🎂 My Birthday Wish: Let’s Reach the Stars! 🌟

🎂 My Birthday Wish: Let’s Reach the Stars!

Sekoly Kintana—our trilingual, inclusive, Montessori-based school in Fort Dauphin, Madagascar—opened its doors in September 2024.

This time last year, on my birthday, it was still just a dream. I was still in development conversations with people elsewhere in the world who had done something similar. One of them, who has decades of experience as a teacher and as someone who coaches teachers, told me:

“A project like this is 10% brain, 40% heart, and 50% action.”

Another mentor—Tim Seldin, President of The Montessori Foundation and author of numerous Montessori texts—told me:

“You have a lot of hurdles and challenges ahead, but the only way to overcome them is to start.”

So I did.

🌍 Why Sekoly Kintana?

Fort Dauphin is a beautiful, resilient town—but it has been left behind when it comes to meaningful investments in education.

There are no universities. Most schools rely on rote memorization. Even the best private schools struggle with basic technology and lack access to trained, confident teachers. These challenges are not unique—but they are urgent.

At Sekoly Kintana, we’re changing that.

We are creating a trilingual, inclusive, culturally grounded school—where students learn in Malagasy, English, and French, and where every child, regardless of background, is seen, supported, and celebrated.

We emphasize:

• Psychological safety, trust, and relationship-centered learning

• Inclusion for students with ADHD, autism, and trauma

• Montessori methods blended with International Baccalaureate (IB) frameworks

• A deep connection to Malagasy heritage, oral tradition, and civic pride

Our vision is bold: to build the first fully certified Montessori-to-IB continuum school in southern Madagascar, growing from early childhood through age 18.

🧡 Investing in People: One Assistant’s Story

During her trial period, one of our Assistants came to me and said:

“I have a problem. I don’t know enough about the Montessori method… but I want to learn. I like what I see.”

Since then, she has become part of the fabric of the school. She watches videos at night. She studies the materials. She observes our Guides and applies what she sees with joy and confidence.

She speaks to the children not only in Malagasy, but in the language of the child—that quiet, respectful, attuned way Dr. Montessori urged us to learn and lead:

“The child is both a hope and a promise for mankind.”

This Assistant has a high school diploma, but she is a perfect candidate for a Bachelor’s degree and full Montessori certification. These opportunities could change her life—and the lives of her students. But we cannot fund this kind of growth through tuition alone.

We need you.

💛 My Birthday Goal: $4,800

This year, I’m asking for your help to raise $4,800 to support urgent, high-impact needs as we launch our second school year.

Your gift will fund:

• ✈️ A Montessori consultant’s travel to train and mentor our team

• 💻 Four Chromebooks for student research, typing, and staff use

• 🧠 Montessori materials, including math and literacy tools

• 📦 Shipping and customs fees to bring key learning resources to Fort Dauphin

Technology is crucial. So far, we’ve only used screens to show curated videos. But our students—especially in Upper Primary—need computers to learn to type, conduct research, and access content that simply doesn’t exist in local books or teachers’ knowledge. Tech is equity. Tech is opportunity.

🪐 Long-Term Vision: $1.8 Million+

This birthday campaign is just one piece of a much larger story.

Over the next 5–8 years, we aim to raise $1.8–$2 million USD to fund:

• Land acquisition and permanent campus construction

• Montessori and IB teacher certification for Malagasy educators

• Curriculum development, STEAM innovation, and multilingual programming

• Long-term scholarships and the launch of the Kintana Foundation

Our goal is to be tuition-sustained by 2025 for basic operations—but we cannot achieve deep equity or systemic change without your help.

This is about more than a school.It’s about a generation of children who grow up loved, seen, and challenged.It’s about building a model for what’s possible in Madagascar and beyond.

✨ Be Part of This Story

If just 100 people gave $48, we’d meet our goal.

Every donation—whether $5 or $500—helps us build a school that doesn’t just exist, but thrives.

This work is joyful. It is sacred. It is still unfolding.Thank you for walking with us.

📬 Stay connected at www.sekolykintana.org📸 Follow our journey: @SekolyKintana

And if you can’t give today, please share this story with someone who can.

With all my heart,Alison 🌟