Access to education and food for young Madagascans

In 2009, my parents, Marie-France and Bernard, invented a new way of doing philanthropy by creating the "Merci" concept store, a not-for-profit store whose entire profits were donated to an eponymous endowment fund.
In 2013, we sold the "Merci" store but, we continued the philanthropic adventure with our endowment fund.
15 years after its creation, the Merci Endowment Fund has grown, its projects have multiplied and its team has been strengthened.
Since 2011, the historic commitment to Madagascar continues, giving 3,700 children access to education every year.
Since 2017, the Merci Endowment Fund is also acting in France for the agricultural and food transition.
Since 2021, we've been working to revitalize rural areas by enabling refugees to settle around their know-how.
2024: The time has come to write a new chapter, a chapter called Grazie.

Why Grazie?
Because Grazie embodies continuity while symbolizing openness to change and cultural diversity.
Because the endowment fund reinvents itself without denying its DNA: a family, friends, values, convictions, projects and a mad desire to transform utopias into realities.
Because this word is beautiful in every language.

Julien Cohen
President of the Grazie Endowment Fund

Julien Cohen and Chloé Freoa have just spent 2 weeks in southwest Madagascar, on their annual mission to the schools of the Abc domino association, a long-standing partner of the Merci Endowment Fund.
They took the opportunity to fill up on children's smiles, new projects to improve the lives of villagers in the bush, but also photos to share with you!
(WATCH THE VIDEO)
A minute that feels good!!
#MissionMada2024 ☀️🇲🇬

💪 We're proud to note that enrolment in Abc domino schools is rising steadily, mainly in middle school, even though it's usually at this point in schooling that girls stop studying. This is the result of many years of commitment to education in this forgotten area. We can only congratulate ourselves! But it is also a growing responsibility for the Merci and Abc domino Endowment Fund not to abandon these children, to continue to accompany them to the highest level of study.

In the second half of 2024, we are committed to the construction of a new middle school for the children of Ankilibory and Belitsaka, in the south of Madagascar's west coast 🏫. 

The future middle school will accommodate 200 students 🎯.

 As of December 31, 2023, here are some of the significant figures that marked the year: 

- A 15% increase in secondary school enrolment;
- An increase in the number of pupils from 3,500 to 3,690 children enrolled;
- 125 teachers;
- 100% success rate in the Brevet des collèges;
- 91% success rate in the Baccalauréat compared with the national average of 57%.

Encouraging results for the coming year... 💪 ! 

For the fifth year running, the Lycée d'Efoeste presented a new class of students to the baccalaureate exam. 

We recorded a success rate of 81% compared with the national average of 23%.  

A big congratulations to all the new baccalauréat holders who pass the end-of-year tests every year.

A great source of pride for us, but also and above all for these young people who become role models for the whole community.

A new year means a new activity report! 

The Merci Endowment Fund is pleased to present its new activity report. Let's dive together into the successes, challenges and highlights of 2022. 

Link to discover a new year of commitment to building a world of solidarity, sustainability and fairness. 👇

https://fondsdedotationmerci.org/content/1-le-fonds-de-dotations-merci/5-les-rapports-d-activite/rapport-d-activite-2022.pdf 

9 teachers had to be recruited for the new computer school and for the high school, which welcomes more and more pupils every year.

The elementary school also opened 3 additional classes, entailing the recruitment of 3 primary school teachers.