Education, international cooperation, and local development are at the heart of an innovative project in Maherivatra, in Madagascar’s DIANA region, thanks to TALENT SEED Odv and ENAIP Veneto and Piedmont.
In northern Madagascar, in the DIANA region, vocational training is taking a decisive step toward rural areas. In Maherivatra, in the Ambanja district, a Culinary and Hospitality School was inaugurated on May 8 to offer new opportunities for development and employment to local youth.
The facility, located about 30 kilometers north of Ambanja, is the result of an international collaboration involving the Padua-based #TalentSeedOdV, the training organizations ENAIP Veneto and EnAIP Piemonte, and the Congregation of the Sisters “Disciples of the Sacred Heart,” headquartered in Lecce and active in the Catholic mission in Maherivaratra.
The initiative represents a concrete response to the needs of local communities, with the goal of bringing vocational training to people in the most isolated and impoverished areas, while simultaneously promoting economic and social development through tourism and the restaurant industry.
The school is equipped with modern workshops and state-of-the-art technological equipment, designed to meet the demands of contemporary vocational training. Particular attention has been paid to environmental sustainability: the center is powered by
The initiative represents a concrete response to the needs of local communities, with the goal of bringing vocational training to people in the most isolated and impoverished areas, while simultaneously promoting economic and social development through tourism and the restaurant industry.
The school is equipped with modern workshops and state-of-the-art technological equipment, designed to meet the demands of contemporary vocational training.
Particular attention has been paid to environmental sustainability: the center is powered by solar panels that provide clean energy and a permanent internet connection, also enabling distance learning.
The project has already seen the completion of an initial building of approximately 160 square meters, including a fully equipped cooking lab, thanks to an initial investment of about 80,000 euros, funds raised through the generosity of private individuals and companies in the Veneto region. A subsequent expansion phase is planned, which will bring the facility’s total area to 580 square meters, featuring six classrooms, administrative spaces, and faculty housing.
Once fully operational, the school will accommodate up to 120 students in three-year programs combining theory and practice, with internships at the region’s leading tourism establishments. The first course will begin in October 2026 and will lead to professional certifications in the fields of culinary arts and front-of-house and bar service. Once fully operational, six vocational training courses for chefs and dining room/bar assistants will be launched; specialization and professional development programs are also planned for those already working in the sector.
Another distinctive feature of the project is its long-term economic sustainability through the creation of a so-called “training enterprise”: in addition to training activities, the project includes a chicken farm and a workshop for the production of biscuits, designed to help the facility become self-supporting.
The inauguration ceremony took place in the presence of local authorities, representatives of the Diocese of Ambanja, and an Italian delegation that included Italian Ambassador Alberto Vecchi—who, from Pretoria, also oversees affairs in Madagascar —who highlighted the initiative’s significance as a symbol of cooperation between Italy and Madagascar and of the shared commitment to offering young people real opportunities for education and employment—and Claudio Siragusa, Honorary Consul in Nosy Be. The inauguration, which saw strong participation from the local community, concluded with a convivial gathering, reflecting a shared sense of unity around a project that looks to the future with confidence.
This new school represents not only a training center but a genuine social investment, capable of generating opportunities, strengthening local skills, and building concrete prospects for the younger generations in rural Madagascar.
