DHL and SOS Children's Villages Partner the Ministry of National Education and UNESCO to Extend the GoTeach Program with Math, Physics, and Innovation Olympiads for Madagascar's Youth

The Olympiads are initiated as part of the GoTeach program, the corporate responsibility initiative run by DHL and non-profit organization SOS Children's Villages that has improved youth education and vocational skills in developing regions worldwide. One Olympiad will test secondary students' mathematics and physics skills, while the other will require participants to create an innovative design or product using recyclables, emerging technologies, or "fablab" materials typically employed in small-scale digital production.

DHL expects more than 1,500 young Madagascans to compete in the Olympiads, for a range of prizes including PCs, tablets -- and the chance to have their innovation funded to completion by DHL.

"GoTeach has made invaluable contributions to the skills and career opportunities available to Madagascar's young people since DHL and SOS Children's Villages began their work here eight years ago," said Paul Rabary, Madagascar Ministry of National Education. "These new Olympiads will create greater awareness and enthusiasm amongst young Malagasy for critical elements of their education that will have lasting effect on their later life."

The launch comes as UNESCO and Madagascar's Ministry of Education acknowledge the team's work over the past eight years with formal awards for five of the initiative's key leaders (see Notes to Editors). Since commencing worldwide in 2011, the DHL-SOS Children's Villages partnership has engaged with up to 450 young Malagasy every year through a range of mentoring programs, job forums, and vocational training seminars. To date, 36 Malagasy youths have received internships with DHL, with 20 of them translating into full-time employment opportunities with the company.

"One early participant in our mentoring program went on to complete an internship in DHL's IT department, which gave her valuable IT knowledge that has helped gain the trust of her employer, who now gives her responsibility over the company's website," said Mamy Rakotondraibe, CEO of DHL International Madagascar. "So far, we've seen our mentees successfully enter all manner of professions from legal assistants to pastry chefs, using the skills that they learned and practiced during their time with us to create a hope and future for themselves and their families.

"The new Olympiads will further encourage Madagascar's youth to hone the technical and problem-solving abilities that, as we've seen in the past, often significantly enhance the economic prospects that they may one day achieve."

"The GoTeach partnership has shown commendable resilience through often challenging education conditions in Madagascar, including some of the lowest enrolment and completion rates amongst students in all of Africa,[1]" said Fanja Ratsimisetra, General Secretary of UNESCO. "DHL and SOS Children's Villages have remained committed to keeping a growing cross-section of Madagascan youth actively engaged with the schooling system, giving thousands of young people much-needed skills and career opportunities. It gives UNESCO great pride to continue working with DHL and SOS Children's Villages to bring hope and a sense of purpose to Madagascar's young people through simple, practical measures like the new Olympiads."

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Notes to Editors:

Recipients who were recognized by the Government of Madagascar Ministry of Education and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for their years of service to the GoTeach partnership:

Maria Raharinarivonirina
President of SOS Children's Villages Madagascar

Daniel Paniez
Former Managing Director of SOS Children's Villages Madagascar

Mamy Rakotondraibe
CEO of DHL International Madagascar

Yves Andrianaharison
Sales Manager of DHL International Madagascar

Faneva Raharimanantsoa
GoTeach Coordinator - Indian Ocean, DHL International Madagascar and former Head of Communications, Partnership and Sponsorship at SOS Children's Villages Madagascar

Olympiad: Mathematics and Physics
This event is open to all private/ public secondary and high schools in Antananarivo, Antsirabe and Toamasina. Students are required to answer general Mathematics and Physics questions in two rounds of tests -- the first will be held on 11 March 2017 and the second will be held on 1 April 2017. The finals will be held in Antananarivo on 27 or 28 April.

Olympiad: Innovative Objects of Projects
This event is open only to youths from SOS Children's Villages in Antananarivo, Antsirabe and Toamasina. Participants must come up with an innovative project using "fablab" materials, recyclables or new technologies. Submitted projects will be displayed to the public during the finals on 27 or 28 April at Antananarivo and the winning project will receive funding from DHL to realize the project.

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