By Markus Faigle | Volunteer
For the first time in its history, the Zahana schools organized what we called an ‘open market’ or open house to promote its products. Initiated by teachers, endorsed by parents and supported by Zahana, these open house days took place in May 2025 of this year.
What was planned as a local event to involve the community to showcase our schools and our students’ achievements became more what we can call a fair, where we could showcase our activities. For Zahana, with our integrative approach for development, all of our activities are interconnected. The improved cookstove in action, the production of bio-charcoal hands on, the tree nursery for reforestation and the school gardens gave visitors something to see and experience.
It was also a great opportunity to show the solar dryer (see reports) in action. Developed and paid for by our microcredit program this solar dryer can produce dried vegetables and fruits to create value-added products for sale. The solar dryer is safely stored in the school grounds when not in use.
The preparations for the fairs began in February already. It all started with a meeting or a General Assembly of the parents to include them and the students in the planning. This led to a general mobilization for a thorough cleaning of the school grounds, with repairs and renovations of the classrooms and meeting spaces (like the pavilions used for meetings and cooking school meals). Around the school it involved the beautification and upkeep of the school’s vegetable gardens and the tree nursery for reforestation. As it has become a tradition, it also involved active reforestation by the students and their parents in preparation for the fair, so they could show the planted trees.
In May, the Zahana school fair was held, featuring a sale of local produce like vegetables and solar dried food by the students. The sale of their products raised a substantial 1,002,700 Ariary for our 2 schools.
The mayor of the commune of Bevato (Bevato is the administrative center for the larger region) was invited to these events at our schools and he attended both fairs. In return he extended an invitation to Zahana to take part in the communal fair to be held at the beginning of June in Bevato. This fair saw the participation of 13 Fokontany (districts) from the area!
We were happy to attend this regional fair. At its first official outing, the school and rural university won an award at the fair organized by the commune of Bevato. Zahana's stand showcased its various activities, including the production of Zahana bio-charcoal, presented by Metosela, and Zahana's solar perishable food drying, including ground ginger, packaged in small packages for easy use (and sale). The dried ginger powder was of great interest for the mayor and others, since it can be used to spice up the laoka, a soup of greens that is traditionally eaten with the rice at meals. (See rice on our website).
And, can you believe it? Zahana took first prize, receiving: 1 cell phone, 1 t-shirt, 2 buckets and 1 cap.
By Markus Faigle | Volunteer
By Markus Faigle | Volunteer
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