Malagasy students - access to employability in IT

Dear supporter of Malagasy youth and access to education in IT!

Your support has been able to create lasting change for so many youth in Madagascar.  As you know our mission:  

PN's mission is to unlock the potential of disadvantaged youths by giving them access to education, and the means to acquire key soft and hard skills in the digital sector. We provide training in our centers in Southeast Asia, and a preparatory program to enter university at our center in Madagascar.

Our training programs are aimed at vulnerable young people aged 17 to 23. Our beneficiaries are selected based on their extremely precarious economic situation. They mainly come from remote and rural areas where education and employment opportunities are scarce, and do not have the means to pursue higher education.We are committed to gender parity -at least half of our students are girls. The selection process includes a motivational interview, English, mathematics and logic tests and a home visits.

Context in Madagascar: Madagascar is one of the 5 poorest countries in the world. Only 11% of Malagasy people have formal employment. Two thirds of the population are under 25 years old and about 500,000 young people enter the job market each year. The enrollment rate falls to 13% for higher education. However, the island faces a growing need for qualified workers in the digital field.

Because of your support, PN in Madagascar was able to welcome 100 youth to be supported in our center - Thank you!  

More about PNM's training: PNM provides a one-year post-high school preparatory course to young Malagasy students. The training is divided between academic classes and pro-bono interventions from private companies supporting the project. The program emphasizes innovative educational approaches to foster problem-solving skills and adaptability. Comprising four modules, students explore applied sciences, IT, languages, and soft skills. They gain industry insights through visits to universities and companies, culminating in a one-month internship. At the end of this preparatory year, we guide our students towards post graduate studies through a tailored guidance adapted to their skills, their desires and in line with the needs of the local market. Those who pursue their studies (90% of our two frst classes) are offered scholarships as well as a socio-educational follow-up until they find stable employment.

Links:

• 2023 PN Annual Report

Dear supporter of PN Madagascar, 

Here is a report on how, with your help, we are able to give youth in Madagascar access to employability.  

The context:

In Madagascar, where over 80% of the population lives in poverty, the demand for skilled workers in the digital sector is rapidly growing. The World Bank estimates that by 2027, there will be a need for 7,500 professionals annually, yet only 700 are being trained each year. Our mission is clear: to bridge this gap by providing education and professional training in digital fields to underprivileged youth. 

Our feasibility study, carried out between September 2020 and July 2021, highlighted the low level of secondary school leavers. In addition, there are major disparities between regions (particularly to the detriment of the southern regions in terms of secondary education), as well as between private and public establishments. The main gaps identified by Malagasy digital companies concern soft skills (autonomy, ability to express oneself, etc.), technical skills and foreign language skills. The structural reasons are unequal access to materials and technologies, the often-elitist nature of higher education and the lack of career guidance for young people, particularly in the digital industry. This trend is even more pronounced in the case of young girls. Work-study training, which is extremely underdeveloped in Madagascar, also partly explains the disconnect between employers and young graduates.

Access to digital job opportunities for young underprivileged people is a pathway towards economic development and poverty alleviation. This not only improves individual livelihoods but also contributes to the overall economic stability of the community. Addressing these gaps ensures equitable access to education and opportunities for all members of the community.

Developing work-study training programs and improving career guidance enhances the competitiveness of the local workforce. It ensures that graduates are equipped with not only technical skills but also with the practical experience and soft skills necessary to succeed in the workplace.

How PN Madagascar makes a difference:

Through an eleven-month program covering applied sciences, IT, languages, and soft skills, we empower Malagasy students to pursue careers in the digital realm. However, our support goes beyond education. We provide housing, meals, and essential needs to ensure students can fully dedicate themselves to their studies. We also raise awareness on crucial issues like climate change and gender equality. We steer them towards postgraduate studies, providing personalized guidance, aligning with their skills, aspirations, and the demands of the local market. It is a realistic chance for students to escape poverty in a sustainable way, and to lift their families out of hardship. They also support the digital transformation of the Malagasy society, and contribute to boosting its economy.

In 2024:

At least 1,000 young people hosted by partner organizations or high schools will benefit from one of 35 career guidance and awareness-raising sessions on digital professions and gender.

50 vulnerable young people, at least 50% of them girls, will then join our training program each year. These young people are between 18 and 24 years of age, and come from different regions of the island (11 to date). They meet one or more of the following vulnerability criteria: poverty index, household composition, geographical isolation, difficulty of access to education. We will support them during their preparatory year and throughout their higher education.

Our project will also benefit the students' families (often the eldest of a sibling), enabling them to escape poverty and finance their other children's education, with an estimated 750 indirect beneficiaries over three years.

January 2024 - October 2024: Deployment of a training and support program within the PNM training center.

March 2024 - May 2024: Conduct awareness-raising sessions on societal topics.

March 2024 - August 2024: Facilitation of orientation and awareness sessions.

March 2024 - August 2024: Organization of company visits.

All year long: Integration of gender into operational procedures and individual socio educational

All year long: Monitoring of young people in preparatory and higher education.

September 2024 - October 2024: Implementation of end-of-year internships.

July 2024 - October 2024: Recruitment of the new promotion.