Zara Aina

ZARA AINA IS A MALAGASY PHRASE THAT MEANS SHARE LIFE. BROADWAY ACTORS LUCAS CALEB ROONEY AND BRYCE PINKHAM FOUNDED ZARA AINA TO HELP AT-RISK CHILDREN EXPAND THEIR CAPACITY FOR ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE AND STORYTELLING. ESTABLISHED IN 2012 WITH HEADQUARTERS IN NEW YORK, ZARA AINA IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WORKING WITH PARTNERS TO DEVELOP SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS THAT EMPOWER AND CHANGE LIVES.

YOUTH COMPANY & ANTANANARIVO CLUBHOUSE: IN 2021 THE MALAGASY STAFF HAS CONTINUED TO SHOW INCREDIBLE RESILIENCE AMIDST THE PANDEMIC, KEEPING ALL OF THE STUDENTS SAFE AND HEALTHY. THOUGH SURGES AND LOCKDOWNS MEANT STUDENTS HAD TO STAY AWAY FROM THE CENTER AT TIMES IN 2021, FROM JUNE TO THE END OF THE YEAR PROGRAMMING WAS MOSTLY BACK TO NORMAL, WITH EVERYONE BACK AT THE CENTER WORKING ON NEW THEATRICAL AND DANCE PROGRAMMING, AND CONTINUING THEIR HUGELY SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH FELLOW NGO TEACH FOR MADAGASCAR AND THEIR CHILDRENS BOOK PROJECT, DIARY NOFY, AS WELL AS ROTARY INTERNATIONAL.IN DECEMBER 2021 THE ZARA AINA YOUTH COMPANY PERFORMED THREE BIG SHOWS, FUNDED BY TWO NEW PARTNERS--THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF MADAGASCAR AND THE ELDER GIRL SCOUTS.THE STUDENTS CONTINUED TAKING ENGLISH AND FRENCH CLASSES AND DOING VIGOROUS TEST PREP THROUGHOUT 2021. 11 OF 12 STUDENTS WHO TOOK THE HIGH SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAM PASSED, AND WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL, WHICH IS FREE, UNLIKE PRIMARY SCHOOL.THE MALAGASY STAFF EXPOSED THE STUDENTS TO NUMEROUS PROFESSIONAL GUEST ARTISTS IN2021INCLUDING SEVERAL DANCE WORKSHOPS.THROUGH NUMEROUS COVID-RELATED DELAYS, THE STAFF CONTINUED WORKING THROUGH THE THREE STAGES OF OBTAINING BUILDING PERMITS TO BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON THE NEW PERMANENT ZARA AINA CENTER, FOR WHICH WE COMPLETED OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AT THE END OF 2020.

MOBILE LIBRARY: LAUNCHED IN 2016 IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UK-BASED VAPE CLUB, ZARA AINAS MOBILE LIBRARY PROJECT DISTRIBUTES USEFUL BOOKS TO RURAL VILLAGES ACROSS FOUR REGIONS OF MADAGASCAR. THE BOOKS FOCUS ON PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE SUCH AS WAYS TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, FAMILY RELATIONS AND HEALTH, ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, SEXUAL HEALTH, DIY AND TRADES. IN 2018, THE MOBILE LIBRARY CONTINUED TO DISTRIBUTE SEEDS AND FRUIT TREES TO PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES, ALONG WITH LITERATURE ABOUT CARE AND CULTIVATION.WHEN THE LIBRARY IS NOT ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A TOUR, THE VAN IS USED BY ZARA AINA STAFF TO TRANSPORT THE YOUTH COMPANY AND ZARA AINA OVERSEES THE OVERALL OPERATION OF THE PROGRAM AND PROVIDES ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO LIBRARY STAFF.

ZARA AINA-WORKSHOPS:WHILE COVID-19 CONTINUED TO MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO HOLD US PROGRAMMING, ESPECIALLY IN PERSON, WE DID RETURN TO MADAGASCAR DAY AT RHINEBECK MIDDLE SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE FALL 2019, TO HOLD IN PERSON THEATER WORKSHOPS.WE ALSO USED OUR 2020 LMCC GRANT AWARD TO HOLD ZOOM WORKSHOPS WITH MAMA FOUNDATION HARLEM. THE STUDENTS CREATED A FULL ORIGINAL PLAY AND PERFORMED IT OVER ZOOM.WE HELD OUR FIRST-EVER ZARA AINA COMMUNITY CONNECTION EVENT OVER ZOOM, GATHERING DONORS AND SUPPORTERS FROM THE US AND OUR MALAGASY STAFF AND STUDENTS TO MEET AND CONVERSE. THIS KICKED OFF OUR FIRST EVER MID YEAR FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN, WHICH SUCCESSFULLY RAISED $15,000.