Marcel has devoted his entire life to championing a noble cause - a new secondary school.
Today, the Antanimora General Education Secondary School in the western part of Madagascar stands proudly as a testament to his lifelong struggle.
Marcel serves as the president of the management committee for the Antanimora General Secondary School, constructed by UNICEF with the support of the National Committee for UNICEF in the United States (US Natcom). He encourages parents and students to preserve the new buildings resulting from years of advocacy.
Indeed, Marcel himself has been advocating for the construction of these new school facilities for several years. In 2006, he was a member of the Parents' Association of the Antanimora Public Primary School when the association purchased the current site for the secondary school. His motivation was straightforward: "At that time, students had to walk 14 km each day to continue their studies in secondary school. The long journey exhausted the students and contributed to school dropout." This inspired him to advocate for the construction of a closer secondary school with partners. His efforts bore fruit as two buildings with two classrooms each were erected on the site as part of the "School for All" program. However, the secondary school was only a branch of the Marovoay General Secondary School, located seven km away.
Even more new constructions
Marcel continues his advocacy, and the Antanimora General Education Secondary School becomes a fully-fledged educational institution from 2011. The student enrollment sees a significant increase, yet the classrooms are insufficient. In 2023, UNICEF, with the support of US Natcom, intervenes to construct four classrooms, a multipurpose hall, two separate sanitation blocks for girls and boys, a sports field, and 100 young plants to green the school garden. 'When one is responsible and makes a decision for the right cause, there should be no hesitation. I still remember the disagreements with parents who were initially reluctant to buy the land. Today, it's clear that students benefit from having a nearby school with well-ventilated and well-lit classrooms,' Marcel proudly recounts.
During the reception ceremony for the completed works, Marcel sat on one of the desks in a brand-new classroom. His memory brings back images from 40 years ago when, as a student at Marovoay Secondary School, he would bring lunch and spend time in the courtyard before afternoon classes.
The Antanimora General Education Secondary School currently has nearly 410 students.
