Faced with the challenge of integrating young people into society and the world of work, particularly young single mothers in Antananarivo, a tripartite initiative has been launched to offer a new perspective for the future to those who all too often remain on the margins of society. The Minister of Tourism and Handicrafts (MTA), the Mayor of the Antananarivo Urban Community (CUA) and the project manager, representing Action Éducation Madagascar, sealed an ambitious partnership around the Sandratra project by signing an agreement on 16 April 2025.
Driven by a shared vision of inclusion and emancipation, Sandratra aims to support 900 young mothers aged between 15 and 29 from the 1er, 3ème and 4ème districts of Antananarivo. Often stigmatised and in a precarious situation, these young single women will benefit from a comprehensive support package to strengthen their personal and economic autonomy.
An innovative approach to sustainable integration...
The Sandratra project, whose name evokes the idea of recovery and rebirth, offers an integrated approach combining psychosocial support, vocational training leading to qualifications, and support in finding employment or entrepreneurship.
The Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts, through its General Directorate for Handicrafts, will provide training in promising craft sectors, skills certification and the creation of cooperatives to structure the economic activities of the beneficiaries on a long-term basis. At the same time, a mentoring programme will be set up to encourage the sharing of experience with professionals in the trades chosen by the beneficiaries and to provide post-integration support.
For its part, the Commune Urbaine d'Antananarivo (CUA) will play an essential local role, identifying young mothers, monitoring their training, promoting the craft products produced by the project and facilitating their integration into the local market.
Finally, Action Éducation Madagascar - drawing on its experience in education and professional integration - will finance the training, provide the necessary equipment and support the young mothers in launching their income-generating projects. In collaboration with the CUA team, it will also provide psychosocial support, which is vital for boosting self-esteem, a key factor in the success of any empowerment initiative.
A project at the heart of gender equality...
Sandratra is not just a vocational training project. It also has a strong gender dimension. The programme includes :
- Specific modules to strengthen life skills: self-confidence, life project management and female leadership;
- Correcting sexist stereotypes in training content ;
- The inclusion of women in the local governance of craft projects, in particular via the cooperatives created and citizen micro-projects.
By offering comprehensive support, Sandratra aims to give young mothers back not only economic means, but also social recognition, which is often denied them.
A steering committee to ensure the impact...
To ensure that the programme is effective and sustainable, a steering committee comprising representatives of the three partner institutions will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating activities. This committee will ensure that the training courses are adapted to the realities of the market, strengthen the synergy between the institutional and economic players, and support the young mothers beyond the training period.
Promising initial results...
The Sandratra project is part of a dynamic already initiated by Action Éducation Madagascar. By 2024, almost 265 young mothers had already benefited from similar support, giving them access to stable income-generating activities. Building on this success, the partners intend to extend the impact of the programme through this new agreement.
Beyond the figures, Sandratra has a broader ambition: to build a more inclusive society, where the economic emancipation of young single mothers becomes a lever for local development. By promoting handicrafts as a means of integration and creativity, the project is also helping to preserve Madagascar's cultural heritage, while boosting local economies.
Through this tripartite alliance between the Ministry, decentralised local authorities and civil society, Antananarivo is sending out a strong signal: that of a capital that believes in the ability of its women to rise up, assert themselves and contribute fully to the country's economic and social life...
