Saunia comes from a very poor family in Fianarantsoa and despite all the difficulties of just getting his baccalaureate from high school, he managed to interview and get accepted to TASC and Feedback Madagascar’s first scholarship award program to go to University.
We first met over 7 years ago at a meeting with 10 very worried, shy and nervous students hoping beyond hope to get our scholarship for tutition and living expenses.
Saunia was the main speaker of the 10 and explained he wanted to study Mathematics and Science and as we were about to leave he had the courage to stand and ask us for another favour.
“Could we support the students getting computers for their University classes and would it be possible for each of them to get a raincoat as the rainy season was starting and most of them travelled 10 miles to go to class.”
He excelled and while at undergraduate level has been teaching other poor students Maths and Science on Saturday mornings to help them pass through high school.
He also has a rap band and works to help with his families expenses.
He approached us after a very difficult period during Covid having achieved a First Honours in Physics and Chemistry with a view to doing a Masters. When we asked him why not just go and get a job he explained that he wants to teach so as the repay the favour he received in getting the scholarship. We agreed to support him and another female student doing a Masters also.
He has over the past 3 years managed to achieve his dreams and now has a Master Degree in Physics and Chemistry, achieving 87.5% score for his final dissertation.
He now wants to continue onto getting a PHD in Applied Physics and TASC/Feedback have agreed to support him in his new undertaking.
He is a man of immense stature and code and despite all the difficulties with getting an education in Madagascar and at times very difficult circumstances he has persevered.
He is an inspiration and the future of Madagascar.
These are photographs of Saunia with his mother and sister and niece and with two fellow classmates on the occasion of his graduation with a Masters Degree in Physics and Chemistry from the University of Fianarantsoa in Madagascar.
