countries as varied as Iran, Zimbabwe, Angola, Rwanda, Cameroun, Bulgaria, Germany, United Kingdom, France and Switzerland, have been invited to sing at the first Session of the Human Rights Council.

Jonas Foundation · CH–1407 Bioley-Magnoux · info@jonasfoundation.org