Education
Adult literacy rates in Madagascar are lower among women than men, and fewer than 56 percent of low-income women in the nation are able to read and write, according to the World Bank.
It is painfully common for girls on the cusp of maturity to abandon their education, as they take on menial labor, raise children or withdraw from school amid the social stigma surrounding menstruation.
CRMF's education initiatives in rural and urban areas are multifaceted and range from adult literacy programs for women to master the fundamentals of reading, writing and arithmetic; a program to keep girls in school by equipping them with menstruation management care, medical check-ups, life-skill development and vocational training; and other such programs as computer training, school tuition support for youth and a prison literacy program targeted at society's most vulnerable.
Adult Literacy
Since its launch in 2001, more than 31,500 adults, 95% of them women, have obtained functional literacy certificates through CRMF's adult literacy initiative. CRMF is the sole funder of adult literacy in the region. Its curriculum, designed by our local partner, ONG St Gabriel, has become a national model.
Keeping Girls in School
Between January 2023 and June 2024, 360 urban and rural girls took part in the CRMF-sponsored program for ensuring the wellbeing of girls: 300 were students, all of whom remained in school; 60 were single mothers or older teens, all of whom completed vocational training programs.
Technology Training
More than 6,000 young people have graduated from the CRMF-sponsored computer technology program since its launch in 2006. Some students have gone on to work abroad, where command of digital technology was essential.