Newsletter #4

✨ Sunshine in Nosy Komba 2025 Newsletter #4 ✨

Dear Kombas supporters,

We’re excited to share with you a new edition of our Sunshine in Nosy Komba newsletter! 🌞 This is a special one, because SNK team is on site!

In this newsletter we want to share with you:

• SNK team trip

  • arrival and objectives

  • Teacher training

  • Teacher training - open to other directors

  • Maintenance of the school (school dormitory)

  • Ceremony preparation

  • Rise&Shine Scholarship presentation and signature

• Others

  • 96% success BEPC

  • Hiring new teachers for ecole banana

🌞📍 Sunshine in Nosy Komba Volunteer Trip 2025 – Key Objectives 📍🌞

Our team arrived in Nosy Komba, and here’s what we’ll be working on during this impactful trip:

• 🎓 Scholarships – Host the ceremony, talk with students, wait for BAC results, and visit the university with students

• 🏫 New School Building – Support and monitor construction progress of the new building at École Banana

• 🔋 Equip 2nd Maternity – Install solar panels, batteries, and provide autonomous electricity for the maternity in Antamotamo

• 👩‍🏫 Teacher Training – Co-lead sessions and plan the next phase of our education program

• 🌐 Internet at the Cyber – Launch the new internet connection and support digital access training for students and teachers

• 📚 Books Distribution – Deliver French workbooks and follow up with partner schools

• 💡 Entrepreneurship Programme Pilot – Launch and guide the first student-led business projects

Big ideas, real action — together we move forward! 💛

👩‍🏫📘 Teachers Training at École Banana – Building a Stronger Future Together 📘👨‍🏫

École Banana isn’t just growing for its students — it’s also becoming a training ground for future teachers! 🌱✨

This week, we launched a new 2-day workshop for our intern teachers and candidates applying to become interns. Led by École Banana’s experienced educators, the training is full of interactive discussions, shared experiences, and peer learning — all part of our mission to raise the bar for education in Nosy Komba.

This builds on the successful teacher training we launched last year, and marks an exciting step toward our long-term goal:

📍 Transforming École Banana into a regional teacher training hub. 🌟 Investing in teachers is investing in the future of the kids and of the community.

But we’re not stopping here — next week, we’ll host another 2-day session, and for the first time, it will be open to teachers from other schools on the island!

💛 It’s all part of our commitment to quality education, community collaboration, and long-term impact.

🌞 Team continuing the work on site to keep the school running 🛏️🦟✨

The team keeps working on the island with new members of the team that arrived on site. Today we focused on replacing the mosquito nets in the girls’ dormitory, a quiet but vital task that helps ensure safer, healthier nights for the students during the year. 🌙💙

This is part of our annual tasks — beyond the big milestones we have, we stay committed to several tasks that keeps the school thriving:

• 🧰 Maintaining and repairing facilities

• 📦 Reviewing and updating inventories

• 🛠️ Refurbishing spaces

👩‍🏫📘 École Banana Teacher Training Welcomes Directors of Other Schools 📘👨‍🏫

Following last week’s successful workshop with intern teachers, this week we took another exciting step forward:

École Banana, with the support of Sunshine in Nosy Komba (SNK), welcomed directors and educators from schools across the island for a new 2-day training session! 🌴✨

💡 Programme Highlights

The training was structured around interactive sessions and practical tools for educators, including:

•  📊 Evaluation methods for first- and second-year students

•  🎓 Pedagogical techniques and course planning

•  🗣️ Voice control and intonation

•  📚 Explicit teaching strategies for adolescents

•  🧠 Child psychology, school legislation, ethics and professional conduct

•  🤝 Open discussions, idea exchanges, and collaborative synthesis

This marks a major milestone in our long-term goal of transforming École Banana into a regional hub for teacher development — a place where educators from across the island come together to learn, grow, and build a shared vision for quality education. 🌱

💛 With SNK’s continued support and the dedication of our teaching community, we’re investing in the future of every child on the island — one teacher, one classroom, one school at a time.

🎓✨ Scholarship Ceremony 2025 – Preparations Underway! ✨🎓

One of the most inspiring moments of the year is approaching — our annual Scholarship Ceremony during the Sunshine in Nosy Komba Trip, and preparations are already in motion! 🌟

We're now printing the certificates for BEPC and BAC students who have worked hard and succeeded — a moment of pride and a milestone for their future. 📜💪

And here’s something special: all certificates are printed locally at the Cyber Café in the village — a powerful symbol of our vision:

• 🔁 Grow up studying at École Banana

• 🎓 Receive a Rise & Shine scholarship for lycée and university

• 🏡 And later, return to invest in the community — like Hervenot is doing, running the Cyber Café, mentoring younger students, or supporting the very programs that helped them thrive.

✨ And to go even further, this year we’re launching a new programme: the ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME to support students who are now finishing their education and ready to build their own projects — right here in Nosy Komba. The goal: to empower the next generation.

As every year the ceremony will gather students, families, teachers, local authorities, and volunteers — a celebration of what’s possible when education stays rooted in community.

🙏 Thank you to all the godparents and sponsors who make the Rise & Shine programme possible — your support helps shape a new generation of citizens.

Let’s get ready to celebrate success, growth, and shared hope. 🚀

🌟📘 🌟 Rise & Shine Scholarships – Presentation, Winners Announcement and Contracts Signature 📘🌟

Today , École Banana opened its doors to a crowd of students and parents for the official presentation of the Rise and Shine Scholarship contracts, supported by the Sunshine in Nosy Komba Foundation through the generosity of godparents and sponsors who believe in the power of education. 💛

The turnout was so overwhelming that students were listening from outside the building — a true reflection of the excitement, hope, and importance this program holds for the community.

During the session:

• 📖 SNK and École Banana staff explained the scholarship rules, how recipients are selected, and the expectations tied to the program. Selection is based not only on votes, but especially on student behavior — because we’re not just nurturing learners, we’re shaping the future citizens of Madagascar.

• 🖊️ Parents and students signed their contracts, committing to the journey ahead with pride and purpose.

• 🤝 The atmosphere was filled with emotion, anticipation, and a deep sense of shared responsibility.

The Rise and Shine Scholarship is more than financial support — it’s a promise of opportunity, accountability, and growth. It empowers students to pursue their education with confidence, knowing their community stands behind them every step of the way.

🎓 This moment marks the beginning of a new chapter for each recipient — and a continued commitment from SNK and École Banana to invest in the future of Nosy Komba’s youth.

👩‍🏫📢 École Banana Is Recruiting Two New Teachers! 📢👨‍🏫

As École Banana continues to grow, we’re thrilled to share that the recruitment process for two new teachers is officially underway! 📚✨

The process started this week with five strong local candidates applying to join our team. Evaluations are taking place over several days, with interviews and assessments continuing until Monday.

💬 What makes this special? The recruitment is led collaboratively by École Banana’s own teachers and expert volunteers from Sunshine in Nosy Komba — a thoughtful process rooted in care, fairness, and a shared commitment to quality education.

💡 The team is giving it their all — interviews have stretched well into the evening, showing just how seriously this step is taken. We’re looking not just for qualifications, but for educators who are passionate about our students and aligned with our values.

This is a key moment as we prepare for a new school year filled with more students, new classrooms, and expanded programs.

💛 We can’t wait to welcome two new dedicated teachers to the École Banana family!

🎉📚 BEPC 2025 Results Are In – 96% Success! 📚🎉

We are beyond proud to share some incredible news:

96% of our students in 3ème passed the BEPC 2025 exam! 🙌✨

After months of dedication and hard work, and a week of intense national exams from June 30 to July 3, our students have achieved an outstanding result — a true reflection of their effort, the support of our teachers, and the strength of our community.

🎓 This success opens the door for them to begin lycée — the next big step in their academic journey.

To every student: Bravo!

To every teacher, family member, and supporter: Thank you for believing in them.

🌱 We’ll continue working to make sure every student in Nosy Komba has the chance to succeed and shine.

Let’s celebrate this moment together! 🥳

 Stay Connected with Sunshine in Nosy Komba!   

Sunshine in Nosy Komba is dedicated to improving education, healthcare, and sustainable development on Nosy Komba island. Every euro raised is directly invested in these vital projects, ensuring transparency and impact.  

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