Every day, dozens of Projet Jeune Leader (PJL) Educators head off to work, tiny specks walking or biking to school among the fields and rice paddies that stretch as far as the eye can see in Madagascar’s vast rural highlands. But zoom in, and their presence is bold and unmissable! They are dynamic, dedicated members of these school communities.
We generally place just one PJL Educator in each of our partner schools. But that doesn’t mean they work alone. Behind the scenes, they have a supportive team making sure they have the encouragement, advice, and training they need to succeed. Our dedicated Technical Managers and Technical Coordinators are never further than a text message or phone call away, and every once in a while, they travel the bumpy and dusty roads to lend a listening ear and guidance in-person to our PJL Educators.
Come along on the journey!
A Visit to Ambatomenaloha
For Chrystian, our Technical Manager, each day brings something new and special. Powered by 10 years of expertise at PJL and his endless enthusiasm, he set out early on his motorbike to meet with a few PJL Educators in Madagascar’s Amoron’i Mania region.
The journey to the village of Ambatomenaloha is bumpy, but after years of travelling across Madagascar’s rural roads, Chrystian has seen it all. Nothing slows him down! Éric, a PJL Educator at Ambatomenaloha’s public middle school, meets him in the village. Right away, residents start chatting with them, sharing their appreciation for the work Éric is doing and for PJL's efforts to expand high-quality sexuality education and life skills education in Madagascar.
They could spend hours in the village, but today, Chrystian’s primary focus is on the PJL Educator. Sitting around a table in a classroom at the school, Chrystian listens to Éric’s challenges and aspirations. Each story, each question that Éric shares is met with the same level of attention and thoughtfulness. Chrystian, who was once a PJL Educator himself, has a deep understanding of the joys and difficulties of being a CSE Educator in rural Madagascar.
This is where the magic of Chrystian’s approach comes to life. With empathy and experience, Chrystian offers practical advice and insightful guidance, whether it’s about classroom management techniques or exploring new opportunities to engage the community.
The day with Éric concludes with a visit to the school principal’s office, where they share a few updates and a few laughs. But now, time to hit the road again with Chrystian on his motorbike. His work is not over yet!
"I love travelling on this road because it's surrounded by agricultural fields; it really reminds me of the road to Antsaharoa middle school when I was a PJL Educator in 2013." — Chrystian, Technical Manager
Ongoing Virtual Support to Educators and Local Partners
When we’re not checking in with our Educators in-person, Chrystian and I – a Technical Coordinator – continue to support PJL Educators and school staff through regular phone calls. Because our partner schools are so spread out (across 3 regions!), it’s not feasible to rely on face-to-face visits. That’s why we’ve developed a methodology for regular semi-structured calls that facilitate ongoing relationship-building. In particular, calls with school administrators help us gather feedback to continuously improve our program while fostering a sense of belonging among all stakeholders. It’s part of how we work to build genuine trust between PJL and our partner communities.
These calls with school principals are often the best part of my day. The principals on the other end of the line are often so enthusiastic, heartfelt, and open that the conversations are long. They often emphasize how much they want PJL to continue working in their middle schools.
"As you know, we would love for your program to continue at our school; we even hope that this specific PJL Educator can stay on here for next year!" — Principal, Ihazolava middle school during a recent check-in call
Over time, these supportive supervision activities become a true motivating force for the PJL Educators and another opportunity for active involvement for the communities. It really is a team effort to bring our mission to life. The PJL Educators may be the guardians of the program at the front line, but it takes collaboration and support from our team, partner communities, and program stakeholders to make it all happen!
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